[Lucid:]

Not everyone is like this, but I'm at a point of my life where I would rather have a nice night out for my birthday than a physical, itemized "gift." Similarly, I would probably take somebody out for their birthday rather than getting them something. They may have thought that the dinners and breakfasts and such were gifts.

It's not wrong of you to want a gift, that's just your taste and preference. But I don't think your boyfriend was trying to make you feel bad by not getting you anything. I think there just might not have been a clear understanding of what you might have wanted or expected from your birthday.