Birthday Books
I’m passing the birthday hat off to my son, the next in line in our tightly packed family birthdays. (Jake, with his summer birthday, is the only one that doesn’t fall between December 29 and February 22.) But once again, what do you get for someone who lives so far away in Hamburg, Germany?
I already discarded the idea of shipping birthday cupcakes. I used up all my cupcake karma on the Best Buns cupcakes I sent to my daughter in San Francisco.
My son has always been an avid reader, often hanging out at places like Borders for hours. Work is tight in Germany these days, so I know there is nothing left over for an occasional new book after the rent is paid and the subway card purchased each month.
I remembered a beautiful bookstore we had visited when we were in Hamburg and actually managed to figure out the name of it – thanks to Google. There was no English option on their website, so I attempted to navigate the German and send them an inquiry about how I could purchase a gift card. I got the perfunctory “We’ve received your inquiry” message in German right away, but nothing since then. I can’t imagine that bookstores aren’t hungry for business in any part of the world!
I’m trying to be patient (which is hard for me), but the clock is ticking as January 21st approaches and I have no gift to give as yet. I may try to call Thalia today to see if I can do something over the phone. Otherwise, I may need to invoke the help of a German angel, AKA Angela, to make this happen.
I can’t imagine anything worse than being thousands of miles away from home and having no birthday celebration whatsoever.
Too bad I can't just send him my gift card from Politics and Prose (above)!
Let me know if you have any other ideas!
posted by Barbara at 9:58 AM
13 Comments:
My husband just called Thalia using Skype. He talked to a guy named Goekhan, who spoke perfect English (maybe he studied with our son?!) Goekhan agreed to send our son a birthday gift card if we submitted an e-mail request, including our charge card number. Apparently it is illegal to take the number over the phone. Who knew? Anyway, it might be happening.
a nice letter from mom remembering long ago birthdays of his will be welcome until the gift card arrivses
oh i'm so glad it is working out - see? i knew, after reading your post, that your persistence would pay off - and skype IS the way to go overseas. just the connection isn't always so great.
i like edward's idea as well. a nice letter is such a rarity these days -- we are all so instant: email, text messaging, blogging .... cell phones. i have always loved receiving letters in the mail. but honestly? i can't remember the last letter i received. oh. yes. it was from my not seen in years nephew requesting a 'donation' to his birthday to Michigan State to visit some buddies. As for a proper letter in the mailbox? no...... sadly, no.
and i know it is my fault as well - giving up the writing. yet, it's a conundrum because i am always purchasing beautiful cards and stationery to use ... and it just sits in my desk!
enjoy your winter of birthdays! in our family we have whittled down to a perfunctorily signed card with money tucked in .... i'd take a heartfelt message over money, anyday!!(and a gift card to the bookstore - that ALWAYS works for me!)
xxx
rdm
Dear Barbara, I`m glad it worked out and the man on the phone spoke English, otherwise I would gladly have called. Only I now live 3 1/2hours of (fast Autobahn-)driving away, so no use for me to try arrange things from here. If you give me your son`s new address (has he moved yet?) on e-mail, I could also send him a card (hand written!)and include one or two of my own English books - only I don`t know what he enjoys to read? I`ll rummage a bit and tell you then what I have!
Wow, it really IS birthday "season" around your place! :-)
Glad to hear that technology has come to the rescue. (I've not used Skype yet, but then again I'm always 10-15 years behind everybody else!) A bookstore gift certificate and a handwritten card sound like wonderful birthday presents to me!
-- F.
Edward -- You are one smart cat! I know the perfect past-birthday photo I'm going to look for. It includes my son wearing Mickey Mouse suspenders! It will be the basis for a nice card.
RDM -- Money is nice, but I obviously am still playing a controlling role in his life, as I want to see where it is spent!
Angela -- I will e-mail you his latest address. I'm sure he would appreciate just about any English books you might send. All I can say is he is a serious reader!
Anon -- I'm with you on being so far behind technologically. You will note it was my husband who called with Skype. I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to do it.
I don't even know what Skype is (although I will Google it post-haste and find out) -- how is that for being a Luddite?
All the birthdays of folks in my nuclear family (parents, grandparents, and sibling) occurred between from October 10 and January 18, with the exception of my brother whose b-day is in May. I thought that we were pretty tightly clustered, but the Diskins clearly have us beat!
Adrianne -- I'm sure you've learned by now that Skype takes the expense out of international communication. Skype-to-Skype (meaning computer-to-computer with voice) is virtually free. If only we could send books with Skype!
I love all of the birthday suggestions. Perhaps you or David might Skype the bookstore employee in Hamburg and ask about a bakery from which to order a small cake or other dessert that your son would enjoy...just a thought.
I was going to suggest just communicating in English -- I'm glad it worked out for you! Bookstore gift cards are ALWAYS welcome, as far as I'm concerned.
Can't go wrong with a book gift card !
How did the cupcakes go over by the way?
E -- You are so smart! David is going to work on your suggestion.
Steve -- Never too many books, right? I suppose that's true until you have to lug that all back home on a plane, but that's really projecting too far into the future!
Squirrel -- The cupcakes were a huge success. And they traveled quite well as packed.
Audible.com allows you buy audile files of books and download them with their computer...
I sent my brother, 'trick books this way, so we can "read" the same books.
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