Party tricks not fooling anyone

collective wisdom. The kids just want to play and eat cake.

Parents, if they stopped and thought, would rather have a smaller mortgage or a growing fund for the kids’ education.

I’m not being anti-fun either. I just don’t see any kind of link between the cost and the fun.

We have parties for the kids at the beach or a park. There are races. There are games. There is party food. There is cake. Everyone has fun.

Every so often, I have conversations with other parents about my pet hate of party gift bags. I have never found anyone who disagreed, but then I don’t remember my girls coming home without a pointless tat-filled bag.

A similar thing seems to happen at Christmas nowadays with kids being encouraged by their parents to give OPK Christmas presents.

OPK do not ordinarily need Christmas presents from you. Kids play with other kids. They share fun. They do not need to give each other gifts. In fact, it’s a bit toxic really. Money is spent that has better uses. Time is spent in shops not playing outside. Kids are encouraged to think in terms of reciprocal giving. Wealth becomes a salient factor sooner in relationships.

I haven’t yet got any recruits to my League Against Pointless Party and Christmas Excess, but I’m hoping the word will get out.