Why do I feel obligated to have a party for my birthday?

It’s my birthday next month, and – like every year – I feel as if I have to throw a party. I hate parties. They exhaust me in general, and even more so if I’m hosting. I can’t help but fret about whether everyone is having enough fun. I worry about different groups of friends mixing, wondering whether any of them feel as socially awkward as I do when I’m meeting lots of new people at once.

Do you ever feel that kind of pressure? There is no-one urging me to celebrate, so I am not sure where the feeling comes from.