Anything can go wrong on a birthday, from gift mix- ups to missing people! What’s your experience?

#1

My cousin took me to the movie theaters as a birthday present. We left the theaters late at night. My cousin was 20 yrs and I turned 12.
My cousin got a phone call so we sat in the car for a bit. A knock on the car window led to a broken window, then my cousin laying on the steering wheel with blood all over his face. The guy who shot him didn't notice me and took my cousin's wallet and ran. I called the police but I'm not sure if they ever got the guy. I rarely go out in public now in fear of something like this happening again.

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#2

I had the stomach flu but didn't realise it yet. My mum made my favorite dinner, I sat down at the dining room to eat it and threw up all over the table and the food. It came out of no where. The issue is no one has strong constitution in my family so that prompted my mum to throw up, causing my uncle to throw up, prompted me to throw up again. For good measure our puppy just looked at us and threw up all over the floor. My dad, who had been running late walked in and was like "what the heck" a we are all desperately trying to drag ourselves away. Felt like a family guy parody.

I feel so bad for whoever has to clean it up, my dad took me upstairs where I continued to struggle.

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Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That must have been horrible!! *Quietly chuckles* (I hope you can laugh about it now, because it's actually a little bit funny)

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#3

I was seriously abused, and I was left in my room alone having to clean up my bedroom since my mom's ex trashed it during the abuse. While cleaning, my whole body was in serious pain.

My mom's ex decided to then bring up a birthday cake, and my present.

He Smashed the cake against the wall (I had to clean it), and he smashed the gift with a sledge hammer.

The gift was a new XBox, which I had asked for for months.

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#4

My father in law died.

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#5

My mother died.

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#6

when I was little I was playing hide and seek with at least seven or eight of my friends. I hid in my closet, and after what seemed like an half and hour(probably only about 10 to 15 minutes) they still hadn't found me. I eventually came out to find everyone playing a different game in my basement.

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#7

I had been sick for a few days prior to the big day. The night before, my perscription came in and I, obviously, took it. I had never been sick like this before, so I had never taken this medicine before. I woke up on my birthday with my skin covered in hives head to toe, my lips and eyes swollen, and my legs too weak to hold me up. I ended up in the hospital, where it was discovered that I had had a violent allergic reaction to this medicine and my liver was trying to give up. Scary stuff. I spent a few weeks there, and ended up alright. However, nearly 5 years later, I still have to deal with the original sickness.

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#8

Our air conditioner broke. For context, we live in Texas and my birthday is in August, we were reaching temperatures in the 90s (Fahrenheit, 35-ish Celsius).

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#9

Someone broke up with me

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#10

Leslie Jordan died, if you don’t know who he is, he was on a show called Will And Grace, but it’s unfortunate that he died, because he’s hilarious, and I thought he was awesome. Also my friend’s great grandma died, and I had a dream about her passing away, and the next day I found out she did in fact pass away on my birthday. I’m really unlucky and my birthday always has something bad happen.

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#11

I don't like celebrating birthdays. Growing up I live with my father and my birthdays were about him. Moved in with my mom and stepdad when I was a teen, we didn't have much so I asked them not to celebrate. Got married and my wife at the time made a big deal about my birthday. Once again the focus was on someone else, her. My 35th birthday was spent doing what she wanted to do. Spent the weekend in a city I cant stand, hung out with her friends, I was invisible to them, spent time at a memorial for a pop singer that she wanted to visit. All I wanted was a quiet weekend away from people. The next 4 birthdays I have been forgotten about. Kind of hoping that my 40th will be at least decent.

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#12

My former roommate held a knife to my throat on my 25th birthday after he drank a full liter of scotch. He didn't remember anything the next morning after getting completely s**t-faced. That was the worst part.

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*Displayname*=idk
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mama told me once "drunken actions are sober thoughts". Glad he is your former roommate.

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#13

My Nana's funeral was on my 32nd birthday because it was more convenient for my dad (he had plans to go to a ball game the day before and wanted to take his girlfriend to a show the day after).

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actaeon cross
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is horrible, I'm so sorry. One of my sisters had our uncle's funeral on her birthday; she now celebrates adoption day more than her birthday.

#14

technically it wasn’t on my birthday but could’ve been. it was a day before and we had to put our doggo down 😭

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#15

On my 23rd birthday, I buried my Mom. On another birthday, I was visiting Bali, and it was bombed.

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#16

Nothing too bad, but when I was no older than 10, the friend count I could invite was limited and they started arguing about who gets to come.

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#17

I've got two. The first is the year when my friends forgot my birthday. These are people I'd known our entire lives and we had just talked about my birthday coming up.

The second was my thirtieth birthday. It was pretty good but the sperm donor (who had never in 30 years attempted to contact me) thought it would be a great day to do so. It ruined a part of my day especially since it was made very clear to him years ago via my mother that I had zero interest in him.

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#18

The week before my birthday Covid-19 shut everything down.

