How I Spent My Birthday Packing 500 Packages | By: David Gibbens

Most people spend their birthday relaxing — maybe catching a movie, playing video games, or enjoying a good meal. But on November 24th, I celebrated by packing over 500 packages in roughly 48 hours, powered almost entirely by pumpkin pie, coffee, and Netflix docuseries that I definitely only absorbed in fragments. It wasn’t the birthday I planned, but somehow it became one of my favorites.

What made it wild wasn’t just the volume — it was the perfect storm. The LegionsCon Mythic Legions exclusives hit at the exact same time that multiple Hasbro preorder waves all decided to ship early. It was like the toy universe said, “Happy Birthday, David — hope you’re ready,” and then dropped an avalanche of boxes on my doorstep. Before long, my home looked like a cardboard fortress, and UPS drivers were showing up so frequently I considered offering them guest passes.

In that chaos, my survival kit became simple: a slice of pumpkin pie, a mug of coffee strong enough to wake the dead, and a rotating background playlist of Netflix documentaries that served more as emotional support noise than actual entertainment. I’d tape a box, take a bite, print a label, take a sip, glance at the TV and wonder how the story had jumped three episodes without me noticing.

Yet, as exhausting as it was, something about it hit differently this year. Normally, I’d spend my birthday gaming or watching a new movie — but this time, I spent it watching New Meta grow in real time. Every package was a milestone. Every figure shipped was a reminder of how far this thing has come. Instead of celebrating myself, I got to celebrate the momentum of a community that continues to show up and support what I’m building.

It was chaotic, busy, caffeinated, messy, and completely ridiculous… but honestly? It was also incredibly satisfying. This birthday didn’t come with cake or a night out — it came with growth, grit, and the kind of success you secretly hope for when you take the leap into entrepreneurship. And truthfully? I wouldn’t trade it for anything.