Everyone loves that time of the year when their birthday comes around, why wouldn’t they? Birthdays are a lovely time to have all the attention to yourself. But not all birthdays turn out that way.
Sometimes your friend doesn’t buy you a birthday gift. So what happens next?
Have a look at some possible reasons why your friend didn’t get you anything for your special day.
9 Reasons why your friend didn’t buy you a gift for your birthday
The most likely reason that your friend didn’t buy you a gift for your birthday is that you didn’t specify that you wanted a gift. Your friend might also not think that it’s a big deal to not get you anything.
You didn’t specify that she should bring gifts
I know, it’s kind of weird that some people would go to a birthday party and show up empty-handed but it does happen. In my culture for example a gift is usually expected for children, but when an adult throws a party, gifts are rarely ever bought. Depending on how old you are your friend might think that it is not necessary to buy you anything, for them their presence is enough.
Birthdays are not that important to her
Yes, you heard right, birthdays are not that important to some people. If you are having a birthday party, sure enough, your friend will come, but because she might not think she should bring a gift, after all, you have been on earth for many years so it’s just another birthday. I had a friend who never wished me happy birthday and we were close she would only say something after being reminded or when she saw my Facebook status. I didn’t mind because she at times forgot her own birthdays, and for her birthdays were nothing special.
You have expensive taste
If you bought your friend an expensive gift then she might think that you expect her to also buy you an expensive gift. Your way of displaying affection maybe be over the top and there is nothing wrong with that. If you have expensive taste it can be really hard for your friend to think of a gift for you, especially if you already have everything. If you have a habit of buying expensive gifts try looking at no-budget gift ideas, these gifts are awesome because they add a personal touch.
You also didn’t buy her a gift on her birthday
To be honest, if you didn’t buy your friend a gift, do you think that it is fair to expect a gift? I am not saying that you did this, but maybe you did and you just don’t remember. If your friend had a birthday and you came empty-handed then it goes without saying that you should not expect anything.
She doesn’t have the money
Birthday parties just like any other celebration can be expensive, and I would rather have the presence of my friends than a gift if they can’t afford to buy me one. I am sure that you wouldn’t want your friend to borrow the money and then have to work hard to pay it back. If you know your friend’s financial situation then cut her some slack.
She has bought you gifts in the past
If you have been friends with this individual you most probably have celebrated many birthdays together and she most likely has bought you plenty of gifts in the past. I don’t see anything particularly wrong if she has bought you presents before and this is the first time that she comes to you empty-handed. It’s a little unfair to expect gifts every year unless you have a rule within the friendship that birthdays are a big deal.
Your invitation said no gifts
I know that this is a long shot, but, maybe you sent out the invitations a while back and you forgot the little disclaimer that you wrote about not wanting any gifts. So if the invitation says no gifts were you expecting your friend to ignore your party rules? I know some people put no gifts but still secretly wish that partygoers will bring presents. If this is the case then next time, you should specify that gifts are welcome.
She doesn’t consider you to be her bestie
If your friend bought a gift for a mutual friend and her birthday was close to yours, then as hard a thought as it may be, you are not so close. This is also true if she bought everyone in the friendship group a gift. In future, you should not prioritize this person.
She didn’t want to buy you a gift
After considering all the possible reasons and still not coming up with a solid answer then you should consider the fact that maybe your friend or friends didn’t want to buy you a present. For whatever reason, your friend thought that she didn’t have to get you one or she doesn’t want to buy you something.
In Summary
Nothing can dampen your birthday mood like not receiving a gift especially if you expected one. But this doesn’t have to be the end all be all of the friendship. Friendships are different types of relationships it’s not like receiving no gifts from a husband or boyfriend, you would expect your intimate partners to buy you one. Remember that people show their love in different ways and if your friend is a good one, then talk to her about this. In the future, If you want to continue to spoil your friend, you can look at buying birthday gifts that cost no money, in that way when you don’t get a gift it won’t hurt as much.
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