Okay, come on. I bet some of her friends got cars and computers and iPods for their birthdays. I understand she shouldn't feel 'entitled' to anything, but can no one understand the disappointment? She isn't homeless or living in poverty so her parents can probably afford to spend well.... over three dollars on a gift for her eighteenth birthday. Yeah, it's not the end of the world, but you know what? Half you are posting these messages criticizing the OP from your goddamn iPhones that mommy and daddy bought you. I don't care if you're 'happy getting nothing' (I don't believe it for the majority of you, though) for your birthdays, everyone has a right to be a little irked when zero thought and effort goes into a gift for their coming of age birthday. My family isn't rich but if we're struggling with funds we still put in some effort for gifts. I work a little extra in order to spend some money on gifts for my family, why shouldn't parents do the same for their kids? And don't give me the recession bullshit, because if that had been the issue in the OP's case I'm sure she would have understood or they would have at least explained it to her. No gift would have been better than a thoughtless one. A note saying, 'honey, we're sorry we can't afford much this year, etc etc. ' would have probably changed things in the OP's mind. Stop being hypocrites.

happy birthday!