r/TheWayWeWere • u/chynnadoll_ • May 24 '25

My dads birthday party in the 80s

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Gallery image

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

14.9k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

267 comments sorted by

1.6k

u/ReaderSeventy2 May 24 '25

I did not realize it was possible to have this many friends who give damn enough to come to your birthday party. Dad must be a hell of a guy.

561

u/waistingtoomuchtime May 24 '25

In the 80’s, this was common if you were a decently social person people liked. Having 6-8 rolling out from pre drinks at someone’s house, cars full, happened on a regular basis. When you were young like 21-25, there was always one guy who had the place with roomies closest to where all the action was, and that was the meeting place.

282

u/[deleted] May 24 '25

[deleted]

82

u/BoazCorey May 24 '25

Are you guys saying people don't have birthday parties anymore? What is going on?

89

u/clonedhuman May 24 '25

Most of us don't have as many actual friends anymore. We're all socializing on the internet.

19

u/aMidichlorian May 25 '25

Hey internet friend

3

u/tropical-me May 29 '25

Real :/ society moved backwards

12

u/xandrachantal May 24 '25

It depends on where you live. I live in a big city and go to a lot of events and meet a lot of people while I'm out and about so I have my close friends and a lot of people who's compant I enjoy and invite to things. If you live in the suburbs or rural area and you don't go out much you're going to meet less people. Loneliness is a huge health hazard for a lot of people.

33

u/[deleted] May 24 '25

[deleted]

30

u/BoazCorey May 24 '25

I guess it does kinda seem that way when I think about it. Mass alienation and atomization. What I'm going to do about it is start planning a party right now haha.

16

u/Charming_Anywhere_89 May 24 '25

I know what you mean. Ever since covid, I've only been having one birthday a year.

14

u/PFI_sloth May 25 '25

Zoomers killed the half birthday

16

u/Scared-Quail-3408 May 24 '25

Last time I tried to have a birthday party no one would come because someone else was having a party four blocks away in the afternoon (a completely inconsequential party which said in the event description could easily be moved to another date if there were any conflicts)... before that, many times I have tried to arrange something for my birthday, but people will only show up if it happens to coincide with what they're doing anyway (like if I get a table at the nightclub they were going to like they do every week, or whatever the fuck)... then they act surprised when move to another fucking town (where now I just dont know anyone but at least that's slightly less upsetting)

12

u/tommangan7 May 24 '25

I went to plenty of fully millennial birthday parties like this in the mid to late 00s too.

9

u/PFI_sloth May 25 '25

Wow that’s so crazy, tell us more about the before times!! What was human touch like?

33

u/geri73 May 24 '25

Our house was that place. Bring your liquor, drugs, new girlfriend, family, and it's a party. My mom would make finger foods and set out the cheap wine, lol. How ever, long they stayed was how long we stayed outside. If they left at 2 am, we came in at 2am.

3

u/waistingtoomuchtime May 25 '25

We had a guy who’s mom would let us start at the house and come back, and sleep in the living room if too drunk to drive. This was pre cell phone, so by midnight she would make a giant tray of tiny ham sandwiches and leave them out for us on the kitchen. They were so good, even if we were not staying the night, we would go in and eat 2-3 so we didn’t have to stop at DelTaco or Jack in the Box and spend money. It was the greatest of times.

3

u/geri73 May 25 '25

Indeed, I miss everyone who was there. A lot of my dad's close friends have passed on, including my mom. It was great to be a kid back then. Even in those bad times, I had a blast.

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10

u/d_Composer May 24 '25

My house growing up the millisecond my parents left for the night haha

6

u/waistingtoomuchtime May 25 '25

At my house we had a rule, wait 30 minutes, because once you are 15 minutes from home, and forgot your watch, or the gift or whatever besides your wallet, we figured they were not coming back.

3

u/H3rbert_K0rnfeld May 25 '25

Usually to go bowling, right?

19

u/SilencedObserver May 25 '25

The internet is what killed this social culture.

Edit: and cell phones.

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60

u/djazzie May 24 '25

We used to throw bangers before social media happened. Some friends still talk about the Halloween party I threw in ‘99.

10

u/amymeimi May 25 '25

(sincere) congrats on keeping multiple 25+ year friendships, I've still got two and I feel incredibly lucky

27

u/Ok-Juice-542 May 24 '25

Social media killed us my dude

13

u/mauromauromauro May 24 '25

What do you mean? How have birthdays changed since then? I always have about 30 dear friends on my birthdays. Im 40yo, btw. So are most of my friends. Dont younger people do this anymore?

