The Budget Bambino

Amy Luz writes on Babble about why she doesn’t like the “no gifts” trend that’s showing up on birthday invites. Her main concern is that this trend, which is meant to encourage the philanthropic spirit in children, is actually contradictory since the act of giving a present can teach children a number of things about caring and generosity. I agree with her that picking and giving gifts does teach children about generosity but there is another perspective from which the “no gift” trend should be looked at. Rather than focusing on the host, who may not want to spoil their child or be inundated with unwanted presents, what about the parent that have to factor in the costs of numerous birthday presents throughout the year for their child’s friends?

First of all, there is the quantity. Sure, your kid may not be the most popular student, but they are bound to be invited to several birthday parties during the year. Secondly, there is the quality. Telling your 5-year-old that they have to meet a $10 limit when picking out a present isn’t exactly a nice feeling, even if you want to teach your kids about the value of money! I think the Babble article also failed to mention that the present your child shows up with is a reflection on them and most kids aren’t too understanding of how cheque-book balancing works.

One of the comments, however, was great: danidiva hosted a Happy Hippy Party, where guests were asked to either bake or make a present. Now that’s trend I’d like The New York Times to write about.

Here are a few tips to help you keep birthday parties budget-friendly:

• If a Happy Hippy Party sounds like your sort of party, be the first to host one. It might start a trend amongst the parents of your child’s friends!


• Regift: yes, I said it -- regift! If your bambino has received three packs of Crayola Water Color Pencils, it’s not a mortal sin to pass them on.


• Plan ahead! So many times I’ve wasted money by not buying anything until the last minute, only to end up spending too much money for something not that great. Also, if you plan ahead and help you kid pick out something they want to give, you might be able to find a better deal online.

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