It may not be a big idea, but it will be memorable
My nephew turns two-years-old this week. And while my mother thought buying the entire state of Colorado and sending it to him would suffice as an appropriate gift, I had a little more trouble deciding. I’d gone the bike tricycle route for Christmas, which was fun, and the swimming/pool gear for some other recent holiday, (yes, I am that aunt) so I was pretty much running out of big ideas. You see, I buy the clothes and the cute stuff and the toys when necessary, but everyone does that. And I’m just not that kind of gift giver, at least not when I can help it.
I think I had a dream or watched Oprah or something one day when I was about eighteen, but for whatever reason I got this idea in my head that it’s so much more fun to give experiences rather than things. (See: golf lessons, home brew kits, concert tickets, etc.) Ideally, the Pollyanna side of me likes to think that memories far outlast anything I could wrap up neatly with a bow. Not that I don’t like the shiny and the new, but that really wasn’t going to apply here.
What kind of experience or memory can possibly be given to a two-year-old? Everything is new and interesting at that point, which is both a blessing and a challenge. I love giving books, but again, he’s two. And with already having the entire state of Colorado, you can be certain there were books in there. While there are books I know he has, and ones I believe he should receive as he gets older, there was nothing I could think of for right now. I was getting nowhere.
Then I remembered the best part of being a two-year-old: anything can be new and fun. And then I remembered the best part of being an aunt: I don’t clean up the mess.
So I concentrated on the packaging of the gifts instead, and my sister will no doubt thank me profusely for months to come.
Oh, there is really so much more than these photos reveal. There are parts of that box my sister will still be finding when this kid turns three… or twenty. But we can’t go ruining the surprise on the internet.
Happy Birthday, Ivan.
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13 Responses to “It may not be a big idea, but it will be memorable”
May 15th, 2008 at 4:41 am
Hummm….looks like you had as much fun packing as he will have unpacking. Ha!
May 15th, 2008 at 5:05 am
Does look like lots of fun. The only thing that would make this EVEN better (I love it by the way) is that hidden in all that colourful wrapping goodness , is something that makes a great deal of noise!
Sure whatever it is - he will love it.
… I do hope you will put us out of our misery at some stage and let us know what it is.
May 15th, 2008 at 5:12 am
Now remember…you can give the bad gifts, but someday, when you have kids, your sister will plot revenge!! My aunt used to send us the noisest things and be “that” aunt, but then she had kids and mom got her revenge!!
May 15th, 2008 at 7:07 am
How fun! I, too, like to give experiences not gifts but when my nephew turns two in a couple months I will have to come up with a great gift. I’m pretty sure he’d like one of the nerf launcher thingies. My mom (his grandma) already spoils him with gifts.
May 15th, 2008 at 7:53 am
I love this!!
I have to share some ideas with you and your readers because - like you, I am “that” aunt!
There is a great book called “Not a Box” (there is also Not a Stick now). When my second nephew turned 5 he got a huge box and the book. It is a great book… and all the boys love and share it.
You can also send a ball through the mail!!
And great books - Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus… a must have for all kids! I Stink - boys LOVE it! and oh so many others.
My daughter still does not get much in the way of gifts for her birthday. When she was little, she received swimming lessons, rock climbing trips, etc. She loved it. The experience is priceless. I suggested to a friend, just last night, that he take his daughter to a musical for her 12th birthday this summer given her love for drama and music. I doubt he will, but I love those kinds of things!
May 15th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Good job on the packaging! That’s really what little ones love, the un-wrapping of it all, right?
May 15th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Isn’t half of the fun of being an aunt - getting to torture your siblings as well?
May 15th, 2008 at 9:57 am
When in doubt, dinosaurs or dragons.
You can thank me later.
May 15th, 2008 at 11:35 am
This is so cute! I have 4 nieces - always wanted a nephew.
When my cousin and I were little girls, we used to take all the wrapping paper scraps from Christmas and birthdays and make a Saturday Night Fever patchwork dance floor and boogie on it. Who needs gifts when you can play with wrapping items?!
May 15th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Kids generally make a big mess, so get him a Swivel Sweeper or a vacuum cleaner
May 15th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Oh yeah, I think you are on the right track with those parcels!
May 15th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Delightful job; loving Aunt!!
May 15th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
You’re such a good auntie! And I always have trouble figuring out gifts for my nieces/nephews!
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