Saving and spending and filling my heart with joy

Somewhere, somehow, Poppy decided she wanted a “My American Girl” doll. This is not a toy I’ve actively promoted, because they are crazy expensive. (Opinions on this internet web site are my own and do not reflect the opinion of those who do not believe that $100 for a doll is excessive.) Anyway, she decided she wanted one, and so we had a conversation about Those Cost a Lot of Money, and I Will Save My Money, and OK You Save $65 and Daddy & I Will Give You the Rest.

And so the savings began.

She picked up every coin she found and squirreled it away in her piggy bank. She bagged leaves like a champ in exchange for a few dollars. She stashed away her birthday money. A few weeks ago she asked if she could start doing chores for allowance. Soon, she’d saved $36 and change.

Then late last week I told the kids we were going to go out to pick out some presents for a couple of kids whose parents weren’t able to cover Christmas for them this year.

“Mommy,” Poppy said, just before my heart exploded into a million proud and happy pieces, “I don’t need an American Girl doll. I’d like to use my money to buy those kids some presents.”

And so she did. And Pete did, too. We emptied out their piggy banks, and we took them to the store. They knew how much they had to spend, and they oh-so-carefully scoured the stores for good prices, so they could buy those kids as much as possible. On the way home they talked about how much fun they’d had and about saving their money all year long so we could do it again next year.

(Poppy did ask me a few days ago how she’s going to get the money for her doll now. Maybe we’ll get a separate bank to serve as the Christmas Gifting fund.)

I think this may be the birth of a holiday tradition. I can’t think of a much better way to kick off the Christmas season.

Things I hope to do in December, item 2 of 15. Complete!

5 thoughts on “Saving and spending and filling my heart with joy”

Funny. Mrs. Mason and I have adopted a family for Christmas this year, and are foregoing the giving of gifts to one another to do so. It is a pretty joyous thing.

Oh, what a good, good girl! That’s so wonderful!

Re: AG dolls…I was >thisclose< to getting one for Wendy this year, but just couldn't pull the trigger. That much? For a doll? Granted, they are beautiful dolls and I'm sure they are well-made and whatnot. But then I found a similar Our Generation doll on Target's website. It was some kind of special deal, but the doll came with three outfits, a book, a bunch of little accessories, and A HORSE THAT THE DOLL CAN RIDE. For FIFTY DOLLARS. That's what Wendy is getting for Christmas instead, and she is going to love it.

I probably will get her an AG doll at some point, but we're going to do the same kind of deal – she needs to earn & save at least part of the money for it.

And now you’re going to buy her the American Girl doll, because that’s how it works in the movies, right? (BTW, that would be a really inadvisable thing to do, as I’m sure you already know.)

As you probably already know, this made me cry! 🙂 What sweet kids you have, Nichole. When I was in CoMo, I did the Adopt a Family the last couple years I was there and loved it. Was far more fun than buying for my friends or family.