Everyone knows that birthdays are supposed to be happy. Even though we are celebrating aging, it’s still supposed to be a joyous – a day all about you! What could be better?

Except apparently these people’s friends and families didn’t get the memo and ruined everyone’s good time. Check out these 24 Reddit users who were brave enough to share their sad birthday stories with you.

Got one of your own? Share it in the comments! You might just make it onto my next list…

1. WTF?

My 18th birthday was intended to be a huge surprise, one that had been planned by my sister, mother, and grandmother for weeks. Everything perfectly set, down to the T. The eve of my birthday, my half-sister over our family dinner explained to me in great detail everything that was planned for my birthday, as if I was supposed to know. The worst part was, she continued to talk over my family members as they tried to shut her up. Family fight erupts, leaving my mother and sister crying over their failed surprise

Icing on the cake: On my actual birthday, said half-sister shows up 3 hours late to the party, after all the “surprise” is over. Then, as I’m opening presents, decides it’s best to share how she had found a pair of a young girl’s underwear in a sketchy alley way near her work, and how “she can only imagine the worst”. The uncomfortable vibe couldn’t be broken after that and the party quickly died down.

2. I would be SO angry

Last year I was unemployed at the time of my birthday. My friends and I made plans to actually go out and do something. The day before my birthday I got called to an interview where they told me I had a job. They wanted me to start the next day. So I cancelled my plans, went out and bought some work clothes and showed up for my first day of work. When I arrived, I found that there were 6 other girls there and that we were actually being interviewed again and that we would do a day of “training”. It then came out that only 2 people would leave with jobs. Our “training” consisted of us doing 5 hours worth of kitchen labour. At the end of the day 2 girls were chosen and everyone else walked away jobless. I was not one of those girls and I wasted my birthday on unpaid work.

3. I’d have asked for her half

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.

4. Well that’s sad

My birthday usually came a week after my first report card, and I got punished as a result with either no birthday, or a “bitter birthday” with just me and my parents, who would stare at me disappointedly. Or my mother was drunk, and would forget.

My birthdays since then have been pretty good, though.

5. …I just can’t

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.

6. LOL

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.

7. Ohhhh…nooo…

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.

I was born on September 11, 1992.

As a bonus, I came in to school wearing a huge smile, completely unaware of what was going on.

There was also my seventh birthday, where my dad spilled an entire pitcher of tea on my pants at Joe’s Crab Shack and I sat and cried through them bringing me cake.

Also, the day before I turned… 17? I found out my grandpa’s cancer had come back with a vengeance and he was terminal.

8. “Selfish”

My best friend’s brother died suddenly. She asked me to throw a party to make her forget about it and she was thankful though I felt terrible about it. She shared a room with him so she stayed with me for 3 nights and I had to hold her as she cried. After she left I took down all my birthday cards and refused to open any presents. After the weekend someone had a go at me for being selfish. It was pretty bad.