Birthdays and Presents

image from Raceytay on etsy. BEAUTIFUL. She is having a Buy One Get One Free sale right now.

I love birthdays. I love presents. There are so many great things about the two of them.
but I don't apparently love getting people presents on time. I have a list on my fridge of all of my in laws that have had birthdays this year. If you are crossed out we got you a present. Not many names are crossed out. They usually get together every summer and have a huge group birthday party but not this summer and I just haven't recovered. Plus the last card I send Karen came back to me so I keep meaning to call her and ask for her address. I keep failing. She is one of the hardest people to get a present for. Because she always gets thoughtful presents but doesn't seem to really care about presents.
I don't think I've ever managed to get my mother in law a present even in the same month as her birthday.
I don't know if my present problems this year is from having two children and being completely overwhelmed with that or trying to get a more firm grasp on budgeting or just that I am out of ideas.
But If I could get anything it would be a barbecue. I'm always still accepting birthday presents since I am so bad at giving them. And birth presents.
There is something beautiful about presents. I love when you find something and then you just know that someone will love it. I think of how people will react to things that I picked for them.
Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it is a fail.

Things I have learned.
1. The people who are the most picky are the people who say they don't care.
2. Presents that are off birthday or surprise presents seem more popular.
3. Table cloths seem like such a luxury item- my mom used to get them for me and now I love having them but wouldn't really buy them for myself. They are just nice to use and wash. All those kitchen items that my mom got me turned out to be really useful.
4. Claire and I don't have the same taste in presents. When I try to think of what to get her I think- how can I save Claire money. One of my strongest present memories was my mom giving Claire a ream of paper. I think Claire cried. She shared that paper.
5. I like to get people things that remind me of them, or things that I know they would like but they wouldn't get themselves. I always wish I had more money to spend on other people.
6. I hoard gift cards. Someone sent me a gift card to home depot and it hurt to give it away. There were so many options on what I wanted to get. I love having extra gift cards lying around.
7. I always buy people a card to go with their present but rarely give them. I have this really cute sock monkey card for Rachelle's birthday two years ago. Maybe someday she will get it, maybe not.
8. Always keep a stock of back up presents- people are thrilled when you give them a little something. I like to keep lotions and other presents.
9. Even though people say they don't care, usually they do. Friends get friends presents. To me that is one of the best parts about having a friend.
10. Presents = Love. I love the thought of people looking at something and remembering me. and sending it to me in the mail! Nothing is better than getting a present in the mail.

please forgive my scatterbrained-ness. I swear I will get all these presents mailed one of these days...