Birthday party gifts: cheap not nasty

Now that they are both at school, the screamies get invited to a lot of birthday parties - in a move that is designed to torture poor parents, it is mandatory to invite all kids to your party at their school - we've figured we go to around 20 a year for each child, ie 40 parties.

Thus it is rare to have a weekend that is partyless, and if we do have a free weekend I get quite folorn as I have to find some way to amuse myself other than stealing lollies from the lolly bags.  Oh the tedium. Sigh.

One of the more daunting aspects of all this, is the birthday gift.  Usually gift selection has involved me rushing off to the mall, spending $30 on a gift and another $10 at least on wrapping paper and cards.  (So 40 parties times $40 is $1600, gulp).  The present is wrapped and the child in question signs the card and it is delivered to the party, and that is the end of it.

Its all seemed a bit expensive and pointless to me.  I think its important to get the birthday girl a gift that she will enjoy (so not a load of bunkum from the $2 Shop), and I think the kids should be involved in the selection and preparation of the gift, so that they learn about giving and being excited about giving.


So this time around I headed off to the local op-shop, and we came up with this gift for the extortionate sum of $6.  A bunny basket, teddy bear figurine, two sparkly necklaces and a sparkly bracelet, perfect for a six year old.  

Miss 6 was so excited she couldn't keep her hands off the present and I had to hide it away.

:)