Lots of Birthdays

There are 8 birthdays in my family over the next 2 months. It is an overwhelming task every year to come up with good ideas for meaningful birthday presents.

I was pleased with myself for getting two of the presents back in February: a small appliance that the birthday girl wished for that I could buy immediately and give as an ‘early birthday’ and a pink floppy hat for another birthday girl that she found in a museum store while we were tourists together (and I paid for as an ‘early birthday’). I am sending a card with a Zentangle ® to wish them Happy Birthday on the actual day.

One of the birthdays is my husband’s and we’re planning a photography road trip to the North Carolina coastal wildlife refuges for that celebration - not exactly a gift but linked to his birthday.

Now it becomes hard. I’m sure there are things the 5 other people need; if we lived in closer proximity perhaps those things would be obvious. The last resort is a gift card or check if I can’t come up with anything else.

One strategy I used to follow was to buy gifts for others that I would enjoy getting myself…but these days I have trouble coming up with a wish list even for myself! Specialty teas, dark chocolate or flowers might work…but I don’t want a huge amount. I’m overflowing with clothes and jewelry and household items so there is nothing like that to put on the wish list.

Hopefully - I’ll wake up tomorrow with some wonderful ideas for birthday gifts!