Friends are the family we get to choose.

Call them, talk to them and tell them, do not celebrate alone because of what your family have done.

And if you were anywhere near me I would say I'd take you out for dinner myself

Sorry to hear of your situation. Growing up during my highschool years I always celebrated my birthday alone because it was the only time of year my parents could travel to see relatives and we were not well off so they couldn’t take myself and my siblings. I was old enough to be home alone, my sibs were away for school so I actually learned to enjoy some ME time. I loved going for long walks and exploring the city, hitting museums, movies, dining out with a book. Don’t feel sorry for yourself, just enjoy the day with your most reliable companion…YOU. Maybe next year you’ll have some family or friends or even a SO to share the day with.

Stick the cake in the fridge and have it with them tomorrow. It’s not a big deal.

Btw birthdays are overrated 😉

Celebrate yourself enjoy your cake, watch a favorite movie, relax or call a friend make the day about you

Get some snacks and binge watch Stranger things, sounds a good day to me

Your dad and your brother suck. Deciding that having dinner at a restaurant with Dad's friend is more important than celebrating his child's birthday is appalling.

Your mom should call you and tell you, "I'm sorry we fought honey, but I'd like to celebrate your birthday with you." If she doesn't, well, that tells you something about your mother, doesn't it?

I would spend my birthday trying to find a new family.

I mean that. Many, many people don't spend much time with their birth families, but have gathered a group of friends that are close enough and compatible enough that they feel like family.

Your family is giving you the cold shoulder on your birthday. That sucks.

See if you could cancel the cake. If not, freeze what you don't eat. I would plan a relaxing, fun day for yourself doing whatever it is that fills your cup and makes you happy. For me it would be a spa day and a couple of favorite movies at home wrapped in a cozy robe with hot cocoa. Maybe get my favorite takeout or go to my favorite restaurant. But you do you.

I wish you the very best.

I’m really sorry you’re going through this, especially when you were looking forward to your birthday. Maybe you could treat it like a little self-care day: go watch a movie, do karaoke, or just have a cozy night with your favorite food and something comforting to watch.

Wishing you a happy birthday 🎉🥳

Happy Birthday 🥳🎂🥳🎂

Happy birthday. You’re perfect

I would take it to the library and share it with the librarians. But that’s just me 😆because I love libraries, and I think librarians are underappreciated. If I showed up at the library with a birthday cake and told them I wanted to share it because I had nobody else to share it with, I’m 100% positive that all the librarians would wish me happy birthday and enjoy the cake with me.

Next year, skip inviting your family. 2 years in a row - they've told you how dependable they are.

I opted to spend my last birthday alone because it was my first year back home and I never really had much community here but especially not after returning after being gone for 10 years; I felt like no one was gonna show up to the dinner invite I made so I came up with an idea to spend solo. Mines early October and I live in MA so I took a road trip to NH to find some foliage cuz it hadn’t peaked here yet; spent the bday in an Airbnb and set out to a nice state park/trail the next morning; did a whole hike lookin pretty 🤣 (I didn’t have any idea how the hike was gonna be and wasn’t prepared at all) but it was worth it!

Talk to yor parents & tell them how you feel (not what they’re doing wrong). I’ve taken flights to be with my kids on their birthdays.

Your family sucks. Wishing you a happy relaxing day! What is your favorite thing to do? Spend yhe day doing it. For me, it would be thrifting and new restaurants.

Treat yourself!

Just do whatever you feel is right. There should be no judgement or expectations, especially not from random people on Reddit.

Happy birthday for tomorrow. I hope you have a great day, whatever you choose.

I know you're feeling down and I'm sorry for that, but celebrate you!!! Call your friends and see if they can join you. If not learn how to celebrate on your own. Cut a slice of cake for yourself and then eat cake when you're there with your family. I'm older than you but next week I'll be celebrating my birthday on my own and this is my choice. I always celebrate with family, friends and coworkers but this year I want some me time. I love traveling and sometimes I do it on my own like this time around. If you have the means, go to a restaurant and order something you really like. Treat yourself. You can do whatever you want. It might feel awkward at first, but you can do it!!! Happy Birthday and enjoy!!!

