Question of the Day - Monday, May 10, 2021

[MoochNNoodles]

How do you acknowledge birthdays in your family and with friends?




I still send cards out to family my parents generation and up. Anyone younger usually gets a text because they don't reciprocate or it doesn't seem appreciated. The nieces and nephews who are too old for actual gifts get cards with money or gift cards; but that's the only reason.

 

[susanm9006]

Until a couple years ago I used to attend birthday parties and give gifts for my sister, her children and her grand children. It just got to be too much so now I just do gifts for my sister, mom, son and his gf. Usually no party but an in person visit or birthday dinner.

 

[Winchester]

For birthdays for most people, I simply wish them a Happy Birthday, either on FB or through a text. For Rick and for his mom, we always do cards. For my sister and I, we take either other out for Chinese for dinner at some point. It may not be on our actual birthday, but it's at some time. With the Grands, we send a card with a check.

 

[muffy]

I give my grand nieces and nephews a card with money. My brother and sister in law get a card. That is all I do. I get a card from my brother and his wife.

 

[game misconduct]

this past year everyone got e cards gift ones, birthday ones. i wasnt taking any chances of sending virus germs to any of my family. i dont really care about getting anythig in return. a simple thanksis good enough means more to me that they know that older bro,uncle,cousin thought about them and remembered their birthday or xmas presents who misses and loves em no matter how far they are.thats whats important to me. friends a 12 pack for them to drink if its a guy flowers if a girl or just take either out for a meal

 

[fionasmom]

There are no children involved in my life, but I know a lot of "adult" children who, even at advanced ages, expected the big birthday gift, dinner, etc. No one needed a danged thing so those of us who were sane got together and eliminated all Christmas gifts and then established some rules for birthdays like a lunch at a restaurant (pre COVID) and a small gift or gift card are okay. We also told the more extended circle of friends that gifts were ridiculous and most seemed very relieved. That left just a few of us and so now it is enjoyable and fun (will be after COVID). My husband and I have not exchanged gifts in years but take each other out for birthdays. I have found that when you make a new friend who is a woman, the gifts somehow start, so I tell new friends that I don't do gifts.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

It does get crazy when your family gets big! We stopped exchanging gifts with adults years ago; but sometimes we do just because we found something we think they will like. My friends pretty much starting doing the same when we all had kids. We don't have much family in the area; but for the few of us who are here we just go out to dinner dutch-treat style. My mom is a big baker and my kids love it; so there have been more cakes and things in the last few years. But I've pretty much decided I'm not a hostess at heart. So I prefer to either go out or get takeout. Sometimes when we visit family we'll have one big dinner and cake to celebrate a bunch at once. Of if it's close to either of my kid's birthdays they'll do a mini party. Outside of that; it's texts, facebook messages and cards for close family or my parents generation up. Somehow just saying it on Facebook for family feels rude though.

 

[NY cat man]

We send e-cards to some people, and real cards to others. Michele and I give each other cards on our birthdays, but we don't give gifts to anyone. All of our remaining family are too old for that.

 

[Tobermory]

My husband and I exchange birthday cards, and I send a birthday card to my brother and to his wife. That's it! We stopped giving presents years ago. We don't have any other family.

 

[jeannem]

I send a card to my brother and my cousin. Everyone else just gets an email.
j

 

[LTS3]

My family doesn't celebrate much less acknowledge birthdays. With friends, it depends. Most people like a party and everything, others are just fine with a card and small gift.

 

[sweet jane flash]

I love birthdays a lot~so I do them big! I like to give flowers and take them out to dinner or lunch. Often I will also give a book with a really good sentimental inscription of what they mean to me. The nephews and nieces no longer get anything since they never thank me. I never email or text. If the particular person is out of town I will wait until they return so I can truly show my gratitude to them as a very important person in my life. On my own birthday I love to give things to other people! Charities are great and also I like to give anonymously to people I know who are in need. It is a beautiful world with beautiful people in it!

 

[MonaLyssa33]

I usually get gifts for a few close friends and then my sister and sometimes my brother and parents. I always get my nieces a lot. I probably shouldn't because who, as parents, wants a lot of extra stuff in their house, but I love those girls so much. Plus I love making them stuff.

 

[strider rose]

cards and sometimes gifts too

 

[neely]

My husband and I exchange gifts as well as our grown kids. My sister and I also exchange gifts because our parents always had a birthday celebration for us growing up. After my niece and nephew graduated college I stopped giving them a gift and only send a card now. I acknowledge close friends birthdays with a card and I give several of the teachers I was close to at school a small but personal gift.

 

[TMcats]

With friends I call them but with family I'll bring them a present.

 

[Mia6]

With my family we chose the meal we want, Nicole cooks, we receive gifts, small and a big cake!!
Nicole always loads me up with Bath&BodyWorks products, throws, shirts.

 

[Elphaba09]

My husband and I have a date and give each other gifts. Our dates usually include sushi, a board game, and a movie at home. I give gifts and bake a cake for my adult children, my daughter-in-law, grandson, and my son's best friend who is like a son to me. Technically, I make raspberry crepes or a raspberry pavlova for my son because he does not like cake. I text or call the sister I like, one of our sisters-in-law, my husband's sister, and two of my husband's brothers, depending on which one it is. I remind my husband to call or text his family. He just tells me to tell my sister happy birthday for him. My husband and his mother have close birthdays, so they have a date night sometime around their birthdays. I stay home to let them have that time together. (He is not a mama's boy, but he loves his mother a great deal. I do, too. I always tell him that I think he is her favorite, even though she would never admit it or openly show a preference.) I text my friends. If we are talking about my best friend, though, she gets a gift (usually money), a card, and an email. She is in prison, so I will spoil her more when she is out. I do not think my husband says happy birthday to anyone outside or family.

My children tell me happy birthday. They try to beat each other as to who tells me first. (This year, it was my daughter.) They sometimes give me gifts or take me to dinner.

We do nothing for my parents, my husband's father and step-mother, two of my sisters and their families, or my husband's oldest brother and his family because we do not speak with any of them.

 

[aliceneko]

We normally have small parties and gatherings, and larger ones for bigger birthdays.