A question about the villager who greets you on your birthday (for new horizons specifically)

[Ace2003]

Is it determined by friendship? Or is it random? Nookipedia says that in new leaf it’s determined by friendship, but for new horizons it just says one of your villagers will greet you. My birthday is on the 30th of July, and I’d love it if Bella greeted me. There’s no way anyone else on my island has a higher friendship with me than Bella, as since she came to my island I’ve hardly talked to anyone else, lol! I have her picture and everything. Does anyone know for certain or have theories?

 

[-Mars-]

The villager with the highest friendship will host your birthday party if there is a tie between villagers with the highest friendship the game will decide by random of one of those villagers with maximum friendship.

 

[Croconaw]

I’m pretty sure it’s your highest friendship. I’m usually greeted by Goldie!

 

[Belle T]

It's definitely determined by friendship. So you're going to have to work extra hard until the end of July so that she will greet you. You're going to have to buy her expensive gifts and talk to her everyday and placate to her every desire. You will become her slave. There will be no joy, no happiness. No time for friends or family or loved ones. Your entire life now will revolve solely around Bella. Bella is your life now. And you'd better remember that. Or you will lose more than just the birthday greeting. You will lose everything you've worked for--nay, everything you've lived for!

Before you lose everything, you must earn her friendship. You must... there is simply no going forward without it. What are you doing still reading this?! Quickly!! Go!! Don't worry about me. I'll be -hack- fine! Just go, before it's too late!

I kind of forgot what I was talking about.

 

[VanitasFan26]

Like others say it depends on how high your friendship is with the villagers. When you do have a higher friendship with 3 villagers then they do plan out your surprise birthday. From what I tested if you have a lower friendship with most villagers then the chances of them surprising you will probably not happen.

 

[themysterybidder]

I don't understand what happened on my birthday, I have 2 photos of Al and Buck so assumed one of them would come to my front door but no it was Vic! I haven't even got one picture from Vic

 

[peachycrossing9]

Highest friendship I believe. I find it really cute that the villager you're the closest with is the one who invites you.

 

[Croconaw]

I don't understand what happened on my birthday, I have 2 photos of Al and Buck so assumed one of them would come to my front door but no it was Vic! I haven't even got one picture from Vic

I’m pretty sure if you have the highest friendship with more than one villager, it’s completely random between that set of villagers. The villager that greets me on my birthday has always been Goldie.

 

[hjdee]

The villager with the highest friendship will host your birthday party if there is a tie between villagers with the highest friendship the game will decide by random of one of those villagers with maximum friendship.

That’s amazing!! I had Audie surprise me and finding this out just made my day! Ty!

 

[snowflake1]

Reading this thread is interesting. I have slightly less than a year into the game and and was quite amazed when the villager who greeted me for my birthday was one who I wouldn't say I least expected but I thought it would be another villager I felt more of an affinity with overall so its interesting to read the comments about this so thanks for asking this question Ace2003!

 

[angelcat621]

My original villagers were Mitzi, Bob, and Merry. Today Merry met me at her house for my birthday party. Bob and Mitzi were also in attendance. I have max friendship with everyone though.

 

[snowflake1]

This is my first year for birthdays on 2 islands and on both islands I am very good friends with all my villagers and I expected normal's and peppy and got smug to come get me and a big sister and normal when I got to the party lol

 

[Imbri]

The first 2 times, I had Flora greet me. This year, it was Lolly. I kind of like that it can vary, depending on how your relationships go.

 

[snowflake1]

Imbri,

I kinda like reading for the first 2 years you had the same villager greet you on your birthday but also maybe if friendship things change in ways we may not understand in the game something else happens on another birthday. It makes me realize we cannot control everything lol