Celebrating Complicated Birthdays

Sharing a Letter from our Founder & Chairman

Please Click Here to Manage Your Preferences or Unsubscribe Of all the topics we've explored in the Celebrations Pulse, one of the most popular was about birthdays. But it wasn't on the usual rituals of cake and candles and singing off-key. It was, unexpectedly, the unique challenges faced by those who celebrate their birthday in December. I can still remember the barrage of emails that came in afterward. One Harry & David customer, Connie, summed it up perfectly: "I feel seen!" Her response stuck with me, and it got me thinking: Birthday complications aren't just a December thing. Any date has a one-in-365 chance of overlapping with another occasion like a national holiday or celebration, like a wedding anniversary. You could be born on New Year's Eve, but your big day may be overshadowed by all the revelry. It's a reminder that even life's most joyful milestones can come with tricky situations. But with a little planning and thoughtfulness, we can make sure every birthday is special, even when it shares the spotlight with something — and someone — else. Handling the conflicts Consider the experience of Mark, a community member. He was born on June 12, exactly five years after his parents got married. As a kid, he loved the big backyard parties that celebrated both milestones. But his opinion shifted when he turned 13. That year, the cake read "Happy Anniversary, Denise & Paul." His name? Scribbled on a cupcake… off to the side. At 16, he wanted to hang out with friends. His parents wanted a romantic weekend. The compromise? A day split in two: skate park and pizza for Mark in the afternoon, dinner for his parents that evening. Over time, they found their rhythm. And when Mark gave a toast at his parents' vow renewal a decade later, he said, "I used to wish for a birthday all to myself. But now I see I wasn't missing out — I was learning how to share love, not just cake." Stories like Mark's are more common than I thought. One teammate has a son whose birthday always falls around Memorial Day — a long weekend when families often travel, making parties tricky and school friends forgetful. Another colleague has a St. Patrick's Day birthday. That sounds festive until you've endured years of green-themed gifts and people assuming you're Irish. As he jokes, "My parties felt more like they belonged to the leprechauns than to me." And then there's Lisa, a community member born on the Fourth of July. It sounds like a built-in party — until you've spent decades surrounded by red, white, and blue. Eventually, she declared her own independence, throwing French-themed birthday parties instead. "No flags. No sparklers," she wrote. "Just brie, baguettes, and a Paris playlist. It's the one day I let myself be fully about myself." Five ways to make every birthday count Some families face a cascade of June celebrations — birthdays, anniversaries, Father's Day, graduations — where one party ends up doing double, even triple duty. And December birthdays? They might just have the toughest time of all. Between tight budgets and full calendars, it's easy for those birthdays to get lost in the shuffle. Plus, anyone celebrating a December "half" birthday will likely have scheduled it for June! A birthday is never just another day. It's a once-a-year opportunity to say, "I see you. You matter." But when that day competes with other big moments, it's easy to feel folded in instead of lifted up. That's why these "complicated birthday" stories resonate so much. Behind every story is a person. Let's make sure those stories — and the people at the heart of them — feel seen and celebrated. All the best, Jim Have you ever walked away from a sale wondering, "What just happened?" So did Dr. Robert Cialdini, and it sparked a revolution in psychology. On this week's episode of Power & Impact, I sit down with Dr. Robert Cialdini, psychologist and author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, to unpack the universal principles that drive human behavior and persuasion. From growing up in a multicultural Milwaukee neighborhood to infiltrating sales and marketing organizations undercover, Dr. Cialdini shares the fascinating journey that shaped his groundbreaking research. We explore the powerful stories behind the seven principles of persuasion — reciprocity, authority, scarcity, consistency, liking, social proof, and the most recent addition, unity — and how they show up in everything from political campaigns to online reviews to handwritten notes. This is how a well-timed compliment and a ticking clock once convinced a broke college student (Cialdini himself) to buy a magazine subscription he didn't want and how that moment became the spark for a lifelong career. I hope you enjoy this week's episode. Please send your comments and feedback to podcasts@celebrations.com. A graduation toast to the journey ahead Across the country, families are gathering to celebrate one of life's great milestones: high school graduation. It's a moment filled with joy, pride, and a bit of uncertainty. I've always believed graduation isn't just an ending but a threshold. It's a time to reflect on where you've been and ask, "What's next?" In Lodestar, the book I co-wrote with my friend, Dr. George S. Everly, Jr., we explore that question. After studying centuries of self-help wisdom from Aristotle to modern psychology, we found that the most fulfilled lives are guided by a personal lodestar: a core set of values that helps you navigate life's twists and turns. That guiding light might be family, curiosity, service, or creativity. The important thing is to discover what matters to you and follow it with intention. To the Class of 2025: Your journey is just beginning. Let your values lead the way, and don't worry about having it all figured out just yet — you've got time. And more importantly, you have people who believe in you. Let that be your compass — your lodestar — as you step into whatever comes next. A season for stories: Dads, summer, and the moments that matter Every week, I'm reminded of how powerful your stories are as they inspire us to connect and celebrate what really matters. As we head into summer, and Father's Day approaches, I'm reaching out again with a call for stories because whether it's a tribute to a dad who made a difference or your plans for soaking up the season, your stories are the heartbeat of the Celebrations Pulse. Tell us about your Amazing Dad! This Father's Day, we're shining a light on the dads, granddads, stepdads, and father figures who've made a meaningful difference. Maybe he taught you how to fix a leaky faucet, made you laugh when you needed it most, or showed up for you in ways that still matter. If there's a dad in your life who's gone above and beyond, I'd love to hear your story for the Father's Day edition. What's your summer story? Are you planning a road trip? Staying local for some well-deserved relaxation? Maybe you've got tickets to a summer concert or a family tradition that kicks off every June. However you're spending the season, I'd love to hear about it — and share a few of your summer adventures in an upcoming letter that will celebrate sunshine and the stories that bring us together. Related articles that caught my eye Written by our Founder and Chairman, our Celebrations Pulse Letters aim to engage with our community. From sharing stories to welcoming your ideas, we want to help you to express, connect, and celebrate the important people in your life. View as webpage This email was sent by: 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. Two Jericho Plaza Suite 200 Jericho, NY, 11753, USA Manage Email Preferences | Terms & Conditions | Unsubscribe from Pulse Newsletter