First off, true friends will understand and you don’t have to feel bad about telling them your plan changed. Even 1 good friend may really help.

Second, what do you like to do? Do that! Go to a movie. Go to your favorite restaurant. Curl up with your favorite book. Marathon your favorite video game. It’s all about you! Treat yo self!

Also who’s dad and brother agree to plans on their family’s birthday? They suck. Show them the same lack of empathy later on

Have cake for breakfast! Have a shower but put on some clean pj's. Order take out for lunch or dinner. Watch movies in bed all day.

Happy birthday. Sorry you have to spend it alone. I have to make my family spend my birthday with me. I have to plan it. Every birthday. It sucks.

Happy Birthday to you! Wishing you only the best of everything in life ❤️

Go to your local shelter and adopt a cat :)

If you enjoy being with your family you can do it later. If not just ask your friends

Go ahead n celebrate by yourself. Wear comfy clothes, light candles & sing bday song to yourself, cut the cake n eat it, take photos/vids of the celebration. Keep the rest of the cake in the fridge for your fam or give them away to your fav strangers in your hood (perhaps a convenience store worker whom you get along with? A good neighbour's kids? To an elderly?)

Make yourself happy. Dont depend on others for your happiness. Celebrate YOU.

And hey, Happy Birthday to you!! Wishing you lots of love, blessings and happiness. Be brave. Be positive. ❤️

How old are you gonna be

Tell you're friends ypure open again...come grab some cake...informal fun

First of all Happy Birthday. I'm so sorry about your family situation. I know you're sad but try to have the best day ever. Enjoy the great cake you bought, and do something fun for yourself like going to the movies or buying your favorite meal, etc.

You need to choose a new family. Fill your life with people who are genuinely happy to see and talk to you and wouldn’t miss your big milestones (like birthdays) for anything. In the meantime, dream up something that sounds delicious for yourself for tomorrow- go to the local gym and sit in the hot tub, volunteer somewhere, or just stay home and do all your fav things. Order your favourite meal and enjoy the hell out of that cake. Happy birthday friend

Call your friends to go out and celebrate. If they ask about what happened to the family celebration just tell them change of plans, no need to be specific. Go enjoy your birthday with people who want to be with you. And in future don't expect family to celebrate your birthday, they've let you down twice now.

I would take the cake to the restaurant where your dad and brother are eating and have them sing to you. I'm done filtering myself for others.

Edit. Haven't had my family present for the last 20 years worth of birthdays. Their choice. Trust me, if I could afford to do this, just to annoy them, I would. They live expensively far away. If money was wastable, I would waste that. For now? I have better things to do.

Sounds like they don’t care. Or they only care when it suits them. Took me years to realise this about my family. Meanwhile I chased around being available and helpful to all of them. Around 40 I started to realise my mistake. Go out for cake and coffee for your birthday and buy yourself something nice.Slice the cake and freeze individual slices after you wrap them. Then you can have a treat every day. May you have peace and contentment and a long life. Good luck.

Eat cake and watch a movie. Or invite friends & tell them your fam bailed on you & you'd like to share your cake & your day w friends.

just ask your friends if they're around to have some cake and celebrate with you. tell them your family bailed. they may not be around but at the very least they'll understand where you're coming from, and if they don't they're not true friends. happy birthday :)

Happy birthday my friend. Go and treat yourself to a special day. Something you have always wanted to do.

I'm in my 30s, so I recognize my suggestion may sound boring to a 19 year old, but maybe you'll be into it.

If you have the money, treat yourself to some type of service like a facial, hair cut, or mani/pedi. Being pampered for a little is such a treat.

If you don't have that money, try to re-create the vibe at home. Take a long bath, do an elaborate skincare routine with a facemask. Do some nail maintenance while wearing your favorite robe. Put on spa music while you do.

It's my birthday today. Christmas birthdays suck at the best of times anyway, even when you DO have people around you - I still feel a bit hollow today even though I'm with my loved ones right now.

