a bit of context: I work at a center where kids grades 5-12 can come and hang out, nd basically build connections with each one another.
About a week or 2 before my birthday, I was talking to my manager about plans that I had, but ended up falling through, nd overall being bummed out about not having anything to do for my birthday. She reassured me that I'd find something to do, and gave me suggestions for group and solo activities. The week of my birthday, everyone at work was being really secretive and kind of avoidant, and I thought it was weird, but I tried not to think too much about it. At one point, practically everyone there was asking me if I was going to be there on Friday (my birthday was Saturday), and I was both confused and weirded out, but I told them that I'd be there at work.
Fast forward to Friday, I get to work and again, my coworkers, and the kids are being all secretive. But this time, they're giggling, so I thought they were plotting something on their own and I let them be. Some time passes, and I get called into a room by my manager so she could talk to me. Around 10 mins goes by, and one of my coworkers calls me out of the room, claiming to need my help with something in the lunch room. I walk in and all of my coworkers + the teens are in the lunch room, so I asked what was going on. My manager popped in and told me that she felt bad about me not having plans for my birthday, so she and my coworkers decided I could at least celebrate with them, so they pitched in and bought me a cookie cake. They sung happy birthday, I got my birthday licks, and of course, the sappy speeches.
I was so grateful for this surprise party that I ended up crying from sheer happiness. Sometimes, my job isn't all that bad.