Puzzled...Not Really

Yesterday I went to a birthday party with my youngest son Kees. It is the first time that he has been to a birthday party that was for him. Usually he is the tag along brother. He was nervous and excited. The parents did something that I have tried to do with my kids. They had a gift exchange. The instructions were to bring a puzzle and then take one out of the pile to take home. Kees and I had stopped at a fancy little toy shop to pick out a nice puzzle for someone his age. He enjoyed doing that and was involved in the process of picking one out. We brought a gift bag so that part was easy.

We arrived at the fancy athletic club near downtown Portland and were instructed to head upstairs and to the back of the gym. We dropped our gift on the puzzle table and went to play. There was a bouncy castle. That was a big hit for Kees. Then they had the kids line up to play, of all things, dodge ball. Kees hid behind me. I don't blame him for that. These kids are 3 and 4 for goodness sakes. They may need to rethink that one.

Then the kids were instructed to take a place at the table. I told Kees, "It's time for cake." He, all excited, goes and finds his place. They then bring out the......pizza, cold pizza. Kees starts crying. I sit down and put him on my lap and assure him that cake will be soon. I am not sure when but it will be soon. (I HOPE!) Ahhhh, cake, it is time. Kees was so excited, this is the moment he had been waiting for. Next a pinata. It was a pull the ribbon kind, I like those. Kees got his fair share and thought that was fun. Next it was time to pick a puzzle.

The kids all waited in line. Kees kept getting out of line so he was last. By the time he got to the front of the line there were 2 puzzles left. A small one in a party bag (the bag that was given to the kids as a party favor) and a big beautiful wooden one of the United States. He picked the bag or someone handed it to him I really don't know. The puzzle was a Clifford the Big Red Dog cardboard puzzle. It was a well used, cardboard, 25 piece puzzle that the box had been taped together. I wouldn't have paid more then $0.25 for it at a yard sale. And who ever brought it didn't even wrap it of put it in a gift bag. They put it in their kids party favor bag. I was totally miffed. When I say miffed I really mean @*%# irritated. This is not the first time this has happened. Last year I took Coulter to a party where they did a book exchange. We got a beautiful, hard bound NEW book to give and Coulter got a used Berenstain Bears paperback book to take home. What the hell?

PEOPLE!!!!! Just because your name isn't on it doesn't mean you can be excessively cheap! This is not the fault of the people who threw the party it is the fault of the idiot that was so cheap they went into their play room and grabbed the first puzzle they saw. Or maybe I am the idiot for thinking that doing the right thing is doing....well, the right thing.

So here is a piece of advice for anyone who is throwing a party and wants to do a gift exchange. On the invitation put exactly what is to be brought. "A new puzzle between $15 and $20 wrapped for exchange." Because if you don't tell people exactly what to do they may take the easy or cheap way out.

I thought I wasn't frustrated about it any longer but I guess I still am. I'll get over it but it may take a while.