I was in New York when I turned 18....was dead exciting...until i realised I wasn't old enough to drink

Dont recall doing anything, but in ye olden days 21 was the big deal 
Happy Birthday to your nephew hope he has a lovely time 

  Are you my mates ex-boyf?

 

He went to New York to celebrate his 18th and came back in a strop because he couldn't drink in a bar the whole time.

I hope he does too   He was supposed to have a party but his parents split up a few weeks ago so he didn't want the awkwardness of a party.  I'm told he wasn't inviting his aunties and uncles anyway coz we were too old

My son is 18 in January, he doesnt want a party either. I think its more he doesnt want us to know what he gets up to , or the "oldies" cramping his style 

My sons refused to have parties, too. We took them out with the family for a meal to celebrate, and then they had separate nights out with friends - no oldies allowed.

 

When I was young, 18th birthdays weren't special ones, it was 21st birthdays which were celebrated.

Same here Yogi. I remember the 'big' birthday present was a stereo record player in our house  Me and my two brothers got them. Good job they are nine and ten years older than me and were or even had moved out to their own places 

That was good planning by your mum and dad.

I had glandular fever, or kissing disease!

I got a watch from my mum and dad ...........engagement ring and red roses from Mr woo ........a few friends in for a drink and birthday cake at my parents house - the following day me, Mr Woo, Mum and Dad went out for a posh meal.

First year at uni and wet behind the ears.

I can't remember mine but it must have been spent with my family cos we all celebrate together even now..the nephews and my sons all come to mine to party, my son's 21st he ended up in bed and his friends stayed partying with us..

I was a wreck, I was struggling to come to terms with my dad dying, my brother was out descending into a drug addict and fighting with my mum and I spent most of my time hiding at my boyfriends house I spent my 18th birthday getting drunk & stoned & watching movies while it rained outside and I hated it. Needless to say, I got over it and life is grand these days

They didn't seem to celebrate being 18 in my day.... it was 21....... but as far as I can remember,  at 18 I was limping about , getting over a road traffic accident..

Maybe it has to do with the drinking age and that you have to be 18 or over to get into a club these days so that's why it's celebrated a bit more these days?  21 was a very different birthday, my mates hired a limo and all got glammed up and went out for the night....quite tacky now but limos were the in thing then!

 That's a lot for an 18 year old to deal with.  I was feeling sorry for my nephew coz his parents have just recently split and he still seems like a kid to me (not because I'm older than him, just coz he's my nephew) but he seems to be dealing with it ok and as you've pointed out there are a lot worse things to have to deal with at such a young age.

Awwwwwwwwwwwww that's awful - I'm so glad things got sorted 

Aw Ella, I hope your nephew is coping alright, keep an eye on him because I successfully convinced everyone I was perfectly ok when I really wasn't. I hope he has a great time on his birthday, I'm sure his mates will make sure he has a good night

Sooz, it was pretty rubbish yeah, but I look back on those days and thank my lucky stars that it's all good now, I'm a positive person

I was having a good time with a bunch of friends and travelling up to London and other places regularly to see bands!

I had one of those tacky free birthday parties at a nightclub in york (toffs) if anyone remembers it, I think I got a free bottle of champagne for taking x amount of people. But I didnt go because i woke up that morning with chickenpox.  Other than that life was good, I was at college doing art and spending my student grant on essentials like clothes and alcohol and dancing at weekends.

My mates had house parties for their 18th birthdays. I took some friends to see Grease in London for mine.

18 wasn't really a special birthday for me (more my 21st)  I had a birthday tea at home lovingly prepared by my mammy then we went into town (Birmingham City Centre) and got very tiddled 

we went to Sam Wellers which was a local popular pub and I'd had my long hair cut short elfin stylee as a treat and as I'm only 5ft, the bouncer challenged me.  I produced my birth cert and he sneered and said, yeah I bet you borrowed that from your sister (who was also with me) so she produced hers - he let us in even though he was convinced I wasn't old enough.

 

I remember being annoyed at constantly being asked my age till I was in my 30s - now I'd love it if they did