birthday present

Birthday Wishes Come True

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birthday wishes come true

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What would be your biggest, bestest wish for a birthday present or surprise? Today, writing this, I’d say a trip to Iceland. Having just heard all about the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa from a friend, I want to experience this wonder of the world myself.

An 83-year-old gentleman was more interested in cars than travel, though. His main birthday wish was to ride in a Lamborghini Gallardo. The elderly resident of a Shelby, North Carolina retirement home had asked for a Lambo at his 82nd birthday. That was out of the price range, but the thoughtful activities director provided him with a scale model as a substitute.

Lambo in the flesh…or metal.

Then, come this year’s birthday, and Donald Hambright was already joking about having put too many miles on the Lambo in the last year and needing a replacement. Jessica Hickson put out a call on Facebook to see if anyone she knew had a way to make it possible for him to see a real Lambo live.

A local car dealership decided to help out and arranged for a black 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder to be available at the assisted living facility on Hambright’s 83rd birthday. They even took the birthday boy for a spin.

“It was like being in an airplane. Such a roar. It took my breath away,” Hambright told his local newspaper.

When a birthday takes your breath away, you know you are having a good one. Plus, this story proves it’s never too late to see your dreams come true!

Maybe at 84 he can visit the Lamborghini museum — it looks like a pretty sweet place to go. Plus, it’s in Italy. He could have a little birthday gelato too!

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Puppy presents not a great idea.

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Prince George is apparently getting a puppy today as a present for his third birthday. This was reported in The Daily Mail, and is slightly more reliable than last month’s rumors that Kate Middleton is pregnant again with baby no. 3 (gasp!).

Judging by his interest in the pup his Royal family already has at home in this family photo, it seems likely the three-year-old third-in-line for the British throne will have his mind blown by a new wiggly puppy present.

The Daily Mail also reports the mini monarch-to-be is also getting a train set and a monogrammed football (that’s a soccer ball to my North American readers). But it’s the cute photo of the breed of puppy George is said to be getting — a Bolonka Zwetnas — that renders me nearly incapable of continuing to type further.

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Yes, I mustered my strength to surpass that cuteness to be a bit of a spoilsport. Ho hey, you say?! How could one be a Negative Nancy in the face of such incredible fuzzy, fluffy adorableness? Just watch me….or, I guess, read me.

While this is not going to be a problem for the Royals who likely have an entourage to take care of the ball of fluff and fun due at George’s Beatrix Potter party extravaganza, us average folk should think twice about gifting live animals on the big day itself.

I am not pooh-poohing the gift of a pup entirely. Just don’t do it on the special day. It’s already difficult to bring a new, young animal into a household. Incorporating a live puppy into a home on a day when things are already a little topsy turvy can make the new family member’s arrival all the more stressful.

There are even some animal shelters that have a ban on pet adoptions as birthday gifts — although recent research is turning the tide on this one, according to the ASPCA.

The American Kennel Club lists all kinds of things to do in the home to puppy-proof. WebMD’s pet pages recommend the household together prepare in advance for bringing home puppy. These are the kinds of things it’s difficult to do when surprising someone with a puppy as a present.

The pet page, supported by the ASPCA, further states “don’t overwhelm Pup the first day, and don’t fight over him or create mob scenes showing him to the neighborhood.” Because introducing a puppy at a birthday party is unlikely to be overwhelming or create a mob scene…

So, again, let me be clear. I’m not against puppies. I’m not against adopting them. I’m not even against adopting puppies for someone’s birthday (as long as you know they’d like having a dog). I’m simply suggesting it shouldn’t be an impulse purchase, and would likely be better done the day after the birthday celebrations. Perhaps, instead, the puppy recipient could unwrap a box with a sparkly leash and a dog bowl with a voucher inside of it that says “good for one new birthday puppy.”

In the meantime, I’m still looking for responses to my six question survey about birthdays. One of the questions is about great gifts you’ve received. Let me know!

Excessive Extravagance Explained?

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Have you heard yet about these birthday party and present extravagances?

  • Suri Cruise and her kid pals noshing on a $5000 birthday cake.
  • Jay-Z and Beyonce spent US$200,000 on the first birthday party of their daughter, Blue Ivy.
  • David and Victoria Beckham once had a playhouse custom-built for son Brooklyn’s birthday. They spent US$187,000 on a gift for a six year old!
  • P-Diddy’s $3 Million birthday apparently included $28K in orchids.

Other examples include:

  • Hiring a yacht for a 10-year-old’s party
  • Hosting 50 youngsters at Disneyland
  • Tiffany gift bags (for little girls!)

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In “Confessions of a Party Pauper,” Kylie Knott interviewed a child psychologist about these kind of excesses. Lora Lee suggested, “Parents see lavish parties as a way to compensate for a lack of parenting time.”

Another family psychologist, Laurene Man, noted lavish parties have “no direct bearing on the children’s happiness.” In fact, she suggested that large parties overhelm a child. “They can’t relate to so many children at one time, not to mention so many adults. Kids enjoy small simple parties – playing with a few children on one or two simple games.”

Man recommended parents think back to their own birthday parties to gain insight about what’s truly memorable about birthdays. I remember:

  • My mother making really creative sheet cakes decorated with M&Ms or Smarties.
  • Getting to go to Baskin & Robbin’s every year for a free cone.
  • Loving the present game where you sit in a circle and get to unwrap one layer of paper from the prize gift it was in your lap when the music stopped.
  • Dressing up in a hand-made costume for a friend’s Superhero party.

What simple pleasures do you remember and wish we still embraced at birthday parties?