I spent many birthdays on my own. I usually went shopping, tbh. Lost myself in the seething mass of humanity. Then I'd go get a coffee, maybe see a film. I didnt tend to buy a cake though, I'm a savouries person. I used to comfort eat when I was younger - always end on a savoury!! Or I'd go and buy alcohol, drink one glass and end up tipping the rest away the next day, lol.

That's my rubbish advice, lol

I'm sorry that happened to you, family can suck!

I'd say in your case, I'd go shopping. Especially on your birthday there are multiple different deals at different organisations, free stuff always cheers me up personally. Watching a movie at the cinema is great too, especially if you've been eyeing a movie for a while.

I'd call those friends though, maybe the ones youre closest with because a good friend would come in clutch. I think friends can help you take off your mind from other issues.

Hope it works out for you, happy birthday!!!

Enjoy yourself, not a cake. Have you ever seen yourself through a third party eyes? Look at yourself from afar, eagle-looking view.

First, Happy Birthday!! I'm so sorry you've been abandoned. I agree with people encouraging you to reach out to friends. It sounds like your family doesn't prioritize you, and that's awful. Time to choose a new family.

But if you do find yourself alone, my go to is always to get a journal, turn on my favorite music, and write out my plans and goals. Write out the major events that happened this year and how you feel about them. Write out what you love about yourself. Write a list of friends you can depend on, and another list of activities that will help you make more friends. 

If you can't be celebratory, be meaningful. Focus on yourself. And next year, leave your family out of your plans! 

I second the top suggestion, call your friends and talk to them. Then, make it all about you. Sleep as long as you want, take a lovely shower or bath with your favorite soaps, and have whatever you feel like for food. Pizza for breakfast. Yup. Coffee with ice cream in it, why not? Do your favorite relaxing pastime. If it's nice enough, walk or drive around and look at Christmas lights. Pamper yourself completely.

Dinner with your dad and brother, that’s not a bad option.

I would call my friends. They probably already know your family is unreliable. If you really don’t want to do that, what about a spa day? You could get a massage or a facial.

Happy Birthday, kiddo. Sucks to be alone on your birthday. I’m gonna echo that you should send the texts to your friends. Maybe some can’t hang, but maybe some can and it’ll be worth it.

Perhaps post your city and some new friends could show up (to a public place of course).

Call your mom. Say you're sorry. Even if she's in the wrong. Even if you don't mean it. Be the bigger person. Life's too short and you never know when you won't see her again. It will be the best birthday present you could give yourself. There's no winning in an argument with family. Just different levels of losing.

I will suggest, plan a day out for yourself. Whatever you love, want to or wanted to do. Taking yourself out on a fun outing.

Talk to your mom. I bet she would love to spend your birthday with you. Family is important. I’m just gonna keep my mouth shut about your dad and brother.

There’s obviously something lacking in your relationship for him to choose anyone else over you.

I like to volunteer on my birthday, if I can. 

My birthday is tomorrow as well. And I also will be celebrating alone. My kids are in different cities and my mom was just here for a few days in a row. I'm also working. My friends would come over in a heart beat if I told them my family flaked on me and I have cake. That's what friends are for. Happy birthday , my Capricorn friend! I will l send up a big cheers to you.

Call your friends. They will be more than willing to drop their plans to be with you if they are genuinely good friends. Your family sounds terrible and I would probably back away from contacting them.

When I've been able to afford it, I treat myself to a mani/pedi on my birthday. I'd get a new book, my nails done, a bottle of bubbly (or whatever yummy beverage) and treat yourself. Also, still get together with friends the next day or as soon as it's convenient.

As others here have said, Call your friends! Coming to the rescue is what friends do for friends.

If all else fails, call around to the charity of your choice and arrange some outreach to people or animals in need. Helping others gives us perspective on our own lives.

And it’s time to reevaluate your relationship with your family. You can still be cordial, but you should begin shifting your focus towards people who have shown that you can count on them. It just so happens that you are at the age where family relationships start to shift away from dependence toward independence anyway, so don’t be hard on yourself.

Good luck, and Happy Birthday!