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#19

I was bitten by my cousin's chihauaua, that was 9. My 11 year old dog died, that was 20. Ive been hit in the nose by a nail puller, took a hammer to the face after knocking it off something close to me, almost had a heat-stroke... All that has been in my 30s. Im 36 meow, getting fat and losing my hair. Birthdays are painful for me anymore.

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#20

The day I turned 10 I got a paddling from my grandma. I am sure I deserved it, but at the time I did not agree. I was walking around like little queen of the house, and probably running my mouth. I was warned. And then she got the paddle. There was space on the back where we had to sign and date. I had to sign it on my birthday, and that was humiliating. Humbled me some, for which I am grateful.

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#21

This makes me so sad whenever I think about it. I think I was turning ten. My school had the rule that we couldn't bring food for our birthdays (ex: Doughnuts and candy) My birthday happened to be the same day of another kids. My mom (amazing mom) made sure to follow the rules. She made gift bags. They were awesome! When the end of school came around the teacher said we could only choose one thing. The other kid brought DOUGHNUTS! Everyone got a doughnut. Not ONE person grabbed my gift bags. When I went home I cried to my Mom about it. We ended up throwing them away. Still makes me sad that my mom spent money and hard work on something and no one took it. So sad.

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Do-nut touch da donut
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok ok so not only was ur school selective... but they bent the rules for one kid and didnt even acknowledge the kid who actually followed the rules... them teaches messed up in the noggin

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#22

2 days before. I was told our cat had weeks to live.

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enigmatic crab
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

at least he still got to live during that time,rip to that sweet kitty.

#23

Not on my birthday but found out it was posted on my 31birthday. was reading my estranged mentally ill addict brothers social media post that went into detail about why I am the worst person on the planet (it got specific about my spouse, my home, my career, my young children, and how his drug use is justified especially around small children) it even said that our fathers last words to him about me was that he was ashamed of me and wished I was never born and proceeded to blame me in detail for his death amongst making up all sorts of other lies as to why I am a horrible person who deserves to be abused, mistreated and ostracized and that the problem with me is my boundaries are not to his liking and he wants to legally have me committed so I would be more manageable to him. I had to get a lawyer and set up a safety plan because of his hostility and instability.

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Do-nut touch da donut
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If he wasnt an adult id say he should have the longest timeout from phones and have to write a 50 page apology.... but he is so i hope he got banned off of social media and i hoped u gave him a good sisterly slap

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#24

Got a Pocketknife for my 11th birthday.

Cut myself trying to pull out the knife.

I still have the knife, and a scar to this day. (I'm 13 btw)

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A. Starhawk Hunt
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Blooding the knife is it’s way of bonding to you. It’s truly yours. I’d give it a name.

#25

First husband forgot my birthday, which is on Valentine's Day. For context, his birthday is/was precisely 14 days after mine, February 28. He just totally forgot. Put me in a bad mood all day. I had gotten presents and cards earlier that week from my dad and sister. That day, I got well wishes and a few cards and small gifts from students (I was a HS teacher). Him? Nothing... on Valentine's Day.

To add insult to injury, we were down to one car back then. (I still seriously think he pawned his vehicle, and just didn't want to tell me.) He worked less than a mile away, but demanded to use my car, to drive less than a mile, and leave it parked all night. He did not want me to drop him off. So I was stuck at home. All I wanted was to go out, see a movie, and eat out on my birthday. Nothing doing. Stuck at home. We had a HUGE argument, and I absolutely said some s**t, and meant every word of it, about his selfishness, lack of thoughtfulness, self-centeredness, etc.

Next morning, he comes in to the bedroom sheepishly with a Wal-Mart bag full of trinkets. At the time, I was stupidly grateful. I divorced not long after, and it was one of the best things I've ever done. Who forgets their own wife's birthday which occurs on Valentine's Day?

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#26

For some reason, bad things seem to happen around my birthday almost annually. I stopped attempting to celebrate it, and made it a tradition now to schedule some kind of extra work on that day.

I'm not sure if the worst one was getting kicked out of my parents' place? The time my [then] partner assaulted me? The time I spent the night with my then-girlfriend in psychiatric ER?

I suspect the worst one, though, was just the time nothing dramatic happened, and I was just hitting the bottom of a really bad breakdown. I kind of hoped something dramatic would happen and provide a distraction, and there was none.

[I'm in a better place now. But still avoid celebrating.]

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#27

When I turned 13, it was Friday the 13th. Nobody showed up. While yes it was in July it still was a kick in the nads

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#28

I was super sick and was crying on the couch. Fun times!!

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#29

The day I turned 10 I got a paddling from my grandma. I am sure I deserved it, but at the time I did not agree. I was walking around like little queen of the house, and probably running my mouth. I was warned. And then she got the paddle. There was space on the back where we had to sign and date. I had to sign it on my birthday, and that was humiliating. Humbled me some, for which I am grateful.

