(BANG) -Jennifer Aniston's birthday holiday was organized by Gerard Butler. The former 'Friends' star - who has repeatedly been romantically linked to her 'The Bounty Hunter' co-star since they filmed the movie together last year - has revealed it was the 40-year-old Hollywood hunk's idea to whisk her and a group of friends away to Mexico for her 41st birthday.

Jennifer - who reaches the age on Thursday (11.02.10) - explained: "He said to me, 'You come to Mexico all the time and Mexico is really hurting right now because of the swine flu and the drug trafficking and all of this sort of stuff but it's not all of Mexico.'

"These people survive on us coming down and spending money and coming here to these beautiful places. It sort of made sense to say, 'Hey, let's help out Mexico.' Let's shout out to these kids in Tijuana at El Faro and have a good time. That's sort of our birthday celebration this year."

The pair were joined on the trip by their celebrity friends Courteney Cox-Arquette, Jason Bateman, Sheryl Crow and Kathy Najimy.

The group soaked up the sun on a boat and stayed at the One and Only Palmilla resort in Cabo San Lucas.

Last month, Jennifer and Gerard reignited romance rumors after they were seen getting close backstage at the Golden Globe Awards.

The actress has now praised the "lovely" actor for his "self-deprecating" manner.

She told 'Access Hollywood' presenter Billy Bush: "He's a guy's guy, but he's absolutely lovely and sort of self-deprecating. What you see is what you get. We look at work the same way? we always have each other's back."

Despite enjoying her birthday celebrations, Jennifer is seemingly in denial about hitting 41, she joked: "Mmm 31, pssh. It's quite lovely I have to say. Hitting 30 was a hump but, you know, 31 is fabulous. It really does get better doesn't it?"

(C) BANG Media International