Non-materialistic birthday ideas

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> School age children

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Sun, Jan 11 2015, 9:06 am

Hi all,
My twin girls are turning 8 this Friday, B"H. Now, just for the record, they are NOT deprived of toys and gifts. For this birthday, some relatives are giving them money (per their request) and they will buy either an American Girl doll or whatever else they choose. So they will each have over $100 to spend on themselves from other relatives alone (excluding us). So, definitely not deprived. Rolling Eyes

Since they have so much money in gifts (more than I feel they should), I do not want to add yet another gift, but I DO want to make their birthday special.
Any ideas on fun things I can do for them that do not involve more "stuff"? May be a special treasure hunt? Or some other treat? I am just not creative....They will have a small party on Shabbos just for the immediate neighbors, with ice cream and cupcakes, I am just looking for something cute that I can do for them as their mother, partially to show that birthdays aren't all about "stuff".
Thanks in advance!

sourstix

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 9:11 am

such a smart mother! kuddos to you for trying even though it might be a bit hard. I have no ideas so I will be very happy to hear of some. they are not teenagers yet so I think its a good time to try this. although if you make it very spiritual they might not appreciate it yet. I am not trying to discourage you. I am just giving my vho.

manhattanmom

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 9:18 am

take them for a mini-spa day, manicures, hair, out to dinner?

They'll enjoy it remember it, and you won't have "extra stuff" around your house.

MamaBear

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 9:25 am

Can they use it on an outing to visit somewhere? Or a membership, magazine subscription, activity like ice skating etc Be creative Smile

ETA At first I thought you were looking for ideas to spend the gift money. Sorry! But a simple activity like ice skating is still a nice idea

Last edited by MamaBear on Sun, Jan 11 2015, 9:48 am; edited 1 time in total

Raisin

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 9:27 am

Maybe they can choose their favourite supper the day of the birthday? Since they are twins, eather make two things if they don't share favourites, or one the night before and one the day of. Or take them to a restaurant or for ice cream but that also costs $$$$.

Chabad has minhagim for a birthday - say tehillim, give tzedaka, make a hachlata. Maybe you can give maaser from their birthday money and they can choose a tzedaka to send it to. Research a few for them to choose from.

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 8:23 pm

Thanks, everyone, for your replies. I guess I am looking more for a tradition, the type of thing they will remember when they grow up. "My mother used to always.....". I was thinking of writing each of them a nice birthday cards with brachos and nice things about them, more something along those lines. Also something that I can continue as they get older......Please keep the ideas coming!

Shani88

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 8:48 pm

What about a special "amen" party with lots of colorful fruits, veggies, cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, drinks etc with some friends or even just as a family on their Hebrew birthday where you explain to them how much extra power they have in their tefillos/brachos that day (each person says their brachos outload and everyone responds amen in zechus for refuah, shidduch, parnassa for different people). They can go around giving brachos to their friends and family and enjoy the spot light as well as turn a spiritual activity into something fun and memorable. You can video it and they'll enjoy watching them from year to year. I'd like to do this with my kids as they get older as well as a fun treasure hunt which my mother always did for me and my siblings on our birthdays.

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 9:10 pm

What did your mother do for the treasure hunt? I love these types of things but am not creative enough to come up with the details myself....

Bruria

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 9:18 pm

You can take them to six flags, or another theme park. Broadway plays are also a good pick, along with dinner at a fun place!

bluebird

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 9:20 pm

What kind of things do they enjoy?

amother

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 11:36 pm

We took the kids pottery painting for one of the birthdays. The birthday boy got a plate as a keepsake and we all signed our names on it. They all painted mugs. Not too expensive. They're begging to go back.

shirachadasha

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 11:54 pm

Host a birthday party for friends with a chesed oriented activity.

rowo

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 12:02 am

Kids love one on one time.
Maybe tell them they have you for one hour (or however long you want) and let them choose.
A walk somewhere interesting, going out to eat, manicure, some sort of activity etc. Even if they cost these things aren't a fortune and you're giving them a beautiful memory and some special quality time.
And it's something you can make into a tradition every year.
(Don't know what your twins are like if they would like time separately or together)

Chana Miriam S

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 12:23 am

We make family memories... A play. A concert- my daughter and I are going to a water spa at the end of the mi the- women only!

amother

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 12:23 am

In my family, each child gets a birthday shabbos. When we were young, my mother made our favorite dishes. When we got older, we got to choose the menu (within reason, of course). It's something we always looked forward to.

When my brother and I were teenagers, we began repaying the favor for my mother by making her a birthday shabbos every year. She was extremely grateful and appreciative.

I continued the tradition with my own family as well. My oldest has become fairly predictable since she wants the same menu every year. When she was 6 she decided that it was only fair that I got a birthday shabbos as well, so she and DH made one for me. I finally understood how my mother felt all these years. It's such a pleasure not to have to plan, cook, and serve meals for a whole shabbos. It really was the best birthday present ever and it didn't cost much more than our usual shabbos fare.

Anyway, that was a very long winded way of saying that starting a traditional birthday celebration for your family is a great idea. It doesn't have to be something expensive, time consuming, or overly creative. Just having something to look forward to and enjoy being special is enough for children. Since you have twins, you can decide if you want to make 2 birthday shabbosim or if they should share 1 shabbos. If they're sharing, then you/they can decide if they each get their own meal (Fri night or shabbos lunch) or if they should collaborate on the menu for both meals together.

Amother because I've spoken about this tradition in real life and I don't want to out myself.

Raisin

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 4:15 am

Another idea - make a scrapbook or photobook (you can do it on a website like shutterfly if you are not arty) for each daughter for the past year.

amother

Lime

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 5:01 am

LO wrote:

What did your mother do for the treasure hunt? I love these types of things but am not creative enough to come up with the details myself....

She would hide slips of paper in different parts of the house, each one had a little riddle hinting where to find the next one, till the last one led to a present. We all went from spot to spot as a family following the birthday girl/boy. My mom used to put a small treat for siblings as well.

Last edited by amother on Sun, Dec 13 2015, 7:19 am; edited 1 time in total

Raisin

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 7:49 am

every year on our birthday we would get some type of sefer, as well as a more gashmius present. I know they are young but you could get them a nice parsha reader, tehillim, siddur that they would enjoy using.

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 10:44 am

Wow, these are awesome!!!! Thanks, everyone! Keep them coming!

lovelife123

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 11:14 am

I didnt read everyone's ideas, so maybe was mentioned...
Maybe a nice tehillim with their name. I remeber when my parents got that for me with the promise that they will make me a 'siyum' when I davened the whole thing.
It was really special and something I really worked hard to use, and do till this day (mid 30s..)

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