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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not remind my husband it's my birthday?

795 replies

DoneWithThisShizzle · 12/08/2025 23:21

That's it exactly. It's my birthday in approximately 24 hours and I think he has forgotten. Hasn't asked what I want or snuck anything into the house. I've answered the door to the postie for the past two weeks and taken in nothing that he hasn't opened and shown me.

So as not to dripfeed, it's his mum's birthday the day after, it's a big one, so he's been organising a party for that (not that I think it's a good excuse to forget mine).

Do I remind him? Or not?

OP posts:
FenderStrat · 13/08/2025 06:39

LilacPony · 12/08/2025 23:27

If it were me, I wouldn’t say anything. I’d be intrigued to wait and see how it played out.
happy birthday 💐

Setting little tests and traps for your husband or wife is never a good thing in a marriage.

jenny38 · 13/08/2025 06:39

You are not dating, so this "test" isn't needed. You are in a mature, grown up relationship, where you think your husband may have dropped the ball. Just say something - what shall we do for my birthday tomorrow? All that's needed. Do it early this morning, so he has time to get things sorted.

FlorenceAndTheSewingMachine · 13/08/2025 06:37

I forgot to remind my husband one year as I had my dates mixed up as we were in a 3 week holiday, it wasn't until my dad gave me my cards and present that the penny dropped, he hasn't forgotten since.
If he has the money he will treat me like a queen and if he doesn't it will be a small but thoughtful gift, last year it was an antique looking seam ripper and it's beautiful and I posted it on my hobby forum and some random woman posted the price of it £12.99
No one understood that he actually took more time and effort over this low in monetary value item than he would nipping into the jewellers and spending a grand.
One Christmas he thought it would be funny to wrap up the tape dispenser he bought to help wrap my presents, it's still one of my favourite gifts ever and 15 years later it's still on my desk.

YourAquaLion · 13/08/2025 06:34

I’d be straight up “Don’t forget it’s always my birthday the day before your mum’s, every year, I hope you’ve remembered or you’ll be in big trouble!” I genuinely think most men are wired differently to most women and they seem to need to be told very bluntly about remembering important dates. Hashtag not all men for any men good with a calendar. It’s just been my experience with all the ones I’ve known my whole life! Always the women that take care of this kind of thing.

pinkbackground · 13/08/2025 06:29

It’s my birthday this week too. Yesterday, I said to my husband and son “so, how’s my birthday box of malteasers purchase coming along this year?!”. They both looked a bit panicked and said “er, yeah. Great. On it”. I’ll get my malteasers. Problem solved. Everyone needs a reminder from time to time.

SomewhatAnnoyed · 13/08/2025 06:24

GalaxyStars · 12/08/2025 23:37

This! I’d nudge him now so that you have a lovely birthday and not a horrible row. Life is too short to fight with the people you love to score points.

I wish I was more like this, but not remembering- especially as, like a PP said, it’s always been the day before his mums would show where I was in my partner’s priorities - and having to remind them myself would make the birthday ‘effort’ meaningless as it had to come from me. So I wouldn’t enjoy it as much anyway.

There’s no excuse if he is capable of organising a big celebration for his mum as presumably he knows how the calendar and reminders work on his phone? Lazy excuse to forget any big event when everyone had technology on them most of the day that does the remembering for us.

Cnon · 13/08/2025 06:22

@DoneWithThisShizzle Happy Birthday

FluffyWabbit · 13/08/2025 06:15

Your husband sounds sweet since you love him so much.

Maybe he forgot but maybe he's surprising you! You never know!

Let us know what happens and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! 😍

Agix · 13/08/2025 06:14

I wouldn't remind him. I couldn't bring myself to, personally. It's not a trap - He knows your birthday is just before his mothers, if he's forgotten then it's very willful lack of care. Reminding him would be letting him off the hook.

See how it plays out. He could have arranged something... He most likely has, because how in the world would he forget.

Don't say a word. If he's forgotten, let it be on him. It's not on you or your responsibility to remember for him. If he doesn't care, let him not care.

So many women here seem to have to continuously mould their husbands into being a good husband and into pretending their husband loves them, and that is no life to be living. Sounds exhausting.

RenaultClio · 13/08/2025 06:09

My husband did this. With my fortieth. I held out the whole day thinking he had some big surprise planned. He did not. I spoke to him about it and thought I'd expressed myself about how upset I was. Then the same thing happened for my 41st. More fool me. He did it when I was in my twenties too.
The worst thing is the emotional load, the person who is supposed to care about you and know stuff like this needs reminding... well that doesn't feel like care does it, if you have to ask for care... then it's not care, it obligation or completing a task.
Galling as I organised really cool stuff for his birthdays as I'm sure you do.
My advice is to make a plan for yourself: get a plan B fixed in your head (take yourself out for lunch or dinner or arrange to see a girlfriend if you have one) then you know it won't be a total washout.

Francestein · 13/08/2025 06:06

I forgot to say Happy Bday for Thursday. I really hope he hasn’t forgotten.

autienotnaughty · 13/08/2025 05:51

I’m torn because on the one hand why should you remind him he’s a grown man and you are his wife! But on the other hand if you do remind him your birthday will be better for having been acknowledged.
I’d be tempted to say nothing directly but ask him if you have any plans together for tomorrow if he says no then go out for the day and have a lovely day either just you or with friends. .
my dh did forget to get me a Christmas card one year. I was quite upset. My mum and dad had died a few weeks before and I’d still remembered cards for him and kids. He said we had had a lot on but it made me feel unimportant.

hotchocandtwosmokybacon · 13/08/2025 05:31

You said it’s unusual for him to forget your birthday so why worry about it? Hope you have a great one!

