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AIBU?

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Original poster

I BROKE TWO PLATES

56 replies

koolkatxx · 22/11/2025 18:51

Went to my friend’s today and honestly I think I need to be banned from other people’s homes for life.

First plate: we were snacking in the living room, I somehow managed to knock it off the coffee table. Smashed. I apologised about 50 times, cleaned it all up, offered to replace it. Friend told me to stop apologising and absolutely not to replace it. All fine.

Then an hour later… I somehow broke a different plate in the kitchen. I don’t even know how. It just slipped like my hands forgot how to function.

Her brother came in immediately, handed us the hoover without saying a single word, and walked out. I wanted the floor to swallow me. I felt like some kind of destructive toddler.

Friend kept saying “it’s fine, move on, don’t mention it again,” and even made me agree not to bring it up. But I STILL feel awful and like she must secretly be thinking I’m a complete liability.

AIBU to still feel mortified?
Or do normal adults just… break two plates in one day and move on with their lives?!

OP posts:
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Missinghim24 · 26/12/2025 21:00

Childanddogmama · 22/11/2025 18:59

You cant help having accidents but do think you should buy more as 2 missing from a set is annoying.

I agree. These things happen but I would replace as an apology.

paradisecircus · 26/12/2025 20:58

mrsharryohay · 26/12/2025 20:53

I think the friend probably just wants to move on. People endlessly apologising does get a bit tiresome.

My brother fell off his chair into our Christmas tree which plunged into our Christmas dinner if it helps @koolkatxx .

One of my friends once fell onto my coffee table at the end of a party (a little inebriated of course) and broke every single glass.

CoffeeCakeAndALattePlease · 26/12/2025 20:57

Aw, don’t give yourself a hard time.

I'd be a bit gutted if someone broke my plates as they’re all nice ones and not cheap. But accidents happen and I’d not expect them to replace them!

reminds me of teenage SIL dropping a stack of bowls the first time she stayed with us and her bursting in tears. DH was going “oh my god, she’s going to be so upset, she loves her crockery!”

Yes I was upset but would never have got mad at SIL about it.

mrsharryohay · 26/12/2025 20:53

I think the friend probably just wants to move on. People endlessly apologising does get a bit tiresome.

My brother fell off his chair into our Christmas tree which plunged into our Christmas dinner if it helps @koolkatxx .

Moanranger · 26/12/2025 20:51

Sgtmajormummy · 22/11/2025 19:43

You could ask the name of the design and go onto chinasearch.co.uk. They have lots of normal services like BHS or Churchill, not just posh stuff. You can buy each plate as a single. Maybe add something small like an egg-cup as an apology?

This. Chinasearch is very good & replacing them would be thoughtful & appropriate

paradisecircus · 26/12/2025 20:35

If I was your friend I'd laugh this off as one of those things. You could buy another plate as a goodwill gesture, but don't keep apologising or saying how mortified you are - that'll get irritating!

winterwarmer8274 · 26/12/2025 20:26

I once broke 4 plates at my friends house (although all in the same accident).

I was carrying them down the wooden stairs and slipped as I was wearing socks. Cue me falling down with all the plates.

I think my friends was just relived that I hadn’t hurt myself!

FajitaQueen · 26/12/2025 20:20

Breaking two plates on separate occasions in quick succession is strange.
Plates can be very very cheap. For many of us it would be no big deal if the Tesco/Ikea plates were broken. But I have Spode & Wedgwood plates that I am trying to use more often and not save for “best” (Thank-you, Patrick Grant!) I might not say it to your face but I would be really cheesed off if you broke two of those.
You should offer to replace like for like.
And please try to be more careful in future.

ParmaVioletTea · 26/12/2025 20:13

Thedownwardspiralpath · 26/12/2025 19:50

I like this 😁😃

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No. It’s a pretty horrible thing to do - your friend has been gracious about your clumsiness.

No need to be passive-aggressive about it.

Thedownwardspiralpath · 26/12/2025 19:50

Rosealea · 26/12/2025 19:26

I would but I'd buy hideous ones Ebay should be good) or plastic ones for use when you visit. Makes the apology point but also lightens the whole thing too.

Show quote history

I like this 😁😃

Aplstrudl · 26/12/2025 19:49

Text and ask where she got them and buy replacements.

KarminaBurana · 26/12/2025 19:47

swapsicles · 26/12/2025 19:46

Id offer to replace them but don't worry too much it wasn't deliberate and they probably wouldn't accept.
I'm often clumsy and have been at my mum's for 2 days, I only knocked over one drink, wobbled a couple more, dropped a few peas on the floor and put a tiny scratch in the door! That's not bad going for me tbh 😂

I wouldn't have noticed!

