Birthday Gift Exchange: What I'd give you and What I'd want in return

If you were buying me a birthday gift what would it be and why? Then...what gift would you want from me, for your own birthday, in return? Explain.

What would I get you for your birthday? I'd probably start by really thinking about what lights you up. Not the generic "something nice" kind of gift, but the kind that makes your eyes widen just a little and your voice go, "wait, how did you know I'd love this?"

So, I'd start by thinking what kind of person you are. If I were buying you a birthday gift, it'd be one that holds a little piece of your soul - or at least, reflect how I see it.

If you're someone who love stories - whether in movies, songs, books, or the ones you live in your own head - I'd get you a book. But not just any book. I wouldn't walk into a store and grab the first pretty cover on the shelf. No, I'd hunt for the kind of book that would feel like it was meant for you. Maybe a mystery book. Maybe something with a twist you'll never see coming. The kind of book that keep you up too late and ruins your sleep schedule because you just had to finish one more chapter.

Or maybe you're the kind of person who lives in your head, who thinks deeply and often, even when you don't always say it out loud. In that case, I'd get you a journal. But not just any journal. I'd go hunting for the kind that feels like something you'd want to open at 2am., when the world is quiet and your thoughts are loud.

Smooth pages, a cover that matches your energy - whether that's bold and brilliant, or soft and mysterious. I'd probably include a handwritten note on the inside cover, too. Just a few words reminding you to never shrink your thoughts to fit someone else's space.

But if you're more the kind of person who finds joy in shared memories, in laughter, in comfort, I'd go the sentimental route. A photo collage. A playlist of songs that somehow map out your connections. Maybe even a little box of inside jokes written on tiny slips of paper, so you can open one everytime you need to smile. Because I'd want you to know I don't just remember the small things.

Whatever it is, it won't be random. I'd make sure that when you unwrap it, it makes you pause. Smile. Maybe even say, "wow, this is... perfect".

Because that's what I believe gifts should do: reflect the parts of us we don't always talk about out loud.

Now... let's talk about what I'd want from you.

My birthday is on May 21st. I don't expect anything huge or flashy. Honestly, I'm a bit weird about receiving gifts. But if we're doing this exchange for real, here's what I'd want from you in return.

Books.

Books are my love language. There's something about receiving a story from someone's hands that feels personal. It says "I thought you'd love this world. I thought you might even belong in it."
That? That means more than any glitter-wrapped box ever could.

You could give me a book you think I'd love, based on everything you know about my taste - bonus points: fantasy, dark, thriller, mystery, romance, or full of fierce, complicated characters.

If you wanted to go a little extra, get me two books:

• One that you think I'd love.
• One that you love.

And if books truly aren't your thing, but you still wanted to get me something? Make it something that feeds my imagination. A beautiful journal (yes, I collect those), art prints that feels like scenes from a story, or even just a small token that says "You belong to the world of stories." Because I do.

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Now that I've answered the question, I'll flip it back to you:

If you were buying me a birthday gift - knowing what I love, knowing when my birthday is (hi, may 21st) - what would you choose?

And if I were buying for you, did I get it right?

Because sometimes, the most meaningful exchange don't happen in shopping carts or gift bags. They happen in the quiet effort to understand each other. To say "I see you, and I want you to have something that matters."

That's what makes birthdays more than just dates. They become a moment of connection.

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Images are mine