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#30

I got a Facebook message from my ex (together for 9.5, broke up 15 months at the time) that he had a very rare cancer. He died a little after the following birthday.

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#31

7th no one came
8th stuck in a car going somewhere I didn't want to
9th stomach flu
13th stuck in a cabin with my loud crazy cousins (I'm autistic so this was a nightmare)
14th stuck in the car going home all the day
15th everyone forgot
16th was too scared something would go wrong so I didn't really do to much

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#32

I was at a new school and made a few 'friends' and decided to invite them to my birthday party at some skating rink. I was so excited for my new 'friends' to come, but nobody came...

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#33

My mom said she was “just too sick” and canceled my favorite cousin coming over.

THE DAY AFTER SHE WAS BETTER

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#34

I had to have a scoliosis surgery on the day before my 15th birthday, so on my birthday, I was basically still out of it.

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#35

When I was about 10, I had Scarlet Fever on my birthday. The next year, I has Strep Throat on my birthday.

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#36

On my 5th birthday my brother kicked me in the face and broke my nose. My mother didn't care to take me to the urgent care so my neighbor did. No one at the party realize.d I was gone and even sang happy birthday to my brother. His birthday was a month prior.

On my 11th birthday my mother got hit by a car while on a bike (she's fine).

Bonus: on my brother's 13th birthday, we went fishing on a dock and I fell into the water. It was 56 degrees f.

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enigmatic crab
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the fact nobody cared or noticed that you were gone,that i just the worst.Glad your brother didnt take your presents too.but if so,i hope he gets what he deserves,being a globe into the face.

#37

On my 13th birthday I invited my only friend to a painting class. She told me she would be there then the next day she told me that she somehow forgot she had another birthday in New York the same day. The entire birthday was very depressing. The week after, I asked her how the party was and she told me she never went to New York. A few months later I found out the reason she lied was because her mother thought I wanted to date her. The painting also turned out terrible.

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#38

I was on a kayaking class trip during my 17th birthday. It started raining on the first day of the trip and stopped raining on the last. On the night of my birthday, my tent started leaking. Not wanting to wake anyone up I slept in a plastic chair in the camping ground restroom. Now, years later, I can laugh about it.

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#39

Nothing terrible, just the same thing every year. My birthday is January 1st. I don't like cold weather or fireworks, so I always go to bed early. At midnight, the kids (adults) and husband rush into my room and wake me up to say happy birthday. Whoever gets there first wins, and this has been a thing since they were big enough to compete against one another. It's cute, but if they forgot one year, I swear I wouldn't complain. Then, when it's morning, I cook the same thing I cook every year for New Year's Day. Blackeye peas, pork roast and gravy, and southern fried cabbage with bacon. Stinks up the whole house. I don't like eating it, but it's tradition. Expected. I've decided I was just born on the wrong day.

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A. Starhawk Hunt
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Make’m give you a different one. I was Dec 26, so, if any recognition at all, it was a single present. So my second husband (we’d been best friends since high school but I married someone else first) gave me a new birthday of April 17 and pushed people to treat it that way, which some tried. ‘Course it gradually became tax day……..

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#40

Parent completely forgot my 16th Birthday.

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#41

When I was in elementary school, I saved up all of my money for a year and bought the cutest pink dress with white polka dots. I wore it to school on my birthday, and some fifth grade boy shoved me into the mud and ruined my dress. The dirt stain never came out. Not a big deal now, but to a first grader, that dress meant the world to me.

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#42

wombo combo here! last year,i had gotten sick,so nobody showed,and i only got presents from my family that year,then this year,due to weather reasons,almost nobody showed up except for my best friend.

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#44

On my birthday when I was younger, mother and father were no longer together since I was born. This has neve been an issue for me as I never knew him as a father anyway. Then once I got older he had picked my older sister and brother up as well as for me as it was my birthday. He only remembered my birthday bc his is a week before mine. Sad to day. Long story short he was an abusive father, he decided to take us to a "family outing" which just another reason for him to drink. Everything with him included making himself happy. when this happened he always turned violent. Which led him to leaving us behind at the outing. Luckily I had older siblings to take care of me as I did not know where we were. Once we were safely back with out mother I made her swear to me to never send me with him on any "family outings again". He ruined all holidays for me as a child.

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#45

For my 12th birthday, my parents got me the puppy I always wanted. He was my constant companion and best friend.

On my 13th birthday, he got out of our yard and went exploring. He somehow got into some poison and died that day.

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#46

Not me, my brother. My family shows dogs, and this brother is the only one who still does. He lived in this horrible rotting trailer and everything he valued was with him; books, keepsakes and his several dogs. One birthday morning, he went to work, a 10 min drive on the same property. When he got to work, they literally handed him the phone. He was told that, in that 10 minutes, the trailer caught fire and burned to the ground, taking everything, most especially his dogs with it. In 10 minutes.

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