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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Husband hasn’t bought me anything for my birthday 2 years in a row

73 replies

Mayflower193 · 22/10/2024 08:25

Last year was my 30th birthday and my husband planned a surprise day out where he invited his best friend and partner and his brother and partner, none of my friends were invited and were upset about it when they found out afterwards. I was a bit confused at his choice of invitees but was still grateful that he had made the effort to plan something for me. In addition to that though he got me a card and wrote that he was taking me away for a weekend but hadn’t actually booked it and it was to a location we had already said we would visit one day anyway. 6 months after my birthday it still wasn’t booked and I just gave up on the idea. Fast forward to this years birthday and I woke up to a card and a bag of chocolate. He told me my proper present would be coming later on which I presumed he meant later in the day. After waiting I asked him when the gift might appear and he admitted he hadn’t got me anything… said he couldn’t think of what to get to me so needs more time to think. He also said that he planned to get me clothing but then I got pregnant so no point. AIBU to feel totally let down by this? He has a whole year to think about a birthday gift and we found out I was pregnant 3 months before my birthday. He could have literally got me a bunch of flowers or some perfume, just anything that would have shown me he cared at least a little. I’m feeling so hurt but this especially after I didn’t get a 30th birthday gift too.

OP posts:
user1497787065 · 22/10/2024 10:21

I read these threads and feel so glad that I don't really care about my birthday. I'm happy to buy presents for other people and celebrate but my own birthday I'm happy for it to go unnoticed. I tell my adult children not to bother buying cards or presents. Not sure why I'm like this although I think birthdays came and went when I was growing up so that may be why.

rainbowstardrops · 22/10/2024 10:33

What an absolute shit! Basically, your 30th outing was for him and his brother and mate! Was it something you even wanted to do?
Does he buy you anything at Christmas?
I'd treat him the same and not buy him anything either!

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 22/10/2024 12:56

First child? Send him a link to an expensive eternity ring and tell him to start saving. Two birthday presents and a new baby.

But really depends if he's generally just a bit crap and needs a bit of help pointing in the right direction. Or if he is taking you for granted generally because that's going to get worse with a baby so he needs to start shaping up now

AdoraBell · 22/10/2024 13:02

YANBU. I would stop buying him presents and if he mentions it say “ I know it’s not important for you as you’ve demonstrated by not buying gifts for me/my birthdays “

Sparkletastic · 22/10/2024 13:27

Tell him how you feel.
Tell him you won't put up with it anymore.
Give him three options for your combined 30th and 31st gift and tell him to pick one.

crumblingschools · 22/10/2024 13:34

Is there a reason you didn’t go where you were thinking of going anyway?

Didn’t his mates think it was odd they were invited to your 30th celebrations but your mates weren’t?

How big do you go for his birthday?

Amyknows · 22/10/2024 13:46

SweetLittlePixie · 22/10/2024 09:25

To avoid this next year start sending him links to stuff you want a month in advance.

I think this is so pathetic- to be hinting and begging for your own gift. No one should ever do that. It's up to him to ask op and put in the effort. He has 365 days to do this.

Codlingmoths · 22/10/2024 13:51

I think that he very very obviously owes you a weekend away with YOUR friends not his brother and his friend so BOOK IT!! Especially if you’re pregnant, what a great time to do that and hang around with a couple of girlfriends. It’s two birthdays worth plus the forgetting penalty PLUS the you having to organise it yourself penalty so splash out.

Attelina · 22/10/2024 15:20

What a deadbeat.

'He also said that he planned to get me clothing but then I got pregnant so no point.'

Jewellery? Fragrance? Handbag?

I hate misers.

Scottsy200 · 25/10/2024 09:25

Please leave now, this man does not give a shit about you, this is not how a relationship should be. I had the same not a single gel thing for my 40th birthday, wasn’t long after I found out what a lying, cheating sack of shit he really was. If he cared even a token gift would have made you feel that

TiredMummma · 25/10/2024 09:38

You need to be blunt with him about how this makes you feel. Ask him why (was he overthinking it? Does he not listen?) - tell him if your view of him was to change then you would expect him to:

  • book a weekend away
  • get you a gift

I am sure he knows about not inviting your friends to your 30th which is really weird...and I am assuming you don't forget his birthdays!

YippyKiYay · 25/10/2024 09:47

AndyMcFlurry · 22/10/2024 09:43

Next year plan a special weekend away with your friends for your birthday. Tell him well in advance as he needs to be home that weekend to look after the baby.

And stop doing anything for his birthday , apart from a card.

That's if you have not dumped him by this time next year .

This great. Or get a close friend to do the organising of the birthday and arranging of DH to parent.

BunnyLake · 25/10/2024 09:51

What would annoy me is his lying. Telling you he’s going to book something but doesn’t, telling you something’s coming later but he hasn’t even ordered anything would make me mistrust him. The lying more than the lack of present would be my biggest issue.

CheekySwan · 25/10/2024 09:53

Ask him for his bank card and go crazy, he's a miserable sod

CosyLemur · 25/10/2024 09:55

He brought you a card and chocolates! He got you a present! He didn't forget. He probably saw how ungrateful you looked and said he'd get you something else!

