The Frugal Birthday That Wasn’t
My daughter’s very first birthday was yesterday. We had a small party for her with just our immediate family, and she greatly enjoyed her very first cake and ice cream. Well, her very first cake. She had ice cream for the first time on our recent trip. She didn’t really eat much cake but she enjoyed poking it and smearing it on all available surfaces. And ate some ice cream.
It could have been more frugal on our part, in that I could have made her cake. But I had this vision in my head of her with her very own little store-bought mini cake that you give one-year-olds, like my son had, and I don’t have cake pans small enough to make that sort of cake. So I used some of the gift budget and got her a little cake of her own. And she smushed that thing and poked it and prodded it and generally made a huge happy mess and loved it.
We also chose to double her college fund contribution this month instead of giving her any additional gifts from us. It seemed like the right thing to do.
So, what about the frugal birthday that wasn’t? My parents got her a slide. A bona fide plastic sturdy little tikes slide. For our playroom. It is not so big, for a slide, and I will admit I like it. But…. for the kids who need nothing, lets get them a slide. So much for teaching them less is more. My son has already claimed it as his own and been down it about 1000 times. An hour. Literally. My daughter’s kind of afraid of it. But I’m sure she’ll grow into it.
So…. there is is. A little college savings, a bit of ‘more expensive than it needed to be’ cake to fulfill a mommy’s silly wish, and… a slide. And a few other little toys from the grandparents and assorted relatives. Her great-grandfather also sent her a college fund contribution as he does for both my children’s birthdays.
It’s good to be one.
(PS: If you’re a regular reader and looking forward to the normal grocery analysis later today, I’m at a taekwondo tournament all day today and won’t be shopping until Sunday afternoon. Thanks!)
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October 27th, 2007 at 10:17 am
At least it’s only one slide and not lots of little things. My grandfather only gave me big things, like a swingset, and a couple bookcases (for two different birthdays), and the Chronicles of Narnia. I feel like that has a better effect than getting a bunch of little toys. Though if they do it every birthday will you have space?
My parents also used to talk with Dada beforehand about his presents so they knew what they were getting into and could approve or say no. Might you and your parents be able to work out something like that?
October 27th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
I think a slide is a great present - gives them something activate to do during the winter months. Assuming, of course, you have room for it, which is sounds like you do.
I second Ms. Micah in that one bigger thing is way better then a ton of little things.
Less *is* more, and maybe they did hear that - 1 great present they’ll use instead of 10 they’ll forget about in a week.
Also, I think there’s a guilt in frugality-type crowds of, “Oh no, this cost “X” dollars, if I have something like this I’m not being frugal.” And that’s not always true. Sometimes bigger will get more use, sometimes higher priced will last longer, etc.
October 28th, 2007 at 7:31 am
I agree with Mrs. Micah. At least she got one large gift. And at least it was an active gift, not a sedentary gift (video games).
I was fortunate on Friday in that I got to see Jamie Lee Curtis and hear her speak. She said that children are like the paparazzi. They are always watching us and snapping mental pictures. You are setting a wonderful example for your children. In fact, before you know it you parents will give your daughter a $10 bill and she’s going to say, “Do you have 2 $5 dollar bills? I need to put half of this in my car savings fund.”
October 28th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Looking at it from a British point of view, my first instinct is to say that you must be sooooo rich if you have a house with a playroom, although I am led to believe that American houses are bigger in general.
In any case, I wouldn’t worry too much about what your parents give them as long as you teach them well. I think that’s the best you can do to give them a secure future.
October 29th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
I did know about the slide before it arrived, and I was asked if it was okay. It was okay with me, I just thought it was… well a little insane. lol
Plonkee - does it make me seem less wealthy if I say we turned our living room into a playroom? lol. We’ve kind of unabashedly given our house over to the kids in a lot of ways.
But american houses are bigger than british ones I think in general. We are a spoiled lot. 