Big Boy Budget Birthday

Hey now, Simple Butta Blog! You thought I forgot about you, right? In addition to new businessy ventures, it is also the holiday season (as if you hadn't figured that out from the incessant barrage of waste and attempts at financial ruin). That has made things extra crazy and, round these parts, December gets even hairier as two of my three progeny made their way into the world in the 12th month. Not good planning on our part, but the one kid we weren't trying for was born in June so go figure. I'm just sayin' it - December can be a crappy month for celebrating birthdays. Most people think of the financial burden, but to me it's strictly scheduling. It has taken me weeks to figure out when to hold their parties, yet it took minutes to get their gifts together. My store of choice lies in my basement where I stash all the treasures I have picked up during yard sale season and on my weekly (OK, sometimes daily) trips to the thrift store. Yes, I give my children second hand gifts and they LOVE them! They don't even notice the lack of packaging.
I wrap everything in brown bags and newspaper anyway. This is not to say that they never get "new" things. They do. Afterall, I do sell children's books and educational toys as a side gig. They usually get one new gift per holiday. Much of the stuff I pick up on the cheap is also unopened so they never know what is on it's second time around and what may have come from a "real" store. Even the balloons in this candle-blowing moment are second hand. I found two bags of 100 balloons each for a buck a piece and the thrift store. Otherwise, I skip balloons all together.

So my first-born, Noah, turned ten today and I will admit that I have been fretting for the last year about how my cheapster gift buying tactics were going to hold up under the strain of peer pressure and media blitz. I am ecstatic to report that I put to bed a very happy birthday boy this evening and this is how his loot broke down.
His one "new" gift was two tickets to see Star Wars in Concert. It was also an early one since the show was three weeks ago. The cost was $70, but I feel good about the purchase since that experience will last far longer than any toy ever would. Plus, he went with my sister's boyfriend so he felt extra cool. The rest of his presents, he opened tonight. They were:
a Star Wars novel = 25cents
two DVD's, "Godzilla" and "A Series of Unfortunate Events" = 50 cents each
an Illustrated Atlas of World History = 25 cents
a 3-D Doodle Kit (brand new) = free
classic board games book with boards, instructions, histories and game pieces in a pouch (new) = 25cents
a camouflage, quilted vest = $1.00
a way cool toy rifle (gasp), metal not plastic = $1.00
Kids Survival Handbook w/compass and camo book cover (new) = 50 cents
about a dozen Star Wars figure that he didn't already have = $1.00
Grand Total = $75.25

He couldn't have been happier and neither could we. Not one piece of new garbage was created and we got more of out of that money than most parents would ever think possible. The key is that  I A) Do not wait until a month before a birthday to start acquiring things. I am always on the look out. B) I really don't ask my kids what they want. I know them. I listen. We had seen a thing about the Star Wars concert on TV and I considered that to be an awesome gift. The rest was just my knowledge of who he is and what he would enjoy. Try something out on them. They might surprise you. The two gifts I thought he would be least enthused about turned out to be big hits - the 3-D kit and the game board book (you know I'm going to be playing me some Mancala this week). And C) I don't feel guilty. I feel proud. Birthdays and other gifty holidays are special because we make them such. The b-day person gets to choose what type of homemade cake they want, what they would like for their special dinner (usually Mexican wins) and they are genuinely psyched to get their presents because we don't just buy them stuff for no reason throughout the year. We have some really nice traditions and producing low or no waste has become part of that.
It's not too late to try it out. Even if you have a dreaded teenager, I am willing to bet you could get at least half of their gifts second hand, clothes and books come to mind as well as cool picture frames and bedroom decor. Decide what is important to you and what kind of a message you would like to send out into the world with the children in your life, or the adults for that matter. My used gifting does not end with those I have birthed. Everyone is a potential recipient. If they end a special day as content as Noah did tonight, it will be well worth you effort and your world and wallet will thank you, too.

*In the interest of full disclosure, my sister and mother did get Noah an iPod which I am sure contributed to his grin. I can actually support this one, I just wasn't behind it.