Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Sharing shit 2020 birthdays

93 replies

Cluelessat32 · 26/01/2022 20:20

In the spirit of the times, let share our shitty 2020 birthdays. Just for the fun of it.

On my birthday in 2020 I was with my sister after leaving my abusive husband. However I suppose I had a nice cake.

OP posts:
FredBair · 27/01/2022 10:19

It was my mother's funeral the week before and I couldn't go. It was a week after lockdown.
I am CEV and at that time we had no idea what the impact of covid was. My DC moved out of the house because they had a frontline job and I didn't hug them again for 6 months.
I got one card from my sister and no presents.

GreenWhiteViolet · 27/01/2022 10:34

I spent my 2020 birthday in a state if anxiety because I'd been reading Covid statistics and data projections, and then the government were on TV saying that all was well and large gatherings should continue as they were perfectly safe. Madness. (Lockdown 1 came a week or two later...)

LadyCatStark · 27/01/2022 11:06

Mine was a month before lockdown so was our last meal out for a long time. DS’s was just after Boris’ and we ‘broke the rules’ that you could meet one person outside and met my sister and her 2 girls outside at the beach. I remember looking around shiftily to see if anyone was watching this great crime and DS got a Polaroid camera and has a pic of teeny tiny versions of them standing 2m apart. It was the first real life interaction he’d had with other children in 2 months. Why did we bother??

My Dad’s birthday was around the same time as Boris’ and we left his present on the door step and waved through the window. Sounds utterly ridiculous now!

HSHorror · 27/01/2022 12:08

Not my birthday but we went to a childs 4th birthday in early mar and it was nerve wracking trying to.avoid being close to everyone. And all the kids eating without washing hands.
There were already cases in the town.

The kids we just baked cakes.

cocktailclub · 27/01/2022 13:50

@QuestionsorComments

It was my 50th. We had almost a whole year of great things planned from a holiday with adult DC, through a weekend away with friends, lessons for a new skill and a party and I never usually plan anything for my birthday. All cancelled, then DH got cancer and died.

Do I win? Grin

Yes you win Thanks
VikingOnTheFridge · 27/01/2022 14:05

@QuestionsorComments

It was my 50th. We had almost a whole year of great things planned from a holiday with adult DC, through a weekend away with friends, lessons for a new skill and a party and I never usually plan anything for my birthday. All cancelled, then DH got cancer and died.

Do I win? Grin

I'd say you do yeah. How absolutely shit.
BogRollBOGOF · 27/01/2022 20:50

Mine was before the first lockdown but I still haven't actually had my present as we didn't get chance to organise the date, and then by the time restrictions eased and no masks would be required it was 18m later.

My next one was in the 2021 lockdown. Fortunately the weather was nice so we went for a 10k walk, I played in a playground and had a zoom party. It was a big birthday and the best of a crap job.

While I'd got away with not having a lockdown birthday in 2020, the tension was already brewing and we'd hit first anniversaries mode of the Covid shit developing, so that was a bit depressing.

DS1 is around Christmas. I broke the tier 3 rules by letting his best friend come round for a couple of hours. They'd been at school together the previous day so it made no difference.

DS2 has come off worst, 1st half of April.
2020, it was a good job I went shopping on 16th March because online deliveries went crazy and nothing could be delivered for weeks. I remembering some "non-essential" learning workbooks with an estimated delivery of 6 weeks.
We went to the Co-op to buy popcorn, "treated" him to a "cinema afternoon" (sitting in our bed watching films) and had a takeaway.
He got luckier in 2021 as it timed with initial relaxing of restrictions so we booked to go to the farm which was pretty exciting in the grand scheme of things. Seeing friends still wasn't viable (whatever the rules were on that) because once again lockdown had stolen his social confidence while he was stuck at home in a two-tier education system and he'd lost his friends again.
After being prohibited from having a 7th or 8th birthday party, he did get to invite some friends to DS1's party in recompense for the promise I made about having a party when it was over... I thought it would be later in the spring of 2020 🤦‍♀️

DH is a jammy summer born. Even then, he's struggled to find friends to celebrate with without them interpreting it as a death threat, but at least we could go on holiday (2020) or do an outdoor sports activity (2021)

Wazzzzzuuuuuuup · 27/01/2022 21:08

It was my DH's 40th in mid May. We were meant to be in the Caribbean. I'd known for months we wouldn't make it, watching the pandemic unfold in Asia and into Europe.

