Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Tell me about your rubbish birthdays

80 replies

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/04/2021 07:22

It’s my birthday today and it’s already off to a splendid start! My body decided to give me my period a few days early (they’ve been awful since DD2 was born in September), there was no hot water whilst I had a shower and I won’t get any presents today. DH was given strict instructions NOT to buy me presents because 1) we have no more room for any more stuff

OP posts:
Sunnyday321 · 29/04/2021 07:24

CakeCakeBrewBrewFlowersFlowers
Happy Birthday

Original poster
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/04/2021 07:25

Posted too soon Blush

... and 2) I’m on barely any maternity pay now so we just don’t have the money.

I’m also trying to be really good to lose weight so don’t want to stuff my face and undo it all.

Being an adult sucks! So... Tell me about your underwhelming or rubbish birthdays!

Disclaimer: this is meant to be lighthearted!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/04/2021 07:26

Thank you @Sunnyday321 Smile

OP posts:
mdh2020 · 29/04/2021 07:49

My 60 th was a washout. My sister was drinking too much to be left on her own in the country so my family lunch was cancelled as I stayed to babysit her. Then two weeks later my daughter had organised a dinner for 25 female friends and family and I woke up with swine flu. On the actual day, my husband insisted we went to the Post Office to get my bus pass and bought me lunch in a grotty pub. Needless to say, I organise my own birthday celebrations now.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 29/04/2021 07:53

Well my birthday is very early jan so it’s always a bit rubbish.

And, despite having 35 years to pull it together, my parents (divorced) always get caught out by the fact that it’s so close after Christmas and get me crap presents. I got a furry notebook from my mum this year Confused My dad got me a tube of hand cream from Sainsbury’s and a Twirl. They both always say they’ll make it up to me later in the year with a proper present but neither have, not once! My brothers have summer birthdays and get running gear, a voucher for a restaurant, you know, an actual proper present. I laugh it off now but it does piss me off.

And it’s cold and January and everyone is broke or not boozing.

Happy birthday. I hope your day gets better

Original poster
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/04/2021 08:06

@mdh2020

My 60 th was a washout. My sister was drinking too much to be left on her own in the country so my family lunch was cancelled as I stayed to babysit her. Then two weeks later my daughter had organised a dinner for 25 female friends and family and I woke up with swine flu. On the actual day, my husband insisted we went to the Post Office to get my bus pass and bought me lunch in a grotty pub. Needless to say, I organise my own birthday celebrations now.
Oh @mdh2020 Flowers That does sound rubbish. Sorry you were ill as well.
OP posts:
Original poster
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/04/2021 08:08

@SmidgenofaPigeon

Well my birthday is very early jan so it’s always a bit rubbish.

And, despite having 35 years to pull it together, my parents (divorced) always get caught out by the fact that it’s so close after Christmas and get me crap presents. I got a furry notebook from my mum this year Confused My dad got me a tube of hand cream from Sainsbury’s and a Twirl. They both always say they’ll make it up to me later in the year with a proper present but neither have, not once! My brothers have summer birthdays and get running gear, a voucher for a restaurant, you know, an actual proper present. I laugh it off now but it does piss me off.

And it’s cold and January and everyone is broke or not boozing.

Happy birthday. I hope your day gets better

Wow! My DD1 has a January birthday (second half though) and we always make sure she has a great birthday regardless. DH’s birthday is 5 days before Christmas and always had people forgetting and giving him crap ‘joint’ presents. It’s something I’ve always said I would never do.
OP posts:
OccultGnuAsWell · 29/04/2021 08:08

One particularly memorable birthday was when I was married to my first husband. He was very good at spending what little money we had on himself but not so much on me (I was young and foolish and there was no Mumsnet to guide me back then)

He had been reassuring me in the lead in to the birthday that he HAD got me a present. I was pleased as he'd recently got himself an expensive pair of new binoculars for bird watching for himself. Despite the fact the pair he already had were perfectly fine.

Obviously better at managing money than I thought.

No.

I got his old pair of binoculars.

(I didn't even LIKE birdwatching).

Heartofstrings · 29/04/2021 08:10

I came down with flu on the day of my 18th birthday. Started the day with back ache and finished the day unable to even stand. Spent 4 weeks in bed!

emmathedilemma · 29/04/2021 08:13

I've spent the last 2 in lockdown working from home on my own so they've been particularly fun! At least this year some things were open and got nice things delivered but last year was just rubbish!

Whatisthisfuckery · 29/04/2021 08:14

Happy Birthday OP. I hope your birthday doesn’t turn out or be as bad as all that.

I spent 11 years married to a man who just didn’t do days for me. His own birthday had to be marked but mine did not.

My last birthday before lockdown, so in 2019, was spent printing out a years worth of bank statements and filling out DWP forms. Oh how joyful that birthday was.

Whatisthisfuckery · 29/04/2021 08:15

It was a saturday birthday as well, and the following year was a leap year, so no sunday birthday just straight onto monday, and it was right at the start of the first lockdown. I’ve now had two lockdown birthdays.

CirqueDeMorgue · 29/04/2021 08:18

I know this is lighthearted but I spent my 18th locked in my house crying after my ex took the keys and loads of DD's stuff so we couldn't go anywhere. Still feel sorry for myself about that.

worksleep · 29/04/2021 08:18

I had a late miscarriage the day before my 40th birthday.

Original poster
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/04/2021 08:18

@OccultGnuAsWell

One particularly memorable birthday was when I was married to my first husband. He was very good at spending what little money we had on himself but not so much on me (I was young and foolish and there was no Mumsnet to guide me back then)

He had been reassuring me in the lead in to the birthday that he HAD got me a present. I was pleased as he'd recently got himself an expensive pair of new binoculars for bird watching for himself. Despite the fact the pair he already had were perfectly fine.

