Is it just me or are there a ton of birthdays in April and May? I feel like every day I wake up and there are at least 3 notifications on my phone letting me know that one of my Facebook friends has a birthday that day. It probably doesn't help that my mom, my brother, and I all have a birthday in May- and that's not including my grandma and uncles and cousins and everyone else with a May birthday! This is definitely the birthday month in my family!

I love to recognize people on their birthdays, but I would be absolutely broke if I tried to buy a nice gift for everybody on their birthday- with (almost) 9 siblings, that alone seriously dips into the birthday budget! That's why I love that there are creative people out there who make my life easier haha;). Sometimes a simple gesture is all you need, and this list of ideas is a great way to show someone you care on their birthday without breaking the bank! These could be given to friends, neighbors, teachers, grandparents, siblings, or anyone you want to give a little more than just a happy birthday to.

*Balloons. I don't care how old you get, balloons are still fun. You could write a message on the balloon, write a message and hide it inside the balloon, or even put a couple dollars in there if you really want to spoil someone;). And of course, what better way to present a balloon than to tie it to a cupcake or a plate of cookies;)?

*Bake a favorite treat. My mom always bakes coconut bread for friends and neighbors on their birthday (see my mother's day article for the recipe!). It's always a hit and she even has a cute mini-bundt cake ban that she uses so she can make the recipe go farther and the coconut cakes look so darling! If you don't want to go the treat route, a loaf of homemade bread is an amazing substitute;). You could pair it with some homemade jam for that extra special touch. If you have a family favorite recipe, this could be a great way to show a little extra love on someone's birthday!

*Candy Bars. If you've run out of time to bake something before someone's birthday, you could do all sorts of creative things using candy bars! A few examples might be: "Take 5- you deserve it on your birthday!"; "I wish I could give you 100 Grand for your birthday!"; "I hope you have Mounds of fun on your birthday!" You could even combine them into a big candy gram for something extra special.

*Jar of Treats. If you have a little extra time, you can put treats into glass jars- I have a slight obsession with glass containers, so I adore this idea. You could fill it with Swedish Fish and say "I hope your birthday is off the hook!"; fill it with starbursts and say "You're the star today- I hope your day helps you burst with joy!"; or even fill it with chocolate covered almonds and say "It's your birthday- go nuts!!". So many possibilities!

*Paper Plates and Utensils. I love this idea! Attach a note that says "Sending you tons of birthday wishes; tonight you won't have to do any dishes!" Honestly, who wants to do dishes on their birthday?? (Or ever;) ).

Do you have any inexpensive go-to birthday gifts? I'd love to hear your ideas! Share below!