@Lushlala, I agree, someone who is fake and sabotages you has no place in your life right? I do hope karma hits him back hard. Jealousy does make a person hostile to an innocent person.
Absolutely, dear Sidney! You've done nothing wrong, and in truth, there's only so much you can do to try and build bridges. If it gets thrown back in your face, why should you continue, especially with you being the wronged party? Some people really are beyond saving. I do hope that you have some reliable friends around you, a strong support network
@Lushlala, The story behind us is quite unique and interesting, you would shake your head in disbelief that some people would even bother doing such things, lol. Actually, the chatty person that I am, I shared it to my friends and even chat mates at that time.
Aww Sidney, at least you can have a giggle about it! I'm also happy that you do have a few friends you can turn to for comfort. No man is an island, and no matter how strong and independent you are, you need some form of support network.
I do buy gifts for my siblings and my parents. I really save money for them, especially during christmas. We also treat each other every once in a while. We eat out, go to other places even shop for them. Good thing i am very close with them.
I buy my brother presents, but he is only a student at the moment so not really past the age where presents are still a bit of a novelty. I think that we will probably rethink this as we get older and both have more responsibilities, but for now we are happy with the way that we do things. I know that I like to get him things to show him that I am thinking of him, even if it doesn't have to cost all that much.
Our extended family does a secret santa exchange for the adults (and teens who opt to participate). My siblings and I participate. We don't get gifts for each other outside of that (by mutual agreement). I do get small gifts for their young children and they used to get small gifts for my daughter but she opted into the adult exchange last year for extended family gift and was happy with the result.
In our family, it is customary to give the sibling a gift for his birthday and also during Christmas. Those are the only occasions that needed gifts although sometimes I also give gifts during anniversaries. It is good to have that tradition because that is one way of showing your love for your siblings. Besides, you give them a gift and they give you a gift as well. It's only fair.
My brother and I always give each other gifts but we'll email each other to see what we'd like. We usually give each other a list things to choose from. When in doubt we'll give each other gift cards to place we always go to.
I belong to a close-knit family so we still give each other gifts during birthdays and special holidays. We find time to meet and spend time during these special occasions.The gifts given need not be expensive. Also, it's not that each member of my family gives gifts individually; the gifts given are from one family as a whole. Aside from the siblings, we also give gifts to our siblings' children. Luckily, they either have one or two at most. Maybe for those siblings with a lot of children, you should just skip the parents and give little gift to the kids. They are the ones usually appreciative when opening gifts.
My sister's birthday was recent, and I gave her some money for her birthday. But then on the actual night of her birthday, she ended up coming to my house, and I didn't have any money, and we wanted to order takeout food, so she ended up giving me the same amount of money that I gave her for her birthday. So I feel like I haven't really given her anything this year.
My brother and I still buy each other presents, yes, mainly because we have a lot of the same tastes. We both love Star Wars and super hero movies, for example, so it's pretty common that I'll go out and get him a Star Wars Lego set, or something similar. He has kids, so they always wind up getting shared. That said, his end of the gifting has become pretty lame in the last few years. I get him awesome toys or a cool graphic novel, and I get... a cookbook. Or soaps. Or something else that boring and adult. I don't think he puts much thought into his presents anymore, and just picks up whatever he finds on the way home from work. I can get that junk on my own, man.
