Birthday Gifts

[sima]

Hi everyone!

I am curious to know how does the tradition work in Finland about Birthday gifts...

I am Italian, and when we are invited to a birthday party of a friend of ours we usually bring a present to the birthday boy/girl.
But on my last birthday I had invited a Finnish friend of mine (a woman) and while everyone had brought me something, she didn't.
Of course I'm not offended by that, but to me and some other friends of mine it seemed weird (because it's a very deep-seated Italian tradition).

Now I was just wondering if this tradition exists in Finland too, or maybe she just didn't bring anything because she's not used to it.

Thanks for help.

- Al

[EP]

Yes,of course it is a custom to bring birthday gifts. I have no idea why she didn´t. But sometimes it depends. My son loves big parties, and uses any reason to arrange one. Ever since he was a young adult he has invited 30-40 people to his tiny flat for his birthday. Not everybody brings gifts, which is good, he would drown. But usually people bring a bottle of wine. Which they then consume themselves.

Older people don´t often want material gifts (I don´t), they have enough everything. So often guests solve it in a more immaterial way: gift certificates to restaurants, beauty parlour, movies, theatre, travel agent... Or nothing, their presence is enough.

[sima]

Thank you very much, EP!
We weren't as many as at your son's birthday party , there will have been a dozen person all aged 20-25...
I just expected a present because, as I've already stated, it's a tradition and also because i gave her her present when it was her birthday...
I thought she would "return the favour". She will be a little bit scrooge...
I actually had the feeling that giving presents at birthday parties is quite common all over Europe, anyhow it was right to ask...

Thanks again!