Hard to answer this post because I try to see things from every perspective; there just isn't enough information for me to "pick a side".

What I can say is that it feels bad when people you care about prioritize other things over you, and you're not wrong to feel hurt by it.

Nothing changes is you don't say anything, but sometimes speaking up doesn't change things either.

You asked what are some fun things to do alone on your birthday: is that going to help resolve these negative feelings? I don't know you from Adam, so I couldn't say what's fun and what isn't. I've learned to enjoy my own company so I'd probably do a lot of things you may not even be able to tolerate, let alone enjoy.

I'm old enough to be your father and it not be weird, so I'll give you some fatherly advice: without losing your cool, tell your family how it made you feel that they weren't there for your 18th birthday. Tell them about the cake you bought and how you hoped this year would be different. If it bothers you that your father is prioritizing a friend over you, communicate that; he may have valid reasons to not miss that dinner.

If you can't communicate when you feel like you've been wronged or taken for granted, then many people will carry on completely oblivious that you're even upset.

The most general answer I can give to your question about what to do is spend time with your friends. Contemplate the things that are going well in your life (or even things that could go well in the future). Always remember there are billions of people on this planet, and even strangers on the internet don't want to see you sad on your birthday if it can be helped. As you grow and learn more about people you will start to develop a sense of who is worth keeping around and who is worth discarding. I urge you to cling to those who make you feel understood, and let those who would discard your feelings drift away. I speak to almost none of my biological family now, and my life is all the better for it. Take care, and Happy Birthday!

It’s my birthday tomorrow, but I’ll be 69. Unfortunately, I have too many things to do, not sure when I’ll actually celebrate. I’m sorry your family isn’t making you a priority but, they are the ones missing out. Cut that cake into eights, and put 7 of them in the freezer , you can celebrate yourself once a week right thru January!

I have a winter birthday and my plans fall apart every year due to weather or illnesses. It’s to the point where I don’t even bother trying to plan anything anymore. Maybe you can rent a movie you’ve been wanting to see or treat yourself to self care, like a pedicure or something.

I’m really sorry your plans fell apart. Your dad and brother kind of sound like assholes for accepting that dinner invitation. When their birthdays come around, I’d remember this and act accordingly.

Book a trip to Thailand 🇹🇭

Go to dinner with your Dad and brother.

I think you can freeze the cake. Any bakers here? Cut it into pieces?

Get a hooker

Go for a hike. Nature is the best therapy

Eat cake.

even if your family plans feel through, you can still make your birthday special. enjoy your cake and favorite foods, treat yourself, do activities that make you happy

Happy birthday, Friend.

Happy birthday! Eat some cake and put the rest in the freezer. Put on some good tunes and give yourself a spa day. Bubble bath, face mask, paint your nails, then a good movie. Order in some Chinese food.

Happy Birthday!!! Order take out from your favorite place, if you have a hobby spend some time doing that and just try to enjoy your day the best you can.
Next year make plans with those that you can count on since your family has proven they can be counted on.

Why not join your dad if you’re invited?

Happy Birthday! Call your friends, if they’re your friends why not? “If” I was your friend, I would invite you to whatever my plans were going on. Or I would make plans with you.

Part of having relationships with people is being vulnerable to your emotions. When you are vulnerable your friends will open up and be vulnerable. You will create deeper connections and/or find out who your real friends are.

At 19 I had a bunch of friends. But as I got older I realized we were friends but not good friends. We just had similar interests of running around chasing girls, partying and getting into trouble.

First post by a bot on a brand new account.

Go to the movies by yourself. It's great. You get to concentrate on the movie.

If you go anywhere like anywhere. Tell them it’s your bday. Trust me

If you can afford - go out and have a nice meal. Go to the movies afterwards if there’s something worth watching. It’s your day mate 👌🏻

I would not let you spend it alone no one should spend their birthday alone I would definitely take you out to dinner get you a couple presents and try to spoil you the best I can

Totally agree! Embracing solo time can be refreshing. Plus, cake tastes better when you save it for a special occasion.

