Lucy81

What would you normally do?

Instead of planning a meal, what about an activity that you enjoy.

If the weather is nice, plan a picnic and explain that you are not eating and will not be providing a cake instead if you wanted you could have birdseed bags that people could use to feed the birds or the ducks in a pond at the park where the picnic would be held. Everyone could bring their own lunch if they wanted to attend and you would only have to make little birdseed bags.

If nature walks are more your style, do something along those lines and just let everyone know that for your birthday you are planning an activity and not a party. There will be no cake and ice cream if that is what they are looking for, they can just stay home.

You could ask your friends to join you in a day of caring and you could all volunteer together somewhere either serving at a soup kitchen, helping at a shelter or a children's center or even a senior center.