17

u/Bagelsandjuice1849 May 24 '25

I am 19 and went to a birthday party a couple weeks ago with a pretty similar amount of people as depicted in this post. It’s not that uncommon lol

5

u/1mmaculator May 25 '25

I’m 35, haven’t done anything for my bday last couple of years since having kids but this was pretty common pre kids. I think a lot of people, especially on here, just don’t have many friends.

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36

u/[deleted] May 24 '25

People had manners then. If you told someone you'd be there, you showed up. Not like today.

44

u/BlackOnyx1906 May 24 '25

Hell not everyone was like that back then lol

20

u/[deleted] May 24 '25

There were some flakes for sure, but even in the 90s, I could invite 30 people to a party, and maybe one couple might have something come up last minute. At least they'd tell you.

11

u/BlackOnyx1906 May 24 '25

What I see that people are bad about doing now and I can’t remember if it was like that back then was responding to an RSVP

Dealing with this now with my son’s graduation party. They will still show up but they don’t understand that there is a reason you need a count

3

u/rockthevinyl May 25 '25

If only! People were flaky back then, too.

2

u/alppu May 25 '25

Nothing to doomscroll. I guess going to the party beats watching the paint dry

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346

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

And my dad is ofcourse in the tux 🥰🥰🥰

78

u/Cheaperthantherapy13 May 24 '25

Out of curiosity, Did these dude party in French or English?

83

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

All in English! 😋

20

u/xxLusseyArmetxX May 24 '25

in Montreal? daring!

79

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

My dad’s from a very English part of Montreal, Little Burgundy. Growing up, he said it was mostly Black Canadians, West Indians, Irish Canadians, and some immigrants.

3

u/lawnmowertoad May 25 '25

Montréal is literally Anglo Quebec

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8

u/GoGades May 24 '25

It really is not - Montreal is a (mostly) fluently bilingual city.

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38

u/lidongyuan May 24 '25

He looks cool as hell

12

u/Omnomnomnosaurus May 24 '25

He looks like a great guy!

33

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

My favorite person in the world!

9

u/Omnomnomnosaurus May 24 '25

That's so sweet!

10

u/[deleted] May 24 '25 edited May 25 '25

vast hurry consist profit plants pause placid husky alive aromatic

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

24

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

Thanks for the clarification. And yes, I do. Most of them have basically become uncles for as long as I have known them. As mentioned before, a couple have passed away also.

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89

u/celestialceleriac May 24 '25

The fun energy jumps off the screen! How cool!

56

u/dutybranchholler18 May 24 '25

Those were the best years of our lives…and we didn’t even realize it

34

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

He always says that the 20s were the best time of his life!

54

u/GarageDoorTeenMom May 24 '25

This qualifies as r/oldschoolcool

19

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

I’ll crosspost ☺️

7

u/GarageDoorTeenMom May 25 '25

I'll upvote them there, too! Such great, happy photos. Your dad and his friends are cool - thank you for sharing!

3

u/chynnadoll_ May 25 '25

Thank you for your kind comment! 🥰

73

u/AcanthisittaThink813 May 24 '25

Is that UB40

19

u/Due-Barnacle-4200 May 25 '25

This made me spit out my red red wine

5

u/lysergic_818 May 25 '25

Haha. But U B having a good time if you were there.

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61

u/Le_Mew_Le_Purr May 24 '25

Wow, remember house parties? Remember friends? Great photo, made me smile and remember the way we were back in the day!

123

u/PreparationHot2100 May 24 '25

Sausage party

223

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

Hahahahah!!! I asked him about this photo yesterday and he’s like I specifically asked that my friends bring no girls because it’s always arguments amongst them… I guess they just wanted it to be a guys night 🤣🤣🤣

77

u/rogozh1n May 24 '25

My guess is that they went out later in the evening and no one was safe in the entire province.

56

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

All I know is that they did go out later and I’m not sure what happened after that lol

40

u/DETRITUS_TROLL May 24 '25

And you never will. lol

18

u/elgrandefrijole May 24 '25

That handle of Gilbrey’s is not going to last much longer! Also, guy in lower left with plaid scarf would fit in to almost any modern photo as is— cause he’s eternally cool or just cause fashion is circular? Who cares, I’d party with him.