It could be the best or the worst birthday for you, but I guess be alone in this world full of chaos is a much better way of celebrating your birthday. 🥳

Hbd! I'm also born in December (2 days after Christmas) and quite miserable lately since a girl I asked out ghosted me for the last 3 weeks. If I were you, I'd maybe get half of the cake, then give the half to your friends or someone in need. Hope that helps =))

Any chance this dinner your dad and brother were “invited to” is a coverup for a surprise dinner for you?

Either way, I hope you have a happy birthday tomorrow! Enjoy spoiling yourself and may the day turn out better than you could imagine!

Do something you would absolutely love to do, whatever that may be.

As others have said Call your best friends they will come Order your favourite take out Watch all your favourite movies you loved as a child And if you still need help with that cake give me a call I will come help 😋

Happy Birthday!!

SLEEPOVER!!! We’ll stay up all night, in our PJs curl each other’s hair, laughhhhhh!! Wait… it’s coed right? JK… make your own version of a great birthday party. Invite friends, order pizza 🍕, have your cake… watch girly movies and cry… So family plans fell through… big whoop. It happens ( it’s called life ) move on, enjoy your life!!! Happy Birthday 🎉🎁🎈🎊🎂

I celebrated my birthday alone for years because it falls right between Christmas and New Years. Here’s what I did:

Whatever I wanted.

This looked like picking a movie at a theater and watching it. Going out to the restaurant I wanted to eat at, and enjoying whatever I wanted to eat. Going to thrift stores and having no one trying to hurry me up so we can get to the next thing. Then getting myself a cake in the flavor I liked and having a slice on my birthday.

No one got to complain about the movie, or say they wanted to eat somewhere else, or tell me I was taking too long at the store, or tell me they preferred whipped icing over buttercream.

It was my day and I made it all about me.

Set up a spa day for yourself. 

To be fair, I enjoy personally celebrating my birthday quietly and alone. Enjoy my food, go train and spend the day with my partner is better than party’s for me

As someone with no decent form of family, they're quite literal monsters in human clothing. Fuck them. I made wondrous friends along my ways, I'm sure you have as well. Shoot one or 2 a call and just say WhatsUp wanna hang out? They can be surprised by your surprise birthday party. Eat cake have fun. Idk do blow off a strippers bum. Watch some ridiculous movies and just have a good time. Just keep your head up, and P.S. don't do coke. . . . From strangers. Happy birthday OP I hope it gets better.

If you really don’t want to bring your friends back into it- you’re going to have a great day alone.

Treat yourself to a nice drink and walk around, find a museum to wander around in. Any stores or thrift stores you like? To me- being able to LOOOOK in a thrift on unlimited time with noone bothering me is my version of Heaven lol.

I know you said you’re not interested in any movie out right now but I personally would just pick which one looks the best. Get some candy/popcorn and relax- seeing a movie alone is one of the best “alone activities”. Go back home and order in a nice dinner, put on a holiday movie (if you celebrate) and then top it off with some cake! Throw in a nice self care shower,skin care, hair mask.

I get out of my comfort zone for my birthday. Just like my birth. Last year I drove to a new city and spent a few days there. It was not fun. 

Invite your friends last minute, I'll bet they will be more than excited to celebrate with you. Wishing you a very Happy Birthday.

Call a friend and make the day about you! Have her come over for a sleepover and celebrate like you did when you were young. Watch movies, order takeout, wear jammies all day! Or you two can dress up super fancy and go out for a nice meal. Take your cake with you and share with surrounding tables! Then go to a beautiful outdoor space and take lots of selfies together! Let the day be full of celebration and memories you rarely experience. Don’t let it be a day for settling, find your positivity in the day!

Treat yourself to a nice meal.

My birthday was literally last weekend. My mom was coming over to celebrate with me and I was going to take her out to dinner. I just wanted something small as I was also finishing end of semester tests for school. Well, a few days prior she left town to head halfway across the country to see my brother who is sick. I’m not mad, he does have medical issues. Instead of a “woe is me” situation, I called a friend that lives nearby and asked if I can bring a Baskin Robbin’s ice cream cake over and have some with them and their kids. They said yes, so I got a unicorn cake to be funny for the kids and they loved it. That’s how I spent my birthday. Your friends will understand the situation if they care about you. Call them. Dude, I would come over to spend time with a friend, and free cake?

