ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Born to pay: One American’s birthday culture shock in India
From joyful treats to shared obligations, a simple birthday exposes deeper cultural contrasts between nations.
-
1759953093.png)
Staff Reporter - Fri, 06, Feb 2026
- 02:58 EST
- 15
Kristen Fischer / Kristen Fischer via Instagram and Pexels
She thought birthdays were universal. Cake, candles, awkward singing, someone else quietly grabbing the bill while you stare at the menu pretending you didn’t notice. That was the America Kristen Fischer grew up with.
Then she moved to India.
Kristen, an American mother of four living in India, assumed her first birthday there would follow the same unspoken global rule: birthday person eats, friends pay. When her friends suggested going out, she felt right at home. This was nice. This was normal.
ALSO READ: U.S. tourist criticizes Indians’ fitness, sparks debate online
But when the bill arrived, her friends casually informed her that it was her responsibility to pay. For everyone.
“That it was my responsibility to pay since it was my birthday.”
Kristen stood there doing the kind of mental math usually reserved for exam halls and life crises. In the US, birthdays are sacred wallet-free zones. You don’t pay. You’re not even allowed to reach for your purse without someone dramatically slapping your hand away.
In America you never pay on your birthday,” she explained later. And in India you always pay. And not just for yourself, but for everyone.
In India, birthdays come with cake, yes — but also obligations. Office sweets. Friends’ dinners. Sometimes return gifts. Your birthday isn’t a reward; it’s a distribution event.
“Imagine my surprise my first year in India,” Kristen said. “I was so confused.”
Back home, birthdays feel like a thank-you from the universe. In India, they feel more like you thanking the universe back — financially.
Kristen took her confusion to Instagram, genuinely asking: “Now please tell me, does anyone actually like it this way? Wouldn't this just make it that nobody wants to ever do anything big for their birthday?”
In the end, she popped the question: “Is this a tradition that needs to end or what?”
The internet did what it does best.
Some Americans reacted with sympathy. Some declared they would simply stop aging. Others joked they’d celebrate birthdays alone in their cars with a single cupcake and zero witnesses.
Indians responded with calm explanations and gentle amusement. It’s about sharing happiness, they said. About gratitude. About spreading joy. Some admitted it can be expensive, but tradition doesn’t check your bank balance. A few quietly confessed they don’t love it either — but birthdays come whether you like the bill or not.
Kristen wasn’t attacking the culture. She was just standing between two worlds: one where friends fight to pay for you, and another where your existence for one more year means you pick up the tab.
Same candles. Same cake. Completely different story at the end of the meal.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
Related
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login