I was working in a hospital. I took a few days off and the weather was gorgeous. We sat in the garden and trimmed the trees and bushes. Dh made an impulse purchase of a hot tub ( the lockdown fad of 2020!) And we set the tub up and had beers and ice creams and pretended we were on holiday. We went for a walk within our permitted 5m distance and DH's best friend who is a police officer stopped by the roadside to wish him a happy birthday.

I'd got all of his friends and family to make little video messages which I compiled and played for him that morning. DS made a chocolate torte and we ordered a restaurant meal to take away.

It was NOT the birthday he had planned but was really lovely and memorable.

RachC2021 · 27/01/2022 21:10

I spent my birthday stressing over the wait I was having for cancer surgery. I should have had it by my birthday. I ended up having it over two months after my birthday.

ChastainsMisery · 27/01/2022 22:14

[quote RussianSpy101]@FrangipaniBlue you quite easily could’ve gotten a cake 🙄[/quote]
Spectacularly missing the point (and sarcasm) there Hmm

CornishTiger · 27/01/2022 22:21

I’m so grateful that in the month before lockdown we celebrated my best friends 40th birthday. It was a good get together. It was the last one we’d all celebrate together. She died last year. Missing the birthdays at the time through 2020 and 2021 didn’t really bother me as we’d become used to it. Now though all those lost opportunities to create memories does though.

ChipButtyCurrySauce · 27/01/2022 22:24

My DD had to cancel her 18th. We had a party anyway, just the 5 of us. She spent most of it FaceTiming her boyfriend and then blamed me for having a shit birthday. Didn't speak to me for weeks.

SuperBlondie28 · 27/01/2022 23:47

End of November. Therefore under Lockdown. Put Christmas tree up and got a takeaway pizza.

Sleepaway · 28/01/2022 00:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SquarePeggyLeggy · 28/01/2022 00:43

Another 40th. Surprise dinner party cancelled. Takeaway dinner from restaurant instead, husband and I got dressed up. It was horrible and they forgot half of the food (it was their very first week offering takeaway and they weren’t great at it). I cried.
A couple of presents dropped in the driveway.
It was the first week of lockdown so the toilet paper craziness, everyone was terrified.
It was shit. My 40th and my baby’s first, both in the same week, cancelled. The way it’s worked out, my youngest has only had Covid cancelled birthdays and now all of my kids and husband have had iso birthdays too.

MrsPear · 28/01/2022 00:51

Well I checked photos and there is nothing for my birthday. Tbh I can’t even remember cards. However actually I scrolled through the photos and videos of lockdown and I’m surprised how much we did - a lot of baking (I still know where h found the flour) and crafts.

Ithinkimalonenow24 · 28/01/2022 00:58

My 2020 birthday was 1st full day off lockdown. So spent the day very down and not knowing what to do with oneself, as life as we know it was changing but had a takeaway and alcohol.

Following year, was a big one, still in lockdown, didn't want much but couldn't even go out for a meal so takeaway and alcohol again.

DeadButDelicious · 28/01/2022 01:14

Mine was about a month into the first lockdown. It was the first time in 38 years I hadn't seen my mum on my birthday. We did FaceTime but it wasn't the same. My brother did a knock and run and left a birthday cake on my doorstep.

I consider myself very lucky all told. Far too many people had much shitter experiences thank me.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page