Tell your friends that your plans with family fell apart and would like to spend your birthday with them. Reach out.

I’m sorry this happened. I’ve had some similar experiences (more than one). My last birthday I spent in detox with some really awesome people (one even paid for me to go skydiving - it was amazing).

Full love to you.

hey i just turned 19 on the 14th and i also spent it alone in my room just find something that keeps u distracted and going i played league of legends all day(it couldn’t get any worse)

Christmas adjacent birthdays are hard (today is mine), there's just no way around it. We do family dinners for birthdays, but it's hard to justify that when we'll all be together for dinner on Christmas Eve. I've grown to appreciate the extra effort in not mixing my birthday with Christmas. My grown kids have also taken to making my birthday a very special day. It's cute to watch them fuss over me.

It's a bit of a dick move your dad and brother are pulling. If it's safe to do so, I'd tell them that bailing on you hurt your feelings, especially given that you'd had plans first.

I hope your day ends up having a little magic in it! Happy birthday! 🎊🎉🥂🎂

Unhealthy people will sabotage a birthday and play it off like it wasn’t planned. Next year plan without the family! If family wants to do something tell them you can celebrate the following week. That way if they bail you have the day unaffected. I’m sorry that is hard, but hope you have a good birthday and cna have a belated celebration with your friends.

Happy Birthday Early!!! You deserve a spa day and dinner out! If you feel shy to gather friends last minute, ask them to get together with you on another day/evening, and enjoy their company, learn new things about them during your party time, and don't think twice about the birthday expectations. Build that friend family and love yourself.
Tomorrow is my birthday, too. I will think of you and am sending you the hope of a great year ahead. ❤️🤗🤗

Is say call your friends. If you can’t tell your friends your family flaked out - then it’s time to reevaluate. You should have at least one friend to call on for anything. You have cake to share! I’ve spent many birthdays alone. Just do something you want to do. Go see a movie, watch one at home. Order food or buy something easy to make at the store (or if u like to cook - cook something great!) you already have cake, enjoy it! Whatever you choose to do - just make it a day that’s cozy, and feels nice. Happy Birthday!

I find going to the movies alone relaxing. I don't go often so it's a special treat.

Happy birthday!! It gets better I promise.

The only thing you can do is apologise to your mum - Tonight. Take acc for stuff you know she is right about anyway. Then you could do something with your mum, like have a bottle of wine and play a board game. She’ll love it and you’ll feel much better

If you must spend it alone, find someplace to volunteer. or look up local food pantries and deliver a bag of requested food. Take a long walk at a nice park or nature preserve. Get some library books you've been meaning to read and settle in somewhere cozy. Make a nice meal just for you. Give yourself a DIY spa day. Or to avoid being alone, you could reschedule celebrating with family to another day. Or just swallow your pride and do one of the other things you've already decided not to do. As you get older you may realize that it's not so much the actual day that's important but the getting together that means something, no matter what day you do it.

I spent 18, 19 alone on my birthday. Thing's will work out. Happy Birthday to you 🍰🎁🍰

First of all, happy early birthday! I'm really sorry your plans fell apart, especially after what happened last year. That kind of disappointment hits different when it's a pattern.
Here's the thing, your friends will understand a last minute invite. Something like 'Hey, plans changed, want to hang out tomorrow?' is totally normal and no one will judge you for it.
If you want solo time, get your favorite food, a good movie, maybe a walk somewhere nice. You deserve to feel special, even if it looks different than planned.

Sending you a hug. 19 is going to be a good year

happy birthday! today's my son's 12th, we're going to the skate shop to build his first proper board then he and I are gonna hit the skate park all day. treat yourself to something nice if you have the funds, invite some friends with you, they'll be cool with a last min invite. game all day in your pj's, eat a whole pizza and watch a good movie, enjoy the time homie. it's just a day after all 🤙

Contact your friends and invite them around, you may have left it too late and they may already have plans but it’s worth a shot.

