More invites

Friends who I normally chat online with, I would have to apologize because I am hardly online all this week. Been too busy with all sorts of invites.

First was that farewell do for a good friend and neighbour, M. And then there was another one for another lady, N. And then M reciprocated by inviting me for lunch. And then H invited me for lunch. And then N reciprocated by inviting us for tea.

And today I have a birthday party to go to. A party for a 4 year old. Argh! I don't really feel like going. I didn't know what to buy because apparently the girls have everything already. So in the end I got her a pink feather boa. Another friend got her a pink purse. Another lady got her a pink mini handbag cum make up set. I don't know what sort of a message we were conveying to the girl, that little girls should dress up like a cabaret dancer? But hahaha we were running out of ideas. Too bad.

We were just strolling around Toys R Us the other day and its amazing how things have changed where toys for children are concerned! For girls there were rows and rows and rows of vanity sets, make up sets, tatoo sets, manicure sets, hair braiding and stuff-to-do-your-hair sets. Gosh! When I was a little girl all I got was lots of colouring books, a masak-masak set and one huge Igloo doll which was wearing a blue snowsuit. I don't even have a comb to play with! Let alone manicure/tattoo set. Actually I was contemplating getting one of those for the birthday girl, but I don't know how thrilled her parents would be if she gets an encouragement to start grooming at the age of 4.

Maybe that's why I grow up looking like a plain Jane. If you want a well groomed daughter ala Paris Hilton, a make up set at age 4 is an appropriate present I guess.

Of course while getting our presents for the four year old, we ladies got to talk about what would be appropriate gifts, what gifts you so want to give the child as a punishment to the parents for inviting you and what gifts you actually want for yourself because you didn't have it when you were young but didn't get it.

Appropriate presents are normally boring. Like books, videos etc etc.

Now presents you want to punish the parents is the best! My beloved actually specializes in this! Ideally it will be something that the child will love and play with for a long long long long time, hopefully non-stop but will drive the parents crazy. For example, a drum set. B was telling me how her next door neighbour's son got a drumset for his birthday and he could not stop playing it. The drumset drove the mother crazy but she couldn't get rid of the drumset because it was given by her mother in law. Her mother in law obviously hates her hahahah imagine the drums being beaten all day non stop by hyperactive children, driving the mother crazy and contributing to her headache!

My beloved wanted me to buy them a air-step-music-dance thingy. (If you don't know what it is just assume that it will give the children non stop loud noise *ahem* music. ) It was marked down from RM100 to RM50. A good value for a present I thought, its huge, so it will have a good impact and presentation value and no one can miss it. But, her mother might not talk to me anymore after that! And I bet it's reduced to half price because no self respecting, sanity preserving parent, would buy the item for their child because they know for the next week or so, or for as long the batteries last, they would have no peace and quiet round the house. Perhaps it is the sort of items only deaf grandparents buy for their grandchildren, or neighbours who have no kids themselves, to buy as a present.

And then there were gifts you would have wanted for yourself. Like a huge RM200 stuffed bear which was so big, you can put it beside you on the bed and you won't know if your husband didn't come home at night. Or sensible board games which you always wanted one when you were a child, but your parents won't buy it for you because it was expensive, and now you can afford to buy it for yourself, to put in the cupboard because now you don't have time to play. And my beloved would have bought this Rm200 magnet set, where you can try and build things by putting the different shaped magnet things together. Hon, I don't think a 4 year old girl would be interested really.

Which comes to the next point I have. When parents over indulge their children by buying all sorts of lavish presents, sometimes filling up the whole rooms, are the parents really buying it for the child or was for themselves? I remember going to a child's birthday party where the mother was a lot more excited opening the presents than the child was. The child was only interested in chewing on the box while the mother was Ooohh and aaaahhing on the present. I understand that play is important for a child's development. But all these toys and vanity sets?

I guess I look back in my childhood and for most part I just had imaginary friends to play with. My imagination was my toys. What I didn't have, I had to make or imagine with what little I had to play with.

So off I go to sing Happy Birthday this afternoon. And have more cake. And more junk food. No wonder its so easy to gain weight here!

Have a good weekend everyone! I need to find some wrapping paper and a card! Do I need to wrap it? Its a shame to spend money on something that was going to be torn apart and threw away! Oh well!