Is This A Faux Paus? (Birthday Advice)

[Wiglaf]

My cousin will be turning 17 or 18 this weekend.

I have two questions

1) I asked him, sort of off the cuff, if he wanted anything in particualar for this birthday. Was this a gaffe? Is this ever appropriate? I immediately regretted it but have not yet settled on blaming myself. I'd never done anything like that before.

2) Any good gift ideas, aside from CDs of bands he likes? I don't want to spend anymore than $80 or so, I am upgrading my Mac's OS, but I do not want to disappoint him, bear in mind I have a current PC as well and this upgrade is a bit unnecessary. Point is, $80-90 is tops, I think.

Thanks so much.

[Theben]

Finding out how old he is for starters.

If 18, I suggest a good hooker.

[Sava]

get him an 1/8th of some good weed

that's always a great gift...

[JohnT]

1. No. Why would a simple courtesy be a gaffe?

2. Give him a gift card. It's the sort of gift a guy can appreciate. It maximizes gift potential while minimizing the chance of uncomfortable moments.

[Wiglaf]

This must be done over the mail, he is a ways away

[alva]

Where does the "is this appropriate come in?" :cofused:

[Wiglaf]

John, would it be wrong in other company perhaps, an aged girlfriend or a wife? Something about it just strikes me as a bit impolite.

Gift card - hmm - cool idea. I'll fall back on that. I wonder how much is too much. $50? Eck seems like a "I'm paying you to get you out of my hair." Dunno.

[mrmitchell]

CDs and good clothes (say a gift card to a clothing store so he can pick up something he knows he'll like)

Good movies. Don't get the brand new $25 ones if youre trying to save money...the $5.50 bargain bin at walmart has a lot of movies that are better than being in the $5.50 bargain bin. Look around.

He's probably about to hit college, so what he may well need most is just plain cash.

See if he doesn't have anything like a nice watch or something, either

Does he have a car? A fillup at the gas station, on you, would be a little thing that could help

[Theben]

Actually I want to know why you start every thread with an angry smiley.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Theben
If 18, I suggest a good hooker.

I was wondering how many posts it would take. Good to see I was not disappointed!

[Wiglaf]

Hooker? I don't get it, it's not anymore legal at 18

[notyoueither]

He's just being ageist. Sick 'em, Ozzy!

I would get him the hooker even if he were 17.

[Wiglaf]

Mr Mitchell, as for CDs, I was thinking of the new Death Cab one, is that emo? All I know is he does not do emo, whatever that means. I always thought of Death Cab as a little whorish with licensing but not emo.

[Snotty]

order him a copy of civ4 would be a good start...

[JohnT]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
John, would it be wrong in other company perhaps, an aged girlfriend or a wife? Something about it just strikes me as a bit impolite.

Gift card - hmm - cool idea. I'll fall back on that. I wonder how much is too much. $50? Eck seems like a "I'm paying you to get you out of my hair." Dunno.

There's something here I'm not getting.

Obviously there's a cultural disconnect here. Asking what we want for our birthday is considered polite, nothing more or less. If you want to go the extra mile and "think of something" that the other person likes, go ahead, but it isn't necessary.

Except with women - sometimes it's better to surprise them. Pleasantly surprise them.