<p>Sorry that the thread title is so incendiary (pun - groan).</p>
<p>I just wanted to pass along an idea that was a fun and novel thing to to for your student's birthday. My DD was going to be celebrating her 17th birthday a few weeks after arriving at college. About 6 weeks before the event, I gave (or mailed) a preaddressed and pre-stamped postcard to family members, neighbors, youth pastors, family friends, former teachers and coaches with these instructions:</p>
<p>"(Date) will be (student's name)'s first birthday celebration at college. We would like to invite you in making it a birthday she won't forget - by bombarding her college mailbox with birthday greetings and wishes. Just fill out (write, draw, paste a picture on) the enclosed postcard and drop it in the mail by (date). Thanks for all the love and support you've shown her over the years!"</p>
<p>We had a lot of fun with this - and when my daughter got over 50 postcards in her box, even the people at the college post office were wishing her a happy birthday. She was really happy to hear from so many people - and it helped her through what turned out to be a very difficult day (her birthday was on 9/11 - the actual day of the World Trade Tower attacks).</p>