GIFTS, GIFTS, GIFTS!!

I hate feeling like I always have to buy gifts for everyone.  It's annoying to me that even if I don't attend a party or special event that I still feel obligated to buy a gift/send a gift.  This week alone I had to buy a birthday gift for my husband (of course), a gift for my nephew's birthday (also - of course), two other birthdays of very dear friends who I adore (so, yes of course, as well) and now...here's where I start to get nuts about gift giving:  I have to buy gifts for my cousin's daughters (two of them with closely dated birthdays) - I feel obligated here because honestly, my cousin always buys nice gifts for my son.  The difference is that I only have one child and my cousin has several, so it's hard to keep up.  In the next two weeks I have 3 more birthdays of friends, a baby's baptism and oh yeah...CHRISTMAS!!  WTF?  I feel like my poor husband is only working to buy gifts for people lately.  Why does every event or birthday require gifts?  The other night we went out with a large group of our friends for my husband's birthday. I told everyone in advance - "No Gifts Please!!"  But many of our friends still felt obligated to buy him something.  It makes me feel bad because after the costs of dinner, the gift was way too much.  Now my own birthday is only days away and want to know the truth??  I don't want to ask anyone to go out for my birthday because my husband's birthday dinner and gifts were way too expensive for most folks.  What's with all the gifting?  Can't we just be happy to be in each other's lives?  Why does everything require a gift to let people know you care.  I care because I showed up and made the effort - but I can't ever say that out loud because that would be rude.