I (23F) am turning 24 tomorrow and I absolutely love birthdays. They’ve always been really special to me, not because of big parties or gifts, but just the feeling of being celebrated by people I love. I also have anxiety and I’m a very private person, I find big crowds overwhelming and I recharge best in quiet, familiar spaces.

My family is scattered across the world. My mom recently moved back with us. I was raised mostly by my maternal grandparents. My dad in particular has never been around for any of my birthdays. He works abroad and only visits once a year, usually around a major holiday. But this year, he happens to be home for my birthday, and I was actually excited. I thought, maybe for once, I’d get to have a birthday with him.

Well, he ended up inviting some distant relatives to our house , like, relatives I barely know. I have never met them before in my life. He’s the kind of person who loves showing off, so he wanted to parade them through our newly renovated home. These people showed up with suitcases. Like the whole family. Kids and all. I don’t mind guests for a short visit, but this? This feels like a full on invasion of our space.

To make it worse, I had planned a quiet celebration with just my immediate family and my one close friend who is in town. All my other friends (and my boyfriend) are abroad. My dad shut that down because the friend is a guy and “guys only want one thing” and “your boyfriend won’t like it.” For the record, my boyfriend knows this friend and is totally fine with it.

So, I let that go. No friend, just family. But then my dad turns around and invites these distant relatives to my birthday celebration. I don’t know them, I’m not comfortable with them, and I honestly just feel disrespected and disregarded in my own home, on my own birthday.

So I told my dad, “Since this is your house (as you always remind us), and you’re the one who wants the guests, you can keep the party. I’m going to my maternal grandparents’ place (they live nearby), and I’ll celebrate there with my brothers and grandparents. You’re not invited.”

They think I’m being dramatic. But I just wanted one day , one birthday , to feel special and not overwhelmed or pushed aside.

So, AITA for walking out and wanting to celebrate without the people my dad invited? Am I overreacting?

Also I will be moving to Australia for my masters in a few months and this is my last birthday with my family for the next few years. We are asian and family is really big to us, further making me feel guilty for walking out.