sillygirl

My son's first birthday is Wednesday. We had a party yesterday, and I got thinking afterwards.

We told people not to bother with gifts, that this was more for us as a "yippee" for making it through a full year (although I guess I could very well go crazy in the next couple of days). Besides, the kid's happy with an empty water bottle.

So now I suppose there are two things:

First of all, what are some birthday traditions you all have had, either for yourselves as kids or for your own spawn?


Second, what do you do to teach your kids that presents are great, but they're not *important*? I realize that a one year old won't understand that people are giving him things for a reason or begin to think he deserves gifts for any occasion, but I don't want to raise one of those children. I remember having friends growing up who'd bitch because they didn't get enough presents, or that their gifts didn't cost enough. How do you NOT teach your kid to be like that?

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Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly-Rose Franken
....absence makes me miss him more...