Birthday presents/cards not received - do you still send?

purplerose

If you got nothing back and no response I'd drop to a card and then nothing except maybe a text/facebook message. TBH I think if folk can't send a card then they have no interest in receiving them either, my local newsagents has cards at 39p and there are those offers of buying 10 cards for £1 at various cardshops so it's not like it's a huge expense.

My friends and I used to make a big fuss at birthdays and xmas but we gradually drifted apart and some of them have kids now so can't afford presents. So now it's just a card they get at birthdays and if they have kids I'll buy the child a birthday present. Only other folk who get birthday presents from me now are my parents, brother, granny and boyfriend.

kerri_gt

lilian1977 wrote: »

I agree with the sentiment of this - it does seem very eco unfriendly and pricey to give cards. I think I'm just old-fashioned and like to get them This is why I got the birthday card organiser - I tend to get the 10/7 for £1 offer in Card Factory and otherwise I'd just lose them!

My OH is the eldest of 6 so those cards are a god send for us

We do B'day cards and £ for nephews and nieces, they are all 12yrs and under so not sure when that may stop. Used to spend ages looking for the perfect present but tbh, the things they want now cost so much I'd rather give them £ towards something more expensive but which they really want. We do cards and present/gift vouchers for the IL's as they don't live near us, and card + vouchers for some of my OH siblings - basically the ones who send to us. Texts for the other siblings (boys) as they rarely bother to send a card and aren't really overly fussed. I do card and present for my two closest friends (one who lives in Oz) but don't really bother with anyone else unless its a special b'day or occasion.

For Xmas I do send out cards as I love receiving them and putting them up. I have stopped sending to some of my closer friends as i have asked several years running for up to date addresses and they never bother to reply. It's £ again for the nieces and nephews, and last year only did presents for my mum and brother as OH's said they weren't giving or receiving. I do still give a gift to two of my uncles and aunts, usually something small - last year I did a parcel each of different teas, coffee and biscuits. This year I'm making jam. Its really just cos I want to make the gesture, they do give us a small gift back too but I'd still be happy to give them something even if they didn't. It's my way of saying thanks for all the xmas' they helped make special for me as a kid.

As for thank you card/letter, I was always brought up with the moral that if someone spends time to remember you, the least you can do is spend a few mins writing to say thank you. I still do this for my MIL and FIL and aunts/uncles. Most SIL's get a text as they are 'that generation' :rotfl:but often I will send my other SIL a letter as I think it's good for my niece and nephew to see this.

caeler

lilian1977 wrote: »

Should I still send a card? Just a present? Just a text? Nothing?

I think you send a card. You can get some nice but cheap ones from card factory and send them second class or hand deliver if en route so it means you still care (even if they don't always).

iris wrote: »

What would you do if the people who forgot your birthday were your grandchildren?

I'd never forget my grandparents I think it is cards only in future. One set of grandparents have a similar rules to that already mentioned cards only for 19+, they have many many grandchildren and great grandchildren so I completed understand. Unfortunately it means we can't give them presents. I sneak them in occassionally, my nan wanted a book so I brought it for her and suggested she was borrowing it and perhaps I could have a read. Sneaky I know!

lilian1977

Thanks again for all the comments everyone! It's so interesting to read the different opinions. It does seem to change depending on how old you are, whether you have kids, whether you have a lot of friends with kids...for information, I'm probably the oldest out of my group of friends (I'm 33) and hardly any of them have children (one close one does, a couple of further away ones do and two more are pregnant) so I guess it'll all be different in a few years time. I've already started putting gifts away for children that aren't even born yet

My birthday card book is one of the nicest things I've ever bought myself - I love it! It makes me think of a bygone age

Meenu

Why would you do that?
This is in response to mrwriter who tipexs over cards and sends to friends!!