The girls have been invited to a slew of birthday parties as of late. They’re invited to parties for children in their respective classes from school and invited to parties from neighborhood kids and other kids we know. We’ve been to parties at Chuck E. Cheese’s and we’ve been to parties at Inflatation Nation, Kangaroo Jacks and The Jumping Monkey. We’ve been to parties at the Botanical Gardens, parties at the Zoo, parties at Tidewater Gymnastics Academy and parties at J.W. Tumbles. And let me just say that this J.W. Tumbles place is pretty popular with the 5 and under set. The girls were invited to two parties at the same J.W. Tumbles on the same day one right after the other. Whew!
In a previous life, I tried my hand at wedding planning and these kiddie parties are starting to make receptions look like Kool-Aid and Chex Mix served on Chinet. One party Mo was invited to was held in an event space that used to be a restaurant. It was a carnival theme party complete with a face painter, a balloon artist, an inflatable jump house, a popcorn machine, a cotton candy machine, and rows of carnival games. There was pizza made to order along with other fair food and an open bar for the parents. And did I mention the birthday boy was turning 5. FIVE.
Of course with all of these parties comes the purchasing of a gift for the birthday boy or girl. I have never been good at figuring out what kind of gift to give. I mean, yes, I have children of my own, but their likes and dislikes change from minute to minute. So what do you do for someone else’s child? Do you get something educational like books or other learning “toys” that the child will probably pull out of the wrapping paper and toss over their shoulder while saying, “Next!”
Do you go for a coloring book and crayons? Clothes? Maybe take a cue from the cartoon character on the invitation and go for something from the extensive options that Thomas the Tank Engine/Strawberry Shortcake/Spongebob/Dora/The Disney Princesses or Pirates of the Caribbean have to offer?
Do you go for a gift card to Toys R Us or Target and let the child pick their poison present? Lately, we’ve been giving Coldstone Gift Cards as presents, but sometimes I feel conspicuously empty handed when we arrive at a party and simply hand over a card in the midst of brightly wrapped packages and gift bags. At the last party we went to, the birthday girl and a few of her minions came charging out of the front door when we arrived. Mo handed the birthday girl the envelope with the card and said “Happy Birthday”. Minion #1 said, eyeing the envelope suspiciously, “Wait, where’s the gift? Didn’t you bring a gift?” Minion #2 said, “It’s her birthday, you have to give her a gift!”
Look, we didn’t just get off the Goodship Lollipop; I know how this whole birthday thing works. I don’t do rude and was about to give her lil’ buns a lesson in respect, but DH had a hand on my shoulder to steer me away before it got ugly. Besides, they were like six and seven years old and I wasn’t really trying to bring home a lawsuit in our goody bag.
But back to gift selection. Do you get the child something obnoxious and loud that you would never allow in your own home? DH took Co to a birthday party last week-end and the child opened their presents at the party (not a fan of that, but whatever). So the birthday boy opens some blinking, beeping, whirring and clanging toy, and his mother says –out loud, in front of everyone — “Oh, how nice. I think we’ll give that to the school!”
WOW.
Anyway, we have yet another party to attend today. Somehow I managed to wait until the last minute to get a gift for the party, so I had Mo and Co with me when I went to pick one out for the birthday girl. We’re good friends with the birthday girl and her family, and yet, I couldn’t think of anything that she didn’t already have. I wanted to fall back on my gift card option, but I had mentioned how I’d been using that as my go-to gift when her mom asked me for some ideas when they had a party to attend.
So, we’re wheeling around Target and hit the toy aisles. Mo and Co are begging me to slow down so they can peruse the merchandise and longingly trail their fingers along the shelf’s edge. We pass a Dora the Explorer display and I pick up one of the dolls to examine it. I ask Mo if remembers whether or not the birthday girl likes Dora.
“Oh, yeah. She likes Dora.” Mo volunteers. “She likes Dora as the mermaid!”
From the back of the cart, Co pipes up, “I like Doe-wa. I like Doe-wa.” I seem to remember that the birthday girl does like Dora, but she may have this particular doll already. I explain as much to Mo.
“Well,” she says, “Why don’t you let me hold onto that Dora while you look for something else?” She’s a smart one, that Mo-dizzle.
We look at everything from LeapFrog Learning Pads to The Littlest Pet Shop and everything in between. With every step, I hear “What about this? Why don’t you let me look at it while you keep walking?” from Mo, and “I like Kai-Lan. I like Ponies. I like Abby Cadabby. I like Wonder Pets.” from Co.
Suffice it to say, a gift was purchased, wrapped and ribboned. Mo and Co have totally bypassed Christmas lists and are working on their first drafts of next year’s birthday wish lists. Oh, and they’ve already decided they each want a themed party — Cinderella/Sleeping Beauty Party for Mo (quelle surprise) and Ariel Party for Co. I wonder if I can rent out the Scope.