Why We Didn’t Buy Our Two-Year-Old a Birthday Gift

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My husband and I have celebrated eight birthdays together, and I’ve never received a birthday gift from him that I could unwrap. Let me explain…

Birthday presents from my husband have always been experiences or surprises. For example, this past birthday he took me on a surprise trip to a spa for the day, dinner on the water, and then when we came home there was a brand new patio set waiting on our back deck (my in-laws helped choreograph the whole thing). Then there was the year he built a canopy over our bed, which I always wanted, and had my old violin restored. Lots of special memories.

In keeping with our birthday tradition, we thought it’d be fun to do the same for our daughter. Starting with her first birthday, we made video montages of the year past. Here is her 1st birthday video:

And here is her 2nd birthday video:

For her 2nd birthday, which landed on a Tuesday, we took off of work Monday-Wednesday and whisked away our girlie on a trip to Sesame Place. We were lucky to have one of her best friends—possibly boyfriend—along for the ride. On her actual birthday we had breakfast with Elmo and spent the whole day at the park.

Sesame Place 1

 

Sesame 3

Sesame 4

I plan to keep up the tradition of gifting my daughter experiences rather than toys or things. Not sure what next year will bring, but I’m already looking forward to it.

What special traditions do you have for your children’s birthdays?

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Vera Sizensky
Vera is the digital director for HealthyWomen.org, a non-profit organization that Dr. Oz calls "the leading health resource for women." Before HealthyWomen, Vera spent several years editing and producing content for the popular digital editions of SHAPE and Women’s Health magazines. Nothing makes her happier than connecting with women who work hard and play hard. Vera earned a journalism degree from the University of Florida and lives with her husband Brian and daughter Lena (born 8/25/13) in Southport, CT.

3 Things About Vera
Fill in the blank: If I had 10 minutes to myself, I would: "Take a long, hot shower."
Describe your perfect day: "Exercise, beach, nap, evening on the back deck with a glass of wine and the fire pit roaring."
Favorite thing to do in your spare {ha!} time: "Discovering new places—restaurants, playgrounds, hiking trails, etc."

Twitter: @VeraSiz

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