Birthday Celebrations: where's the line

[Guest]

I was out to dinner with my wife and a friend from college last night to celebrate my birthday, and we got into an interesting (at the time anyway) discussion about what is enough, and what is too much when it comes to birthday celebrations. 

I took the occasion as an example stating that dinner with a small group is enough for me, but having one of the group tell the waitperson to bring a dessert and sing is much too much.  My friend set the bar lower: a card or a call is enough for him, dinner is too much.  My wife went the other direction and said that there's no such thing as too much, so long as the well-wishing is sincere and no one gets arrested.

The three of us are roughly the same age, so I don't think the difference was related to age (though my mother stopped celebrating once she reached 60).  For my friend, it's because of some regrettable timing of family issues.  For me, it's just a question of personal taste.

My question to the lurkers: what's enough and what's too much of a celebration for your birthday?  Is there a concrete reason (I don't want you to share your tragic stories unless your therapist says it’s a healthy thing to do) or is it just a question of what you've been raised to feel is appropriate?
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There is no such thing as 'too much' for a birthday celebration.You can disagree in the way it could be celebrated,but it would be too sad to refuse something which is sincere,unless you don't like those who celebrate your birthday.As for gifts,the more is the better,at least for my case.
The way your birthday is celebrated,is a clue to know how/how much the people who celebrate it,love you.Really,I don't understand why there should be a 'too much' for celebrating a birthday.
All in all,it is always better than 'too little' or nobody there to celebrate it.