Submitted for your disapproval--
**All names have been changed to protect the criminally stupid**
Asharah's comment: Why?My cousin (Jim) and his wife (Carrie) have two children, Amy (the birthday child) was turning three, and Max who is almost a year. Carrie's sister (Amanda) and her husband (Eric) have a child, Emily who was turning two and another child on the way.
With me so far? Okay, here we go.
Carrie and Amanda thought it would be a great idea to have a dual birthday party for the two girls, they were both born in early December. Kill two birds with one stone, right? Well, not really. I don't really care much for my cousin, but I always fulfilled my family obligation by showing up at these circuses. Amanda and Eric, however....I think I have met once. This leads up to the biggest case of the gimmies that I have ever seen.
The computer-generated invitation arrived two weeks before the party. (Actually this is a switch for these people...I usually only get the pleasure of a telephone call.) The party was to take place at Jim's mothers house (my aunt) which is where Carrie and Jim are currently living. The invitation listed clothing sizes and favorite toys for
BOTH girls.
Asharah's comment: Well, if it was a standardized invitation, that might not be surprising. Then I read the rest of the invitation. Guests were asked to bring a gift for
BOTH children, so as not to "cause jealousy".
Asharah's comment: For the kids or parents? I don't think the kids are old enough to count to see if the other one got more presents.Now, had I actually known Amanda and Eric, I would not have had a problem with this. But as I stated before, I didn't know them. And there was no way I was going to pony up for two kids, when I could barely afford to purchase for one.
I wound up getting the flu and begging off, but I did send my gift for Amy with my mother, who actually went to this shindig. She said not only was most of our family there, but Carrie and Amanda's family (both sides) and Eric's family, too. Plus various other friends and co-workers. At least 60 people, in a very small house I might add. People were leaving to make room for others. There was a co-worker of Jim's that was actually asked to leave by Amanda, because he did not bring Emily a gift.
Someone tried to point out that most people did not bring two gifts, but Amanda's reply was that those people were "family" and that was okay. Eric took pity on his "poor" wife by trying to explain away her rudeness as "pregnancy hormones".
Asharah's comment: You know, I saw a documentary on cable today about female serial killers. It therorized that one reason Baroness Elizabeth Bathory of Hungary murdered about 600 girls to drink and bathe in their blood was because she was suffering from iron deficiency.
If I'm grossing you out with this comment let me know and I'll delete it.My mother was irate (she didn't want to go in the first place, but felt that old tug of "family obligation"), and she was surprised that guests were not asked to bring gifts for the new baby, too.
Asharah's comment: I'm sure someone, probably family, will throw a huge baby shower for the the expected second child!And of course.....no thank you cards.
Gimme0107-04