The birthday rule grew up alongside its name-day sibling:

• Points or a discount — the reward no longer has to be points. Give a fixed discount instead, with a validity window you configure so codes don't linger forever.
• Auto-issued, every year — no claim step. If the customer has a birthday on file, the reward arrives on the day, annually.
• Eligibility-aware countdown — the widget and the account card show the birthday coming up, and only to customers who actually qualify, so nobody is promised a reward they won't get.

Existing birthday rules keep working unchanged; the new options are there when you want them.