What did you get for St. Patrick's Day?

Okay, I know it won't be St. Patrick's Day for a couple days yet, but maybe you have a wishlist? A green beer? Perhaps a bouquet of shamrocks? Your very own leprechaun?

Or maybe you're thinking, "Hey, wait a minute - I didn't even realize St. Patrick's Day was a gift-giving holiday!" Me too! But apparently it is, because my children all received St. Patrick's Day gifts in the mail yesterday from their grandmother, my mother-in-law. Yes, each one of them received a $5 bill in a card.

She does this for every minor holiday - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day. And in every card: five dollars. I know she's just trying to be nice, but I really wish she wouldn't send the children cash.

What exactly could an infant do with a $5 bill except eat it? He can't even open the card. I don't think he's saving up his money to buy a new sippy cup or anything. If he needs anything, we buy it for him. I used to try putting it away and saving it for him, but now the money goes right into my purse.

Brendan is excited to get money because he knows it's something he should want, but he doesn't really "get" the concept. He treats it more like something to play with. And like all his other toys, he leaves it laying around. After looking at it sitting on the coffee table for awhile, it finds its way into my purse too. If he asks for something reasonable - the other day he wanted a notebook - I'll get it for him and we can pretend that's what grandma's money bought.

Alyssa does understand about money, so she hides it away in her room. Where it stays along with the money she gets from the tooth fairy and any other money she aquires. She does occasionally spend it on things like the school store, the book fair or her very own Girl Scout cookies. But she also understands that I will buy her whatever she needs and most reasonable things that she wants.

Grandma also sent stickers in Alyssa and Brendan's cards and I think that kind of a "gift" is much more appropriate! Thanks Grandma!