Q: You are a plus-one at a stranger's birthday party. Should you bring a gift?
Attending a birthday party as a plus-one stranger is like winning a free pass to Christmas. You get to participate in the festivities, eat and drink with gusto, wear what you want and enter empty-handed. Why no gift? Because the birthday boy or girl has no gift expectation where you are concerned. He or she doesn't know you and, technically, didn't really invite you. The gift-giving responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of your date.
Only if you are an established couple would you be expected to contribute or sign the gift tag. If arriving without a present will cause you to hyperventilate, add flowers or a tiny box of chocolates to your date's gift package.
After the party, send brief thank-you notes to the birthday honoree and to the party host to let them know how much you enjoyed meeting them and how much you enjoyed the party.
_ Nancy R. Mitchell, founder of The Etiquette Advocate, a business etiquette consulting firm
Yes, you do bring a gift. It doesn't have to cost much _ I recommend spending around $20, but it has to be thoughtful. Simply bringing a bottle of wine or some trinket won't do. So what do you get someone you don't know?
The best idea is a beautiful journal with some thought-provoking quotes or questions tucked into it. We all have problems, and a blank piece of paper is one of the best solutions I can think of to solve them.
Another inexpensive gift is a simple frame. Again, this will require some advance thought. Find out a little about the person. Does he or she like boating, golfing, grandkids, art?
Then, insert some type of paper or a picture from the internet that is very vague and general, but also touches on one of these loves _ like sailing paper for the boating enthusiast.
_ Kelley Keehn, author, speaker and personal finance expert at www.kelleykeehn.com
