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Estranged friend's birthday

About a two years ago, I realized that I had spent the last 15 years in a one-sided relationship with my best friend. The only time we ever talked or hung out was when I initiated contact. It isn't a malicious behavior, it's just who she is. She’s the kind of person to wait for people to come to her, and people always do so she was never prompted to change her ways.

I was her maid of honor last year, but I decided that after her wedding I would move on with my life. If she contacted me, cool, but I wasn't going to contact her any more. Since then, I have seen and heard from her all of 3 times in the past 12 months.

Her birthday is coming up and her husband is putting together a dinner for her, but what gift to I give to a friend who has basically become estranged? I no longer know what her interests are. It took forever to think of a Christmas gift and I’m totally out of ideas.

I still want to give her something because she isn’t aware of my feelings. In her mind it’s just been a busy year for both of us and it just so happens that we haven’t spent much time together. She doesn’t know that I intentionally backed off. I think it will fizzle out completely in the next year or so, but until then I still feel obligated to get her at least a little something. But what?

Re: Estranged friend's birthday

  • About a two years ago, I realized that I had spent the last 15 years in a one-sided relationship with my best friend. The only time we ever talked or hung out was when I initiated contact. It isn't a malicious behavior, it's just who she is. She’s the kind of person to wait for people to come to her, and people always do so she was never prompted to change her ways.

    I was her maid of honor last year, but I decided that after her wedding I would move on with my life. If she contacted me, cool, but I wasn't going to contact her any more. Since then, I have seen and heard from her all of 3 times in the past 12 months.

    Her birthday is coming up and her husband is putting together a dinner for her, but what gift to I give to a friend who has basically become estranged? I no longer know what her interests are. It took forever to think of a Christmas gift and I’m totally out of ideas.

    I still want to give her something because she isn’t aware of my feelings. In her mind it’s just been a busy year for both of us and it just so happens that we haven’t spent much time together. She doesn’t know that I intentionally backed off. I think it will fizzle out completely in the next year or so, but until then I still feel obligated to get her at least a little something. But what?

    Pick a book ---- there are tons of books on sale at clearance racks at your local bookstore.

    Maybe something for her kitchen ---try little measuring cups or some doodad that costs under $10.
  • VORVOR member
    Eighth Anniversary 500 Love Its 500 Comments Name Dropper

    Really?  You've seen her 3 times and now your "estranged" and you don't know what she likes anymore?  You make it sound like this is over the course of 10 years.  Not ONE year. 

     

    I get your frustration at always having to contact her, but outside of that, how else is this friendship one sided?  Does she insist on only doing what she wants to do?  Does she only talk about herself and doesn't care to hear about your life? Does she insist you go to her? 

    There is SO MUCH MORE to friendship than "who calls who". 


    Again - I get your frustration, but she also has a point- life IS busy.  I have a couple friends that I'm lucky if I see even 2 times a year.  "Life" gets in the way. 

     

    I don't know what to tell you.  Just on the issue of her not initiating getting together (when actually she DID initiate 3 times which isn't HORRIBLE), this seems like a really petty reason to let a life long friendship die. 

  • VOR said:

    Really?  You've seen her 3 times and now your "estranged" and you don't know what she likes anymore?  You make it sound like this is over the course of 10 years.  Not ONE year. 

     

    I get your frustration at always having to contact her, but outside of that, how else is this friendship one sided?  Does she insist on only doing what she wants to do?  Does she only talk about herself and doesn't care to hear about your life? Does she insist you go to her? 

    There is SO MUCH MORE to friendship than "who calls who". 


    Again - I get your frustration, but she also has a point- life IS busy.  I have a couple friends that I'm lucky if I see even 2 times a year.  "Life" gets in the way. 

     

    I don't know what to tell you.  Just on the issue of her not initiating getting together (when actually she DID initiate 3 times which isn't HORRIBLE), this seems like a really petty reason to let a life long friendship die. 

