Birthday

You obviously cared about this otherwise you wouldn't have posted. Don't make excuses for thoughtlessness. Treat yourself at least.

I agree. This is so awful. Next time one of them needs help with something, tell them you are too busy.

Many Happy Returns! Have a wonderful 61st year! I hope you are displaying the cards from those who did remember your birthday! ?
Nannieanne 'Two Out of Three Ain't Bad!'

I really did think there might have been a surprise for you at the weekend and I feel sad. I assume they know your birthday follows Christmas and new year every year. Like the other posters I do think you should treat yourself in some way. Perhaps a little day out without telling them and when they ring to enquire where you are make the statement that it's your birthday treat

It is my Birthday tomorrow and I am dreading it. I remember when I used to have loads of cards and presents and tomorrow I will be lucky to have six cards, just from family and an old friend. I was asked what I wanted and couldn't come up with anything so asked for gift vouchers, so a few cards, a gift voucher or two and that's it. So different from days gone by. When I think of top card senders who have died, friends who have dropped off the radar and a general disinterest all round, it makes me feel sad. Am I being an elderly brat?

Well Happy Birthday for tomorrow Melanie [cake] hope you have a lovely day.

I think you are right though as we age people seem to think we are less bothered about birthdays consequently not much fuss is made or effort to remember sometimes.
My immediate family remember but the grandchildren only if they are reminded, to be honest birthdays have never been high on my agenda so it really doesn't bother me if people forget it actually irks me more when people forget OH's birthday.

Enjoy your birthday tomorrow melanie . I only have around 6 cards these days, and I don't worry about presents. I would, however, be miffed if DDs forgot.

Happy birthday for tomorrow, melanie, hope you can do something you enjoy. . .

Happy birthday for tomorrow Melanie, I hope you have a lovely day. Are you able to do a bit of shopping and maybe find something nice with the vouchers?
I'm another one who doesn't get many cards, maybe 8 or 9 and that includes the ladies I work with. I do like opening presents though. As I don't like my family to spend much on me, I keep a list of little things I see throughout the year and then, when it's birthday time, they take the list and get me some little bits off it. That way I get things I actually want and they get to arrive with a wrapped gift.

I'm beginning to miss some of the Christmas cards. DH's cousin died a couple of years ago and I really miss her cards which were always her own paintings. And last year a dear friend died just before Christmas. She always sent beautiful cards which reflected her lovely personality and it's left a huge gap in Christmas.

I only get a handful of birthday cards now but we're a small family and it's the same for all of us.

I would count myself very lucky if I recieve 6 cards. It was my birthday in January, I had 4 cards. H and I went out for a meal and that was it.

Hope you have a very happy birthday Melanie

Hi Melanie, my birthday tomorrow too! I will probably have cards from DDs/DGC & DH tomorrow!

I went out with a couple of new WI friends last week, as we all have birthdays v. close together, and we exchanged cards. Also tradition, amongst our group of long term friends, to meet up for a meal when it is a birthday. So I had a birthday lunch with 10 friends & DH on Friday and was given some cards then which I will open in the morning. I guess as we get older and our senior (or contemporary) relatives and friends either die or become frail and unable to get out and about to buy/post cards the number we recieve reduces.

I hope you have a lovely day tomorrow

I hope you had a good birthday yesterday Penstemon.

I frequently used to forget my own birthday in the years before I had children. They now don't forget and I get cards and presents from DSs and DGC though I think their partners are the ones most likely to instigate these!

I had my first ever party when I was 50, organised by friends, and another when I was 60, organised by workmates. I am 70 this year and can but hope DSs partners might sort something out bit not very likely I think!! I would like one last chance to celebrate with friends and family before we all start popping our clogs!!

Meanwhile Happy Birthday to all other GNers out there!

Well Thank you all. I did have a nice Birthday. One more card than expected, presents from my DH and DCs and a lovely meal out. But the day ended on a sour note when I noticed that none of my DGC had acknowledged my birthday, not even a quick message on Facebook. They are all teenagers so I expected their parents to give them a nudge. So at the end of the day I put it on facebook. Along the lines of "Thank you for all your kind messages but not one from my grandsons". I sat back waiting for "Sorry Nan, Happy Birthday". Did that happen, no it didn't. My one daughter got herself in such a fury at me "humiliating" her sons that she unfriended me on facebook and blocked me. [shock}

Perhaps I have gone onto another topic with this. However, it was such a shame when my birthday was going quite well and I was happy.

I can't imagine not wishing my own grandmother a Happy Birthday, probably with a nudge from my mother. And I certainly wouldn't have unfriended and blocked my mother if such a thing were possible in those days. I acknowledge all their birthdays, with presents and latterly with £50 each in a carefully chosen birthday card.

Any comments, especially how to proceed with one grandson's eighteenth birthday coming up fast!!

They are teenagers, give them a break!
What ever you were going to do about your grandson's 18th, do it anyway. Why all this fuss about a birthday?

That was very immature of you Melanie to publicly scold your grandsons for all to see - you sound like a silly teenager.

You used Facebook as a weapon of rebuke - don't be surprised that your DD did the same.

As for asking how to proceed with a forthcoming 18th birthday, as though you are considering taking revenge .... no wonder Gransnet & Mumsnet are full of threads about daughters who fall out with their mother!

Belated birthday wishes Melanie .

If it makes you feel any better it was my birthday in January and I got the grand total of 5 cards (one of those was from a kind fellow Gransnet member) and a gift voucher for NEXT for £25 that I ended up giving to my two DGD's to share.

TBH (and maybe it's just as well) birthdays don't bother me. They never have. Even when I was a child my birthday was always "too close to Christmas" for anyone to have any money left.

I think it's a pity that you decided to "shame" your DGC on FB for not remembering. You had me, until then.

Oh Dear

I wanted honest opinions and I got them. I was in the wrong then. Weren't my daughters in the wrong for not giving their boys a nudge beforehand? Anybody agree? Or am I going down in flames!

Anybody agree with me? Anybody AT ALL?

No, sorry Melanie, as you put it you're going down in flames

OK I accept I was wrong and I have apologised to my daughter, thank you Gransnetters for putting me straight. But I still have a quibble. From the grandsons shouldn't I receive a small card or a facebook message wishing me a happy birthday. Is that unreasonable?

Melanie we always hope that teenagers will behave like Jim Bob in the Waltons..but that is not real life!