Birthday gifts for adult children?

SandC

If I didn't get presents off family I wouldn't get any at all!

Threebabes

My dad gives me money on my birthday normally £50. My DH gets nothing for his birthday off his parents, I dont think as a child he got birthday presents either (tight sods!).

My kids are still children, but I will make sure I always get them a gift and a card on their birthdays.

Tropez

I still get a few cards, although much less than I did as a kid. Mum always sends one and the couple of close relatives I have usually send one and I tend to get one from my two closest friend's parents.

My friends themselves though don't tend to bother sending them as we'll usually just go out to somewhere like the cinema or football match or some such.

But yes, my mother always sends me a birthday card, and Xmas card, and Easter card, and nigh on any excuse she can find to send me a card

scooby088

Can't say i am that bothered about getting or giving birthday cards or presents.

shy-but-need-help

My mother insists on a token gift without fail- even if it's a bar of dairy milk (this year it was a shampoo bar, nose stud and a chocolate orange- love my mother!) My dad is of the "your mother sorts that" mindset (I in turn harass him into remembering moms birthday and their anniversary)

my MIL gives us both money on our birthdays, I get more than DH as my birthday is a few days before our wedding anniversary so she gives me twenty quid and tells us to go out on it (we usually end up at the cinema with my mom babysitting)

DH and his dad - no cards, not even for our five kids (even though his sisters combined six children do get cards and presents and we live 15 minutes apart from them) they never officially fell out- just drifted apart.

My sister and I still send to each other- there's only me and her so we're quite close despite annoying the pants off each other.

DH's sisters & aunts have the ruling they stop buying when you have kids, his grandparents still buy us some very thoughtful (and often creative) gifts.

lostinrates

Hermia wrote: »

The only people I know who don't receive anything from their parents are the ones who are on bad terms with them. Most parents I know still love giving cards and gifts to their adult children even if they can only afford something small. My friend works in a card shop and says she sees lots of parents buying Hello Kitty and Bagpuss cards for their 30 year old children!

I do think some dads will just not think to do this if there isn't a woman prodding them though. Does this chap give cards in other contexts? Does he phone/text your hubby on his birthday?

DH's family get on reasonably well. There have been tense times in the past, but nothing that stopped them loving each other or talking. (I keep out of the way though!)

They all live in another country ATM, and I think Dh initially wondered if it was a bit ''out of sight out of mind'' but feels reassured its just a '''grown up thing''. (Ironically I have to remind him to send presents and cards ).

This year dh and I didn't give a gift on the day of our birthdays to each other....or a card, but we love each other very, very much.

This year his father neither phoned nor texted on dh's birthday, but they have spoken since.

sashadesade

My parents have always given me a card and present on my birthday, but now I'm 27 they don't spend a lot (nor would I want them to!), maybe £30. Obviously presents are nice, but if they decided to stop and just phone me instead I'd be fine with that.

Gina_22

i think that it's depends on the family ...

kettlefish

I think it must vary a lot from family to family... I love receiving a card from my mum and dad for my birthday and Christmas (although I am fully aware my dad has nothing to do with choosing it, bless him!) and would be a bit upset if I didn't. I would be more than happy with just a card and no pressie but the things my mum chooses always lovely and something I'd never treat myself to! In turn I love getting my mum and dad something for special occasions but it doesn't have to be big - a box of Maltesers would do the job! Then again I might just be stupidly immature, poor "Santa" still does stockings for DH, brothers and I (27, 20, 17 and 22)!

jamespir

i get presents from mum and dad i still buy them some