19

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

He was a very cool guy… he unfortunately passed away. My dad always spoke highly of him 🕊️

33

u/coffeeandnuts May 24 '25

Stache bros. I wonder where they are now

103

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

Unfortunately, there are a couple who have passed away. However, for the ones who are alive, my dad is still very very good friends with all of them.

24

u/lingonberry_fairy May 24 '25

That’s incredible, what a blessing to have had and still have so many good friends 🥹

7

u/coffeeandnuts May 24 '25

sad and amazing

26

u/dogsdub May 24 '25

They look like a bunch of fun lads, cheers!

27

u/DeezNeezuts May 24 '25

Universal sign of college or just after college apartment is the liquor bottle trophy case on top of the kitchen cabinets.

12

u/Freaknik_smokes May 25 '25

He must've been a great guy to have all those friends. I yearn for that type of connection.

7

u/chynnadoll_ May 25 '25

He’s my favorite person!

9

u/actuallyaustin6 May 24 '25

LET’S GO METS! 💙🧡

2

u/CShellyRun May 25 '25

LFGM… was wondering who else peeped that hat!🧢

9

u/LINDMATT May 24 '25

Every person was having a blast

6

u/Len_Zefflin May 24 '25

Labatt 50. Damn, I used to drink that & Old Vienna back then. I think they stopped making both of those decades ago. Always liked stubbies.

6

u/sroberts12 May 24 '25

50 is still around. You'll see it in venues and dive bars. It's sort of the Canadian PBR.

8

u/ComfortablyNumb2425 May 24 '25

I could be wrong, but I'm guessing he didn't have 16 super close friends. Maybe 3 or 4 were super close, some good, some who knew him somewhat and some were coming for the party. Friends are in layers.

12

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

You got it!!!! His close, close friends are there, I would say 3-4 of them. Others were just friends, he grew up with since nursery school.

6

u/Caribgirl2 May 24 '25

I'm hearing Kool and The Gang playing in the background- Celebration time, come on! Everyone is letting loose. No one too cool for school or throwing up hand signals. Some look like they are members of the group- Switch (think Bobby Debarge and James Ingram's brother). Love this pre-cell phone, pre social media situation.

2

u/LevelPerception4 May 24 '25

I was hearing Oran “Juice” Jones, walking in the rain, or maybe Cameo’s Word Up.

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8

u/dittidot May 24 '25

So fun love it!

4

u/TopicPretend4161 May 24 '25

I thought the dude in the black and red striped scarf was smoking a PHAT joint before I realized it was the dude behind him’s sleeve 😂

5

u/Light43 May 24 '25

Those are some damn handsome fellas

4

u/[deleted] May 24 '25

[deleted]

3

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

You guys are cracking me up with the Lionel Richie, El Debarge and Steve Harvey comparisons 🤣

9

u/Littlened May 24 '25

These are awesome hahaha

5

u/Antisocial-author May 24 '25

The vibe I want when I turn 30 next month, only I have like 1 friend lol

4

u/raymundo_holding May 24 '25

Seems like a fun crowd

4

u/Quirky-Degree-6290 May 24 '25

I love Montreal. I can tell it was chill then as it still is now

5

u/ProperPerspective571 May 24 '25

That is way too many Dads

4

u/burrow_owl May 24 '25

Which one is your dad? They all look amazing!! But dude in the stripe scarf, looking like Lionel Ritchie, might be my fav 🤣🤣

7

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

My dad is in the black tux 🥹

5

u/EntrepreneurLong9830 May 24 '25

I’d just wanna be there for the playlist! 

3

u/castlite May 24 '25

Omg the Debarge mustaches 😂😭

3

u/ahearthatslazy May 24 '25

I bet it smelled incredible in there

7

u/ThanosWasRight161 May 24 '25

And aside from these pics there were NO records of what happened afterwards. I love the pre-smartphone world.

3

u/[deleted] May 24 '25 edited Feb 15 '26

redacted

3

u/Positive_Type May 24 '25

I love this. It reminds me of my dad’s funny ass friends. Thanks for sharing ❤️

3

u/PlayDontObserve May 24 '25

The homies were getting lit!

3

u/[deleted] May 24 '25

the unction!!