Fupoffyagrasshole · 13/08/2025 05:13

I don’t know how you could get this far without mentioning it wasn’t birthday coming up

i go on about mine for weeks in advance and about whah I want to do, what gifts I want etc etc so it could never be forgotten

Firethehorse · 13/08/2025 04:58

I would probably say something along the lines of it’s really great you are putting so much effort into your mum’s special birthday this year. Given they are so close, are you planning on celebrating mine on the day or were you planning something for a bit later? Do you want me to suggest a present?
No point being a martyr, or passive aggressive, and actually it is a good thing for a son to make an effort for his mum. If you know what you would like to do, or a specific gift, tell him.

Pregnancyquestion · 13/08/2025 04:49

remind him, don’t ruin your birthday to prove a point.

DinoLil · 13/08/2025 04:36

Just here to say happy, happy birthday for tomorrow/Thursday. Have a fabulous day and do whatever makes you happy. Cake, champagne for breakfast, appointment with a solicitor to start your divorce (just joking, men can be so rubbish). Have a lovely day!

GlastoNinja · 13/08/2025 04:18

You’re just setting yourself up for a rubbish time if you play this game - play shit games get shit prizes - if he’s great in other ways, why would you do this other than to teach him a lesson? And what sort of healthy relationship is based on that dynamic?

Just remind him, unless you want your birthday to be based on guilt and misery.

Also tell him that a last minute bunch of flowers isn’t going to cut it (unless you love flowers).

Thethingswedoforlove · 13/08/2025 03:42

I would probably mention a mn thread where someone was asking whether they should remind their dh or not about their birthday and ask what his view was on the subject…..

underthisredrock · 13/08/2025 03:29

PyongyangKipperbang · 13/08/2025 03:28

🙄

😅😂😆

PyongyangKipperbang · 13/08/2025 03:28

underthisredrock · 13/08/2025 03:19

Nah, you definitely don't 😂 And apparently you can't read or your comprehension is very, very bad indeed as I stated that I give zero shits about birthdays, including mine.

Oh, and by the way my husband has never forgotten my birthday - sorry to disappoint you 😅 But I do know from my previous marriage I gave zero shits on the two occasions my ex forgot my birthday, because it's completely normal and just a mistake and nothing at all to get upset about.

So if you care about your birthday, you behave like a normal person and remind people.

You have a very low bar for comprehension and emotional intelligence. I am sorry for you.

Edited

🙄

underthisredrock · 13/08/2025 03:19

PyongyangKipperbang · 13/08/2025 03:16

Wow, your bar is so low.

I am sorry for you

Nah, you definitely don't 😂 And apparently you can't read or your comprehension is very, very bad indeed as I stated that I give zero shits about birthdays, including mine.

Oh, and by the way my husband has never forgotten my birthday - sorry to disappoint you 😅 But I do know from my previous marriage I gave zero shits on the two occasions my ex forgot my birthday, because it's completely normal and just a mistake and nothing at all to get upset about.

So if you care about your birthday, you behave like a normal person and remind people.

You have a very low bar for comprehension and emotional intelligence. I am sorry for you.

PyongyangKipperbang · 13/08/2025 03:16

underthisredrock · 13/08/2025 03:14

Sorry, I meant to bump and quote this one.

You too can start a long standing feud with your husband and feel aggrieved for no reason at all for years to come.

All you have to do is be a petty martyr and act as though this is a war you are waging wherein you score points against an enemy and emerge victorious if you hurt him the most.

Instead of behaving like a normal person and just reminding him.

Edited

Wow, your bar is so low.

I am sorry for you

underthisredrock · 13/08/2025 03:14

underthisredrock · 13/08/2025 00:27

Well, let me tell you a story about that sort of stupid tit for tat over unimportant things. My mother did this, and she told me about it decades later. One year, instead of just telling my dad it was her birthday coming up, she chose to do what the OP is choosing to do - use him forgetting her birthday against him and be a martyr. He completely forgot, and never actually remembered, so she silently stewed and said nothing.

Come his birthday (two months later) he asked what she was getting him and she sniped back "Exactly what you got me. Nothing". The angry satisfaction in her voice could be heard as she told me this through pursed lips, all those decades later.

So the result was that neither of them ever celebrated one another's birthday ever again. It was just another small nail in the coffin of an unhappy marriage and added to their general unhappiness, while gaining absolutely nothing at all except that martyred satisfaction. There were plenty of things my father did that were worth sniping about - this was NOT one of them.

So yeah, if you want to have a nasty tit for tat dynamic in a miserable marriage, this is a great way to start that off. Or, just be a normal person and remind your husband it's your birthday a week before it.

Edited

Sorry, I meant to bump and quote this one.

You too can start a long standing feud with your husband and feel aggrieved for no reason at all for years to come.

All you have to do is be a petty martyr and act as though this is a war you are waging wherein you score points against an enemy and emerge victorious if you hurt him the most.

Instead of behaving like a normal person and just reminding him.

PyongyangKipperbang · 13/08/2025 03:12

It massively grinds my gears when women say "Oh well you cant be mad if he forgets when you didnt remind him!" because who the hell reminds us?! Do my mother, father, sister, children remind me of their birthdays? No. Because I remember.

Does the husband remind her? No. Because he expects her to remember and will have a massive mantrum if nothing happens on his speshul day

But when he forgets he says "Well you didnt tell me!". Fuck that.

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