KarminaBurana · 26/12/2025 19:47

Thedownwardspiralpath · 26/12/2025 19:45

🙄😵‍💫
Do people really think like this ? It was an accident, I would never make someone feel so uncomfortable, I value my friendships over some plates.

OP, if your friend has made you promise not to mention it again then she doesn’t care about the plates and cares much more that you would be upset. As it should be. Don’t give it another thought. ☺️💐

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Absolutely this, X 💯

swapsicles · 26/12/2025 19:46

Id offer to replace them but don't worry too much it wasn't deliberate and they probably wouldn't accept.
I'm often clumsy and have been at my mum's for 2 days, I only knocked over one drink, wobbled a couple more, dropped a few peas on the floor and put a tiny scratch in the door! That's not bad going for me tbh 😂

Thedownwardspiralpath · 26/12/2025 19:45

Sgtmajormummy · 22/11/2025 19:43

You could ask the name of the design and go onto chinasearch.co.uk. They have lots of normal services like BHS or Churchill, not just posh stuff. You can buy each plate as a single. Maybe add something small like an egg-cup as an apology?

🙄😵‍💫
Do people really think like this ? It was an accident, I would never make someone feel so uncomfortable, I value my friendships over some plates.

OP, if your friend has made you promise not to mention it again then she doesn’t care about the plates and cares much more that you would be upset. As it should be. Don’t give it another thought. ☺️💐

KarminaBurana · 26/12/2025 19:40

SingaporeSlinky · 26/12/2025 19:36

Of course she said it was ok. She wasn’t going to start shouting and making her feel bad. I would have said it was fine, don’t worry about it, because it’s polite.

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Yeah, absolutely. I would be the same, all fine, she's a friend, it's no biggie

SingaporeSlinky · 26/12/2025 19:36

KarminaBurana · 26/12/2025 19:35

I wouldn't do that, it's so over the top, it'll embarrass her.
She said it's ok, I'd just move on!

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Of course she said it was ok. She wasn’t going to start shouting and making her feel bad. I would have said it was fine, don’t worry about it, because it’s polite.

KarminaBurana · 26/12/2025 19:35

SingaporeSlinky · 26/12/2025 19:33

If you can afford to, I would send a card with a gift voucher for somewhere like John Lewis or even Homesense so she could buy either a replacement or a new set.

I wouldn't do that, it's so over the top, it'll embarrass her.
She said it's ok, I'd just move on!

SingaporeSlinky · 26/12/2025 19:33

If you can afford to, I would send a card with a gift voucher for somewhere like John Lewis or even Homesense so she could buy either a replacement or a new set.

KarminaBurana · 26/12/2025 19:33

ForgottenPasswordNewAccount · 26/12/2025 19:28

In my house i wouldn't think twice about it

Accidents happen

I absolutely would not expect anyone to buy me a replacement plate. Tbh I would find it very weird if they did

Same here. It's only a plate or two!
Friendship is far more important.

ForgottenPasswordNewAccount · 26/12/2025 19:28

In my house i wouldn't think twice about it

Accidents happen

I absolutely would not expect anyone to buy me a replacement plate. Tbh I would find it very weird if they did

ForgottenPasswordNewAccount · 26/12/2025 19:28

In my house i wouldn't think twice about it

Accidents happen

I absolutely would not expect anyone to buy me a replacement plate. Tbh I would find it very weird if they did

Rosealea · 26/12/2025 19:26

koolkatxx · 22/11/2025 18:58

Thanks- such a clumsy day!!! Not sure if I should still buy her a set of plates as an apology though

Show quote history

I would but I'd buy hideous ones Ebay should be good) or plastic ones for use when you visit. Makes the apology point but also lightens the whole thing too.

ParmaVioletTea · 26/12/2025 19:23

Whatever she says, if those plates were part of a set, you need to replace them.

ETA: but only if you can match the set.

WildflowerHope · 26/12/2025 15:39

TheChosenTwo · 26/12/2025 15:25

I would definitely internally be a bit “arghhhhh” about it but would also not let me guest know about it. It’s annoying. It’s not the end of the world of course but 2 plates in 2 separate incidents across 1 day is rather careless.
I’d not ask for replacements because they probably wouldn’t match our sets anyway and I wouldn’t want random mismatched dinner plates.

I love random mismatched dinner plates, dotty, floral, vintage, Denby, anything TKMAXX has on offer.

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