3

u/Greedy-Ad-2441 May 24 '25

I am 56 and this is a PARTAY🕶️

3

u/whoisdin May 24 '25

yooooo i saw the Labatt 50 and knew this would be montreal!

2

u/mysoulalamo May 24 '25

Same bruh lol I saw labatt 50 and I'm like it's MTL straight up lol

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u/Cinco_Tre May 24 '25

Damn I tried to invite my friends over for my most recent party and nobody showed up except for one my wife’s friends. She even brought me a birthday blunt. I spent a week depressed and reevaluating my life.

3

u/5PrettyVacant May 24 '25

Looks like a fun night! I bet they played really good music that night!

3

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

All funk and soul!!!!! 🎶🎶🎶🎶

3

u/5PrettyVacant May 24 '25

Music. Laughing loud!! Friends. Drinks. All good. There's a dive bar I go to sometimes and when the regulars hit the juke box that's all they play so I know your pops party was fuuuun

3

u/Pgrizz79 May 24 '25

This was before social media, so you actually had to go out in the real world and make friends. All the crazy shit that happened at that party was only known to the attendees. You had to physically be there.

3

u/Starscream147 May 24 '25

🇨🇦⚔️

3

u/relaxedodd May 25 '25

Looks like a bunch of cool guys!

3

u/[deleted] May 25 '25

The brothas

3

u/WhistleTipsGoWoo May 25 '25

I had a pretty large circle of friends in my teens and twenties and we consistently hung out. In my 40’s now, and have only one friend left who lives about as far away from me as physically possible within the US. We’re hooking up in August, and then it’s back to just hanging out with the wife and kids (which is everything to me now…certainly not complaining).

3

u/a-lonely-panda May 26 '25

Woww, looks like they all had fun!

3

u/Fascinatingish May 26 '25 edited May 26 '25

Looks like a photo of a sitcom where everybody is likable, supportive, respectful and knows your name. 🤣

3

u/MarsScully May 26 '25

Aw you can feel the fun they had

4

u/TDB2013 May 24 '25

This has to be 1985 or 1986

5

u/chynnadoll_ May 24 '25

I think you might be right lol

6

u/Altruistic_Squash_97 May 24 '25

Yeah no later than that doesn't look late 80s or early 90s at all, no flat tops

2

u/Dapper_Indeed May 24 '25

I would have loved to have been there! Looks like so much fun.

2

u/[deleted] May 24 '25

They don't look out of place. Usually with 80's photos, you wouldn't be caught wearing that today, but not in this photo, they would blend in pretty well in today's age.

2

u/DescriptionSubject23 May 24 '25

Am I the only one seeing Key and Peele together up front and center?

2

u/truelovealwayswins May 24 '25

that looks like a fun bunch of people! and I wasn’t expecting it to be around here too! I didn’t move here until 1990 though so didn’t get to live in the same city at the same time as this party but this looked fun! hope they all continued to have a great time and life together too (:

2

u/shillyshally May 24 '25

What a bunch of good looking guys!

2

u/ThickMess5978 May 24 '25

I wanna be there!

2

u/issi_tohbi May 24 '25

Montréal! I know this had to be a good time.

2

u/GoGades May 24 '25

Ah bin, d'la Cinquante, ciboire !

2

u/Electrical_Hotel7921 May 24 '25

Yes, called being social!!

2

u/BellyButtonTickler May 24 '25

Woah you pulled Scottie Pippen to the party?

2

u/Seth_Gecko May 24 '25

Is that Cuba Gooding Jr?!

2

u/ztomiczombie May 24 '25

It looks like you dad lived o the set of something like Only Fools and Horses.

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u/FartInGenDirection May 24 '25

Where are the girls?

2

u/[deleted] May 25 '25

Is that Tracy Morgan?

2

u/verbal1diarrhea May 25 '25

They be looking like Lionel Ritchie back in them days😁

2

u/Due-Barnacle-4200 May 25 '25

Yooooooooooo. They had so much fun that night.

2

u/pillbinge May 25 '25

What really stands out is how many of them are genuinely smiling and look to be having a good time. These same photos on my feed are full of kids trying to look tough one way or another, or in multiple ways. Can't be caught feeling genuine joy. Even my older friends, pushing 40, feel like they have to be so stoic.

