Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down Their 'Worst Birthday Ever' Experiences

People Break Down Their 'Worst Birthday Ever' Experiences
Adi Goldstein on Unsplash

What if you threw a birthday and no one came?

That's a pretty scary thought for a lot of young people. Your birthday is ideally supposed to be a day of celebration, typically with friends and family members.

But that isn't the only thing that could ruin your birthday. Anything can happen! Don't you just love life? So many options!


People shared their stories with us after Redditor hated1327 asked the online community:

"What is your 'worst birthday ever' story?"

"For the rest of the night..."

"On my 22nd birthday, my housemates girlfriend insisted we go out. She kept badgering me about it until I named a local place that was semi-expensive, I also said chilis. She kept pushing for the more expensive place insisting it was my special day."

"We got there, she looked at the menus and immediately threw a fit, complaining she couldn't afford anything. When her boyfriend attempted to buy her meal, she declined him multiple times, and refused to share his as a compromise."

"For the rest of the night we ate in silence interrupted by her complaining about hunger pangs and how anyone could afford the place she had insisted we all go to."

zz4

I've seen this sort of thing happen before...being completely unreasonable and just making an entire meal out with friends uncomfortable. I think some people enjoy ruining things for others.

"On my 21st birthday..."

"On my 21st birthday, a family friend who is an old lady invited me and my family to a dinner with her and her family, because by the Lunar calendar her birthday was on the same day as mine. Her family and my parents can all speak Cantonese."

"I cannot. They decided to go to a seafood restaurant. I am allergic to most seafoods. I spent my 21st birthday sitting at a table full of people not saying anything and not eating anything, because I couldn't do either."

Chroisman

It must have been terribly awkward for you. Ouch.

"I spent my fifteenth birthday..."

"My fifteenth birthday, was on holiday with my bio-dad and step mum who despised me and my sister. My dad wished me a happy birthday and asked me what I would like to do and before I could answer my step mother insisted she needed a new pair of shoes."

"I spent my fifteenth birthday sitting quietly in the corner of a shoe shop while somebody who hated me and wanted to alienate me from my father tried on endless pairs of shoes, that he would buy for her."

ninjajay

Maybe for your father's next birthday you can buy him a pair of balls.

"In kindergarten..."

"In kindergarden I was going to have a big birthday party with all my friends and they all came to the party except my best friend who was really excited to come. He died in a car accident on the way to my party."

Alpha_Lantern

This is so terrible. We send you our condolences.

"My family paid for me..."

"My family paid for me and my girlfriend at the time to go out for a really expensive meal for my 21st birthday. The entire meal came to $300. She broke up with me as I was driving her back home."

eternityinspace

The timing!

So, you threw her out of the car right?

"Broke my clavicle..."

"Broke my clavicle the day before, Had surgery on my birthday morning, sent the rest of the day loaded on oxy. Now that I think about it, it probably wasn't that bad."

SONOVABTCH

Doesn't sound tooo bad, but injuries always suck!

"For my ninth birthday..."

"For my ninth birthday, my mom planned a surprise party for me. All of my friends would be waiting at my house after I got home from school and we were gonna have a great time. Nobody showed up."

"Every parent kept their kid home. I ate cake with my family alone until one family friend showed up."

[deleted]

So sorry. That sounds very lonely. At least you had your family with you.

"My wife..."

"My wife was acting suspicious. She was closing windows on her computer whenever I'd glance over, she was keeping secrets, she was being gone at mysterious times. I was worried she was cheating, so I did some snooping."

"It turns out she was throwing me a surprise birthday party, in my home state with all of my closest friends who I haven't seen in years! And also having an affair."

SurpriseThrowaway2

Wow uhh, I was thinking "Why the hell is this the worst Birthday ever? Oh..."

"Turned 19..."

"Turning 19 outside of Baghdad. On the plus side we got to take off our chemical suits and I flew in a Blackhawk for the first time (I look at it as B-Day roller-coaster ride)."

[deleted]

Damn, sometimes it is easy to forget that soldiers are often your age. Thanks for serving.

"Had a few birthdays..."

"Had a few bad birthdays when I was younger. On two separate birthdays, I have had relatives pass away just a couple days prior. Those were not fun birthdays."

Ersh777

Hopefully the birthdays after that were much better!

If you've had a crappy birthday, hopefully you've been able to make up for them since!

Have some stories of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!

Want to "know" more?

Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

A birthday cake with number 4 and number zero candles on top of it.
a red velvet birthday cake with white frosting

People Over 40 Reveal Which Physical Changes They Weren't Prepared For

Aging is a funny and unpredictable thing.

While many children dread the thought of growing up, others can't wait to become grown-ups, and not be beholden to school and homework, and living in their own house, under their own rules.

Keep ReadingShow less
ride sign saying "chaos"
Nick Page on Unsplash

People Describe The Most Insane Event They've Ever Witnessed

Chaos is, according to the lexicographers at Oxford, a "state of complete disorder and confusion."

Humans find chaos entertaining to watch—hence the popularity of so-called reality TV—but not as much fun to be in the thick of. People may love the moment a "Real Housewife" flips a table, but would be less thrilled if a family member did it during dinner.

Keep ReadingShow less
JD Vance and Karoline Leavitt
Hu Yousong/Xinhua via Getty Images

Trump Administration Dragged Over 'Sexy' Photoshoot For Damning 'Vanity Fair' Article

Vanity Fair has attracted significant attention this week after inviting Vice President JD Vance, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, among other Trump officials, for a photoshoot ahead of the publication's profile on Chief of Staff Susie Wiles—not realizing just how brutal the two-part article would be.

The profile takes an unusually intimate look at Wiles, a veteran political operative long known for projecting unwavering loyalty to her boss.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kim Kardashian
Aeon/GC Images via Getty Images

Kim Kardashian Mocked For Beige 'Ozempic Santa' In NYC Skims Store—And This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

Santa Claus has survived centuries of tradition, but he was no match for beige, shapewear, or Kim Kardashian. A holiday TikTok posted last Monday to the SKIMS account sparked widespread mockery after showing Santa Claus visiting the brand’s New York City flagship store in a look that was unmistakably on-brand.

Gone was the iconic red velvet suit. In its place was a muted beige ensemble that looked less North Pole and more minimalist showroom chic.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @whodemboyz' TikTok video
@whodemboyz/TikTok

Guy Calls Out Bugles For 'Ruining' His Childhood After They Changed Their Iconic Shape

Possibly more than any other generation, Millennials were raised with interactive snacks and candies. From dippable cookies and candies to chips perfectly shaped for scooping and build-your-own pizzas, consumers found the interactive experience to be more important than the food itself.

Bugles are a fan favorite example, because while the chips were tasty and crispy, with a solid variety of flavors to choose from, the real point of them was their iconic shape, like the mouth of a bugle horn. Though we didn't openly talk about it at the time, it was a Millennial pastime to put the Bugles on our fingers like long nails, pretending we were fashionistas and gremlins and vampires.

Keep ReadingShow less