CosyLemur · 25/10/2024 09:57

AdoraBell · 22/10/2024 13:02

YANBU. I would stop buying him presents and if he mentions it say “ I know it’s not important for you as you’ve demonstrated by not buying gifts for me/my birthdays “

He got her a present he got her chocolates! She's just ungrateful - if he'd got her perfume she'd have complained that it was a smell she couldn't handle while pregnant.

bifurCAT · 25/10/2024 10:06

Gonna be the annoying MN person and ask what you got for him the past two years...

1HappyTraveller · 25/10/2024 10:20

He is a selfish ar$ehole!!!!

He has only thought of himself for YOUR birthday celebrations. He has put zero effort in to anything.

There’s been some suggestions about you giving him a list - NO!!! He is a grown-ar$e man who is capable of thinking for himself. It’s pure laziness.

This is not going to get better when your baby arrives. This gap in your relationship is going to get much bigger as you take on more and more of the physical and mental load whilst his weaponised incompetence becomes more apparent.

I’m sorry this is happening but this needs nipping in the bud now. If you use Facebook there is a group called “bridging the gap” which offers lots of support and advice from others who will recognise this situation well. Highly recommend that you join and start the conversation with him now about how he needs to step up in terms of a partner.

Nothatgingerpirate · 25/10/2024 10:34

CheekySwan · 25/10/2024 09:53

Ask him for his bank card and go crazy, he's a miserable sod

More like he's got his wife "trapped", so why bother?
Seen this too many times.

Jumpingthruhoops · 25/10/2024 10:46

Hollietree · 22/10/2024 08:32

Is he generally thoughtless, uncaring, selfish, never puts your needs first? In which case you have a bigger problem.

Or is he a decent caring husband most of the time, just shit at presents?

I'd be inclined to think it's the former.

OP - Sounds like he's barely giving you the time of day. I'm not holding out much hope when your child comes along...

JFDIYOLO · 25/10/2024 11:45

So many men think the nice things are women's work.

That they don't matter.

And when women give up and accept it?

Means "See? I was right not to bother."

Use your words - you've practiced here, now talk.

This is about feedback, exactly as it would be with poor performance and attitude at work. There's a whole industry in teaching how to have difficult conversations - it's one of the things I train.

'When you / I feel / the result is / so in future' is a useful way to structure a conversation.

"When you ignore/minimise my birthday, and put no thought into finding out what I'd like as a present, or invite my own friends to dinner, I feel you don't care, that I don't matter to you.

(No - you need to listen to me.)

So as a result I'm feeling angry/upset/offended/uncared-for/unimportant/etc.

For a happy marriage, I need to feel considered, that I matter to you.

I expect from you what you get from me.

So in future, I expect better from you.

All right?"

Stay calm, collected, polite, neutral tone, expression and body language, so he responds. If you get angry, tearful, shout - he'll react. "Stop nagging".

And don't let it drop. Keep it top of mind, observing his consideration to you.

Remind him if he's slipping. Because if he thinks he can, he will. Emotional laziness is not allowed.

Icanttakethisanymore · 25/10/2024 11:49

My DP is shit at gifts but he’s wonderful in almost every other way I can think of so I have let it go. He’s actually very generous just not great at the special occasion gifts. (I’m not saying you should let it go, I’m just saying I have)

LadyGaGasPokerFace · 25/10/2024 11:54

He sounds like a thoughtless cheapskate.

Easipeelerie · 25/10/2024 12:01

JFDIYOLO · 25/10/2024 11:45

So many men think the nice things are women's work.

That they don't matter.

And when women give up and accept it?

Means "See? I was right not to bother."

Use your words - you've practiced here, now talk.

This is about feedback, exactly as it would be with poor performance and attitude at work. There's a whole industry in teaching how to have difficult conversations - it's one of the things I train.

'When you / I feel / the result is / so in future' is a useful way to structure a conversation.

"When you ignore/minimise my birthday, and put no thought into finding out what I'd like as a present, or invite my own friends to dinner, I feel you don't care, that I don't matter to you.

(No - you need to listen to me.)

So as a result I'm feeling angry/upset/offended/uncared-for/unimportant/etc.

For a happy marriage, I need to feel considered, that I matter to you.

I expect from you what you get from me.

So in future, I expect better from you.

All right?"

Stay calm, collected, polite, neutral tone, expression and body language, so he responds. If you get angry, tearful, shout - he'll react. "Stop nagging".

And don't let it drop. Keep it top of mind, observing his consideration to you.

Remind him if he's slipping. Because if he thinks he can, he will. Emotional laziness is not allowed.

To have do do this level of feedback and monitoring in what’s supposed to be a loving and pleasant relationship is too much. I’d class it as further wife work.
He is saying through his actions that he doesn’t care enough. Do you want to stay in this situation?

JFDIYOLO · 25/10/2024 12:05

@Easipeelerie If he's a good husband elsewhere, then yes, expressing her feelings and needs and current unhappiness is a wise and proactive thing to do in any marriage. Just shrugging and saying it is what it is and I'm not going to do anything to improve it would be negative, passive and a waste.

Of course, if there's general arseholery in play elsewhere, then that may be an entirely different matter!