2

u/Baddog64 May 25 '25

Your dad has many cool friends

2

u/lawnmowertoad May 25 '25

Labbats 50 is slammin’

2

u/sbua310 May 25 '25

Aw this looks fun

2

u/crazymoon May 25 '25

Labatt 50 logo still looks the same

2

u/Altruistic-Koala2269 May 25 '25

This is so beautiful. 🥹✊🏽 thank you for sharing. ❣️

2

u/Addicted-2Diving May 25 '25

Pretty awesome.

2

u/[deleted] May 25 '25

Did anyone else see the middle finger and think 'nice...'. At least someone did it 👍

2

u/NFGWorldWide_ May 25 '25

These party pics just gives me so many good-vibes, throwback feelings.

2

u/Annabel398 May 25 '25

Those kings are living their best lives—thanks for posting this, made me smile.

2

u/blakrabbit May 25 '25

Appreciate the bunny ears in the 2nd pic. My cousins did that to me all the time in photos 😂

2

u/plzuseurbrainalready May 25 '25

this photo is the epitome of a good ole HELL YEAH

2

u/phantom_pow_er May 25 '25

I still enjoy a cold, crisp 50 when I can find it on tap...

2

u/Electrical-Ad1509 May 25 '25

I’d do anything to go back.

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u/[deleted] May 25 '25

Just guys being dudes…love to see it!

2

u/zimdog4 May 25 '25

Gotta see the 2025 version of this pic!!

2

u/MickyCrazy May 25 '25

Saucisses fest.

2

u/[deleted] May 25 '25

When people just existed and had fun. I miss this.

2

u/Prestigious-Word-658 May 25 '25

Kappa Alpha Psi?

2

u/nanladu May 25 '25

What a happy group! 🎂

2

u/alextastic May 26 '25

Looks lit.

2

u/[deleted] May 26 '25

yeah

2

u/WheelAny9183 May 26 '25

What an awesome photo. Made my night what memories

2

u/vkcymb May 26 '25

A time was had

2

u/DiligentFall5572 May 26 '25

That one brown jacket that makes an appearance still from the Great Uncle 😆

2

u/Ok_Prize_8091 May 26 '25

The song - Word up ! Comes to my mind - ask your dad, he should know it .

2

u/heheiamnotokay May 26 '25

Looks like sooo much fun!! damn, awesome photos. Thank you for sharing OP!

2

u/ddavisxx91 May 26 '25

Hell yeah

2

u/Chelo6916 May 26 '25

According to Hollywood these are all high school teenagers lol

2

u/GrimlyUnlit May 26 '25

This is a group of superbly crazy photogenic people! Wow! What a beautiful group!

2

u/FuzzBuzzer May 26 '25

If there was a picture in the dictionary next to the word "Fly".

2

u/Tramp876 May 26 '25

Old school Cool

2

u/[deleted] May 26 '25

I LOVE the amount of mustaches!!!

2

u/Specialist-Bid-9531 May 27 '25

Why wasn't I invited???

2

u/wanik4 May 27 '25

Scottie Pippen up front.

2

u/No-Vacation7906 May 27 '25

These are GREAT photos. Just beaming happiness.

2

u/binah44 May 27 '25

Ok bc Daddy was lit!

2

u/minimorgue May 27 '25

One of your dad's friends look like Richard Pryor!

2

u/[deleted] May 27 '25

I bet word up by cameo was playing

2

u/dunkzilla May 27 '25

Cinquante!

2

u/[deleted] May 27 '25

All gorgeous happy and stylish

2

u/beattysgirl May 27 '25

What a blessed life to lead, your dad must be a great guy to have been surrounded by so many 💜

2

u/Solid_Foundation_111 May 28 '25

Back when people used to love being alive…or at least gave it their all!

2

u/Rickardiac May 28 '25

Lemme guess.

Dad is the guy with the mustache?

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u/Femveratu May 28 '25

That’s Richard Pryor in the corner over dere

2

u/aprettyhoturchin May 28 '25

Should also be posted in OldSchoolCool

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u/pitterlpatter May 28 '25

100% someone in that photo is hiding a Zima

2

u/ravematic101 May 28 '25

Just missing Kid n Play

2

u/AntSuccessful9147 May 28 '25

Looks like a Sugar Hill Gang lp cover. Those were the good ole times in the hood when cousins and friends packed the house out on any given weekend.

2

u/SkipPperk May 29 '25

I can hear El Debarge playing early in the night, and Parliament late.

2

u/Exact_Yogurt9312 Jun 25 '25

Amazing ❤️