    Yikes, I didn't expect to be attacked over this. I chose not to go into the details because my question was about gift ideas, not recounting our entire history together. I wanted to provide a brief background to explain why I still felt the need to get her a gift but that the situation was a bit awkward because we're drifting apart. I suppose I should have asked "What are some birthday gift ideas for an estranged friend?" and left it at that.
  • VORVOR member
    Eighth Anniversary 500 Love Its 500 Comments Name Dropper
    VOR said:

    Really?  You've seen her 3 times and now your "estranged" and you don't know what she likes anymore?  You make it sound like this is over the course of 10 years.  Not ONE year. 

     

    I get your frustration at always having to contact her, but outside of that, how else is this friendship one sided?  Does she insist on only doing what she wants to do?  Does she only talk about herself and doesn't care to hear about your life? Does she insist you go to her? 

    There is SO MUCH MORE to friendship than "who calls who". 


    Again - I get your frustration, but she also has a point- life IS busy.  I have a couple friends that I'm lucky if I see even 2 times a year.  "Life" gets in the way. 

     

    I don't know what to tell you.  Just on the issue of her not initiating getting together (when actually she DID initiate 3 times which isn't HORRIBLE), this seems like a really petty reason to let a life long friendship die. 

    Yikes, I didn't expect to be attacked over this. I chose not to go into the details because my question was about gift ideas, not recounting our entire history together. I wanted to provide a brief background to explain why I still felt the need to get her a gift but that the situation was a bit awkward because we're drifting apart. I suppose I should have asked "What are some birthday gift ideas for an estranged friend?" and left it at that.


    Nature of the online community.  I can only go off of what you write.  The more vague you are, the more people are going to make assumptions.

  • VORVOR member
    Eighth Anniversary 500 Love Its 500 Comments Name Dropper
    Oh, and I wasn't attacking you.  I was actually asking you genuine questions - how else is this one sided?  Your ONLY example sounds petty.  If you don't want to answer, that's fine.  But I was asking in order to get a clearer idea of the situation.
  • That's true, I shouldn't have assumed you were attacking me. Sorry 'bout that. Without writing a novel about the details, I know that cutting contact was the best decision for me in this situation.
  • GilliCGilliC member
    Ancient Membership 5000 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer
    How much do you want to spend? Amazon gift card. Spa or massage voucher. A nice bottle of wine. Just get her the same kind of thing you'd get someone you don't know well to begin with.
    image
  • I would say gift card. Do you know where she gets her hair done or does she have a favorite resturant?
  • I think a bottle of wine or liquor is always acceptable. If she isn't a drinker how about an inexpensive bracelet? Also - This is just me, but at some point I think it's OK to NOT give gifts anymore for birthdays. For me, the real gift is the time spent coming together for a dinner, not so much something that can be wrapped up. A nice birthday card may just do the trick.
  • I was going to say think of something cute and personal that reflects on your history as friends. Some inside joke sort of thing. For example, my best friend has a nickname of "squirrel"(no idea why but it's from forever ago). So I'd get a squirrel themed gift that was cute/funny/meaningful. But I realized in reading more that you actually kind of WANT this friendship to die off. My suggestion would be if you wanted to rekindle the friendship and try to reach her in a sentimental way. If not, Giftcard. That just about says impersonal, yet, avoiding the non-gift. It actually might send a good signal that you're not feeling as close anymore, because it is such an impersonal gift.
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  • Are you attending the dinner.  If you are trying to make space in the friendship then I would decline the invite and not send a gift.  I'm not trying to be a mean person here, but acting like nothing is wrong while drifting is also not kind.  I would just get a gift card to Starbucks or a book like pp suggested, kitchen stuff.  Since you don't care that much, then why worry about the gift?  Just go to Target get something quick or order something off Amazon.  If you don't want to be friends then don't spend too much time etc on it. 
  • Without writing a book sounds like she was cranky at her wedding/ bridezilla?  I was in a wedding, and the bride got all mad at all the guests and took it out on me.  I was so done with her life not going well and her taking it out on me. 
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