This was a strange turn of events. Normally the gifts would be set aside and the birthday person would open them at another time. There must have been various reasons why Lady Greengrass opted to go this route. Most that I could think of were purely politically related. Presents during a birthday, especially for nobles, were just that, political. This would mean that anyone could proclaim their political agenda to everyone as a gift. The only reason I could see her doing this is if it involved any arranged marriages. 