Maybe next time prioritise your friends over family. Which is really sad, because we should be realistically prioritising family over friends.

Depends on mood, cash flow, if friends are available last min or not. If you want to stay home bound or go out the house.

Cinema and meal out. Drinks at a pub, drinks and film at home. Ask friends for suggestions.

Cake is better when eaten with friends. Give them a call.

I know it doesnt seem like it right now but later on you will realize this is the best gift they could have given you. Time to move on from your blood and dont look back.

Yr too young to fight with yr mom…put on yr big boy pants and apologize…she will always love you…yr father on the other hand…tell him to fuck off…

". I’m also not talking to my mom right now because we had a huge fight yesterday."

Without your mum, you won't have a birthday to celebrate. Go and apologise to her (even if she was wrong) and celebrate your birthday with her, you silly little so so and so!

idk, Love this! Enjoying your own company can be super empowering. Plus, cake tastes even better when you don't have to share!

You seem great and your family doesn’t deserve your presence. Next time please don’t put your happiness in the hands of people who don’t value it

Hey. I’m celebrating my birthday alone today. I’ve spent the day sitting on my arse eating junk and watching Netflix and I’m absolutely fine with it. I hope you find some solace tomorrow. Happy birthday dude/dudette.

Happy birthday! Since this is the second year your family has bailed, it is time to stop giving them the power to make you sad. Call your friends. Real friends wont care about the short notice, they will just want to help you eat that cake and make sure you aren't alone. If they can't make it, lean into that spa day you mentioned. Buy the PJs, get your favorite snacks, and treat yourself like the guest of honor you are.

The last time I had a birthday alone, I went to the seaside and spent the day walking by the ocean... and congratulating myself for making it this far. Seriously, I've made it through some nasty shit, but here I am!

And here are you. You've made it this far, be happy with yourself.

Sit in the bar of your favorite restaurant and treat yo self, take yourself to a movie and go for a walk through Christmas lights or a Christmas market with a hot drink. Grab a cupcake and a candle on your way and do a little mini celebration at home and maybe video call someone close before watching your favorite show or movie or playing just dance

You sound like a pansy. It’s just another day. You are making too a deal of it. Obviously none of these ppl made you a priority to be with you on what is just another day. Knowing you have in your head turned this into a national holiday. Screw them it’s too bad about the cake. Live long and prosper.

I hate to say this, but maybe it's a surprise party for you. It's weird that family would all have these things happen right before your birthday. I hope it is but I'm sorry if I spoiled it. 😬

My mom was in hospital this year on my birthday, so I had planned to celebrate alone. I bought myself a cake early in the week and had been having some every night. Then my brother said, "We should all come over and celebrate your birthday with you!" He and his wife and kids came over, but apparently hadn't planned to contribute anything. I ended up buying THEM dinner. Afterwards, he said, "No cake?" I shared what was left of my cake with him (the others declined). Now, I don't know about other people, but if I invited myself over to celebrate someone's birthday, I would at least bring the cake and not expect them to buy dinner for me and my family. Maybe I'm just weird that way. Anyway, this is to say that perhaps you're better off celebrating alone.

As for making it special -- do whatever you would find fun. Take in a movie or have a "spa" night: do your nails, take a bubble bath, give yourself a facial. Or call your friends and go out dancing. There's nothing wrong with telling them that your plans with family fell through.

Anyway, have a wonderful birthday, and have some extra frosting for me!

If the alternative is staying alone (which you don’t want do), I would go out to dinner with your dad and your brother and maybe bring the cake with you and blow the candles or call your friends. It doesn’t matter that you told them that you were celebrating with your family, they’re your friends they will be happy to celebrate with you.

Get a massage and invite your friends over. Just let him know things go through with your family.

YOur family are AHs.

Find some friends, and celebrate with them? If not this year, next year?

Alcohol is a fun and cheap thing to do on your birthday. Also you're getting to be an adult now you might as well get used to having some birthdays alone there's no shame in it people just drift apart as they get older. Not trying to be rude I'm just giving you honest advice