Obviously better at managing money than I thought.

No.

I got his old pair of binoculars.

(I didn't even LIKE birdwatching).

I’d have thrown the binoculars at his head!

DH is good at buying presents for me. I’m always pleased with what I get from him but I told him not to this year. I’m not angry with him about it but it is a rubbish sign of being an adult with responsibilities.

OP posts:
MajorMujer · 29/04/2021 08:18

Then partner, skint as usual borrowed £5 off his best friend for a card and a present. Spent exactly £1.50 on a shitty card and a bar of Galaxy chocolate & took himself off alone for a pint ( because he deserved a treat apparently Hmm).
I found out because his friend wasn't impressed & they argued under the bedroom window.

Original poster
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/04/2021 08:20

@Heartofstrings

I came down with flu on the day of my 18th birthday. Started the day with back ache and finished the day unable to even stand. Spent 4 weeks in bed!
That is crap! My 18th birthday party was shared with my sister’s (21) and my dad’s (50) birthdays. I wasn’t yet 18 though so couldn’t buy or be bought any alcohol. No where near as bad as yours though!
OP posts:
Original poster
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/04/2021 08:21

@emmathedilemma

I've spent the last 2 in lockdown working from home on my own so they've been particularly fun! At least this year some things were open and got nice things delivered but last year was just rubbish!
This is my second covid birthday. First was full blown lockdown so this one is better. Not going anywhere today though as everywhere that’s open that’s DD2 friendly I would feel bad going to without DD1 and she’ll be at school today.
OP posts:
MarisPiper92 · 29/04/2021 08:22

Happy birthday OP! Hope it gets better! Here are my slightly underwhelming birthdays:

16: abroad meeting DSF's family for the first time. No friends, no presents. They did make me a cake, but it was full of marshmallows and I couldn't eat it because I'm vegetarian.

18: went to a bar with bf and a friend. Was fine, friend and I were just warming up when at about 9pm bf said "Right, shall we head home then?". We were all staying at his so didn't feel we could say no. Was probably in bed by 10pm

21: internship in London, living in a hostel dorm. Had world's worst period, visibly bled through my jeans in the office and also realised I was overdrawn. Spent the evening lying on a towel in the dorm listening to radio 4.

Fortunately they've all been better since!

Original poster
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/04/2021 08:22

@Whatisthisfuckery

Happy Birthday OP. I hope your birthday doesn’t turn out or be as bad as all that.

I spent 11 years married to a man who just didn’t do days for me. His own birthday had to be marked but mine did not.

My last birthday before lockdown, so in 2019, was spent printing out a years worth of bank statements and filling out DWP forms. Oh how joyful that birthday was.

Urgh! He sounds like a twat!
OP posts:
ChiefBabySniffer · 29/04/2021 08:23

My 40th birthday my mum and dad decided to tell me that their friend, a convicted goon and rapist, was out of prison and has been around that day to see them. While my nieces and nephews where there. It was the final nail in the coffin. We cut contact totally there and then. Caused massive splits amongst the family. This man has since fully groomed them, bled them dry, left them with debts at their property etc. Then two days later I went on holiday for three nights with my best friend to lie on a beach and got a call at 7 in the morning to say my house has been raided by the police and my teenage kids arrested. And I was stuck in Europe.

My 40th was totally horrific to be fair. I'm never going to be dissuaded in another birthday providing it doesn't involve rapists or police man taking me kids away.

Original poster
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/04/2021 08:24

@Whatisthisfuckery

It was a saturday birthday as well, and the following year was a leap year, so no sunday birthday just straight onto monday, and it was right at the start of the first lockdown. I’ve now had two lockdown birthdays.
Ah no! I had a five hour exam on my birthday when I was at school but luckily no paperwork days. We’re renewing our mortgage at the moment though so should probably dig out all of that stuff. Urgh!
OP posts:
BiddyPop · 29/04/2021 08:25

The day I drove back home with DD, leaving DH behind in hospice with DFIL, knowing that I wouldn't see DFIL again (he was awake and lucid, but that was the last afternoon he was). Dd needed to get back to school, I needed to get back to work. It was 2.5 hours drive and I cried most of the way (and it took more like 5 hours with stops to mop up and keep in control). Not one person wished me happy birthday that year (and that is absolutely no issue for me, it was absolutely not a priority at the time).

I collected DD straight from school, having abandoned work, and drove back down 2 days later, with DFIL passing away early in the morning on our 3rd day back down. Which was less than 6 weeks after he had been mowing the lawn 1 evening and went to GP following day as something wasn't quite right.

I've also had a birthday (and a Christmas) in the past year where teen DDs attitude has been so bad and ruined the day for everyone, and particularly for me. Rude, obnoxious, sneering, totally disrespectful and not just didn't bother buying a token present but bought quite nice presents for DH (it's a pandemic, a bar of chocolate from supermarket would have been perfect).

Original poster
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/04/2021 08:25

@CirqueDeMorgue

I know this is lighthearted but I spent my 18th locked in my house crying after my ex took the keys and loads of DD's stuff so we couldn't go anywhere. Still feel sorry for myself about that.
Shock Flowers

You have every right to feel sorry for yourself about that. I’m glad he’s your ex.

OP posts:
Original poster
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/04/2021 08:25

@worksleep

I had a late miscarriage the day before my 40th birthday.
Shit! I’m so sorry to hear that. Flowers
OP posts: