Birthday lists - how do you 'keep' yours?

Greetings cards is a money making business, but it’s still nice to receive one.
I make my own and I think previous generations had the right idea, they wrote a birthday letter, a much more personal thing to do.
I never buy wrapping paper or similar either.

I only send cards to my daughters and grandchildren. Just don’t bother with other family members.

Keeleklogger

I use birthdayalarm.com. It’s easy to register and it’s free.

You set up all your birthdays anniversary’s and you get a choice of 2 reminders by email.

Mine is set for the first reminder at 7 days before and the second one 3 days before.

It never fails absolutely brilliant.

Thank you all for your comments, input and suggestions. I am also going to look at the above App.

DW keeps a comprehensive list. I have no friends or relations to whom I send cards separately from her, so the only one I have to remember is hers. I do email a couple a couple of cousins on their birthdays.

I keep my Shakespeare Birthday Book, a present on my first visit to Stratford when I was twelve, fully up to date - it now includes more and more death days!

I think I've said on Gransnet before that I do not remind my DH. They are written in the back of the address book and I buy and send the ones I want to, but I put his name second now.
He sends me beautiful cards and gives presents and flowers.
When my MIL was alive she objected to my name on her Mothers day card. I did not remind DH the next year he did not send a card and she phoned my mum and then the local florist to see where her usual flowers were ,of course he had not ordered any.
My DD's know what dad is "like" and accept it. He does send his brother a card he recieves one back but I don't so I suspect he only puts his name on it.
It no longer bothers me.His family are very different to mine.

I pretty well remember all important bds off by heart but I do put a reminder in my diary three days before just in case I don't have an appropriate card.

We have a list of birthdays on the inside door of our bedroom ensuite! It doesnt need updating except if someone dies. We send between 40 and 50 cards a year for birthdays.

A) That's a man for you haaa. My DH exactly the same. We pass a card shop, i say ohh its so and so birthday soon, why don't you get their card now! He ALWAYS says "Ohh I've lots of time yet." ( take into account I know account I know he won't be passing a card shop near so and so birthday.)
So so and so birthday is almost upon him, I mention card AGAIN and he then races out of house to search shops for a 'decent' card !!!!!!!!!

If I thought ohhhhh do it yourself and he missed a birthday, it would be a case of WHY DIDN'T YOU REMIND ME !!!!!

B) All my birthdays are in my head but I do have a backup in my phone diary.

So basically I'm suited and booted regarding birthday's HE ISNT .... grrrrrrrrrr.

I am most annoyed if I get a birthday card from my sons and it isn't their handwriting, signed by wife!

I don't send cards except sympathy at deaths.

We have 2 calendars in our kitchen: 1 for birthdays and 1 for what’s on, reminders etc. Our wider families are so vast that I keep it to sisters and their offspring and grandchildren, and OH just keeps it to his siblings. Often I prepare the card and he writes it as he has lovely handwriting.
I make cards so choose one out of my stash, but I also use Jacqui Lawson for e cards, which are always a hit... a small annual subscription. I think they might do reminders but I’m not sure. I just choose and write the card then attach it to a message or what’s app on my phone.

I do exactly that. Put the card in front of him and say can you write that please lol x

Teacheranne

Keeleklogger

I use birthdayalarm.com. It’s easy to register and it’s free.

You set up all your birthdays anniversary’s and you get a choice of 2 reminders by email.

Mine is set for the first reminder at 7 days before and the second one 3 days before.

It never fails absolutely brilliant.

I like this, am off to have a look!

Me too!

Keep birthday, anniversaries etc in my calendar on my phone; set an alarm for 2 days prior and on the day. The phone allows me to enter their actual birth date so I get reminded that "x is 7 on */*/***". Useful for getting children's cards right.

Keeleklogger

I use birthdayalarm.com. It’s easy to register and it’s free.

You set up all your birthdays anniversary’s and you get a choice of 2 reminders by email.

Mine is set for the first reminder at 7 days before and the second one 3 days before.

It never fails absolutely brilliant.

I like this, am off to have a look!

DH is an only child and his parents both died many years ago. Although he has some contact with his wider family none ar lose enough for cards.

So it is all, my more numerous family and DDiL's, whose family we are also close too.

I have calendar on the computer and they are all marked there

Mine are all in my head. I do have a birthday book but I forget to look at it.

Dh only has a couple of birthdays on his side of the family. He generally does his brother’s card, while I do his sister’s, as we get on well and I know what she likes etc.

I use birthdayalarm.com. It’s easy to register and it’s free.

You set up all your birthdays anniversary’s and you get a choice of 2 reminders by email.

Mine is set for the first reminder at 7 days before and the second one 3 days before.

It never fails absolutely brilliant.

My DH never remembered or sent any cards to his family . I still do but never get any from his family!
The newer generation of women ie my DD and DiL let their partners get on with it for their relatives . So I never receive a card from DS but always a text on the day and always a visit and a small present whenever is possible. I think cards will die out completely once we all drop off our perches .

I have birthdays written on the calendar. DH has never sent a card to anyone but me in nearly 50 years of marriage.

Cards are rarely sent in France but I remind my daughters of up-and-coming birthdays and wedding anniversaries of their sisters’ families. I use moonpig, (other sites are on the web) as it’s cheaper than sending them from here. It’s more fun for GCs’ cards, making them more special, when I manage to put their photo on their own birthday card. Moonpig send reminders a week before the date, so I have the choice of using them or not.

In my diary and on a calendar in the kitchen. No worries.

It is NOT your fault. Who blamed you, your DH or the sibling?

If your Dh he had a brass neck given you have created a good system and he refuses to use it, it’s his problem and now becomes his responsibility.

To use a young person phrase ‘drop the rope’. Tell him cards/presents for his side are his responsibility and just focus on your own. He will wish he’d just done as you advised once he’s missed a few more!

I agree with other posters, the woman is always lumped with this work. My dil does all the cards and present buying, always thoughtful, always handmade, and she sends a note to say thank you to any gift given. My son however pulls his weight in other ways so she doesn’t mind.

Whilst cleaning the kitchen this morning I have been mentally blaming DH for various messes, but one of his good points is that he remembers and deals with birthdays for his side of the family. I don’t even know what presents he sends!
I have a birthday book, like a calendar, which I check regularly. I always have a small stock of general cards in case I forget or something crops up.

Cards are not a thing in Germany, certainly not for close family or people you see anyway. I have noticed though, that regardless of generation, age, nationality or sizes of families, it is always the wife who remembers details about both families. My DiL1 is brilliant at this.

My D H has an eternal birthday calendar in his office and uses it - writes E-Mails, texts or phones his own friends and relatives. So I suppose he is the exception.