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Debate,

Would You Give Up Your Birthday Presents?

More and more kids are saying no to gifts and asking their friends to donate to charities instead. Is this a passing trend or a new tradition?

By Kara Corridan and Lauren Tarshis
From the February 2018 Issue
Lexile: 900L-1000L, 600L-700L
Featured Skill: Main Idea and Supporting Details,
Topic: Social Issues,
CCR Anchor Standards
  • R.1, R.2, R.6, R.8, W.1, W.4, W.10, SL.1, L.3
TEKS Standards
  • 4.12; 4.15; 4.19; 4.20; 4.27; 4.28; 4.29; 5.12; 5.15; 5.19; 5.20; 5.24; 5.26; 5.27; 5.28; 5.29; 6.11; 6.14; 6.18; 6.19; 6.23; 6.25; 6.26; 6.27; 5.29

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  • 900L-1000L
  • 600L-700L
  • Spanish
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Reading Level (600L-700L)
Spanish-Language Version

Emmie knew just what she wanted for her 10th birthday: 24 friends, her favorite cake . . . and no presents. Instead of gifts, she asked her friends to bring coins, which she donated to a charity she cares about.

Emmie isn’t alone. More and more birthday girls and boys are giving up gifts so they can raise money to help people, animals, and other important causes.

Is this just a fad, or will the no-gift birthday party become a new tradition? 

Emmie knew just what she wanted for her 10th birthday: 24 friends, her favorite cake, and no presents. Instead of gifts, she asked her friends to bring coins. She gave the coins to a charity she cares about. 

Emmie isn’t alone. More and more kids are giving up birthday gifts so they can raise money for important causes.

Is this just a fad, or will the no-gift birthday party become a new tradition?

Emmie sabía justo lo que quería para su 10mo cumpleaños: 24 amigos, su pastel preferido... y ningún regalo. En vez de regalos, les pidió a sus amigos que trajeran monedas, que le donó a una institución benéfica que le importa. Emmie no es la única. Más y más niñas y niños cumpleañeros están renunciando a sus regalos para recaudar dinero para ayudar a personas, animales y otras causas importantes. ¿Se trata de una simple novedad, o las fiestas de cumpleaños sin regalos se convertirán en una nueva costumbre? 

PK-PHOTOS/E+/GETTY IMAGES (DOGS) 

Parties That Help 

Parties That Help

Fiestas que ayudan

A birthday party without presents might seem a little sad. Who doesn’t love a heap of brightly wrapped gifts waiting to be ripped open?

But kids who have hosted no-gift parties say that they don’t feel deprived. They still get presents from their families, so they don’t totally miss out on the thrill of receiving a new game or LEGO® set. And they feel proud to be able to use their birthday parties to support causes they care about, like helping victims of hurricanes or finding cures for diseases. 

Shira, 13, has been hosting gift-free parties since she was 7. Over the years, she has collected thousands of dollars for the Humane Society, which aids and protects animals. Tyler, 10, has raised money for the organization Save the Elephants. Both are proud to support important causes—and to get their friends involved. “My friends have told me how great it makes them feel to help animals,” Shira says. 

A birthday party without presents might seem a little sad. Who doesn’t love a heap of gifts waiting to be ripped open?

But kids who have had no-gift parties say they don’t mind. They still get presents from their families, so they don’t totally miss out on the thrill of getting a new game or LEGO® set. And it feels good to use their birthdays to support causes they care about, like helping victims of hurricanes or finding cures for diseases. 

Shira has been hosting no-gift parties since she was 7. She is now 13. She has raised thousands of dollars for the Humane Society, which helps and protects animals. Tyler, 10, has raised money for the group Save the Elephants. Both are proud to support important causes—and to get their friends involved. “My friends have told me how great it makes them feel to help animals,” Shira says.

Una fiesta de cumpleaños sin regalos puede parecer un poco triste. ¿A quién no le gustan una pila de regalos con envolturas brillantes esperando a ser abiertos?

Pero los niños que han celebrado fiestas sin regalos dicen que no se sienten que carecen de algo. Reciben regalosde sus familias, así que no se pierden la emoción de recibir un nuego juego o un conjunto de LEGO®. Y se sienten orgullosos de poder utilizar sus fiestas de cumpleaños para respaldar una causa que les interese, como ayudar a las víctimas de huracanes o encontrar curas para enfermedades. 

Shira, de 13 años, ha celebrado fiestas sin regalos desde que tenía 7 años. Con los años, ha recaudado miles de dólares para la Humane Society, que ayuda y protege a los animales. Tyler, de 10 años, ha recaudado dinero para la organización Save the Elephants. Ambos están orgullosos de respaldar causas importantes: e involucrar a sus amigos. “Mis amigos me han dicho lo bien que se sienten al ayudar a los animales”, dice Shira.

Not for Everyone 

Not for Everyone

No para todo el mundo

COURTESY OF FAMILY (EMMIE) 

Emmie and Dean 

The trend of no-gift parties is growing, experts say. But giving up gifts is not a choice for everyone. For millions of kids, a birthday party is a once-a-year chance to get new clothes or toys. And what about the gift giver? We all love choosing the perfect gift for a friend and seeing their eyes light up when they open it. There are other opportunities for kids to support important causes, like class bake sales. Is a birthday party really the best time to raise money? 

Emmie says yes. At her birthday party, her friends raised $211 for a group that helps kids with autism. 

“My friend Dean has autism, and I wanted to do something for him,” she explains.

For Emmie, knowing she’d helped Dean was the best gift of all. 

Still, no-gift parties are not for everyone. For millions of kids, a birthday party is a oncea-year chance to get new clothes or toys. And what about the gift giver? It feels great to choose the perfect gift for a friend and see their eyes light up when they open it. There are other ways to support a cause, like class bake sales. Is a birthday party really the best time to raise money? 

Emmie says yes. At her party, her friends gave $211 for a group that helps kids with autism. “My friend Dean has autism, and I wanted to do something for him,” she says. 

For Emmie, knowing she’d helped Dean was the best gift of all.

La tendencia de las fiestas sin regalos está en crecimiento, dicen los expertos. Pero renunciar a los regalos no es una opción para todos. Para millones de niños, las fiestas de cumpleaños son su oportunidad anual de recibir ropas y juguetes nuevos. ¿Y qué pasa con el que regala? A todos nos gusta escoger el regalo ideal para un amigo y ver cómo se le iluminan los ojos cuando lo abre. Los niños tienen otras oportunidades para contribuir con causas importantes, como en ventas de pasteles. ¿Son las fiestas de cumpleaños el mejor momento para recaudar dinero? 

Emmie dice que sí. En su cumpleaños recaudó $211 para un grupo que ayuda a los niños con autismo. “Mi amigo Dean tiene autismo y yo quería hacer algo por él”, explica.

Para Emmie, saber que ayudó a Dean fue el mejor regalo de todos.

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Answer Key (2)
Answer Key (2)
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Skills Activities
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More About the Story

Skills

main ideas and supporting evidence, opinion writing

Complexity Factors

Purpose

The debate presents the pros and cons of requesting donations to charities, instead of gifts, at birthday parties.

Structure

The debate includes cause-and-effect and compare-and-contrast structures.  Reasons for and against no-gift birthday parties are woven throughout the text.

Language

The debate includes a few challenging words, such as deprived and autism, as well as a rhetorical question.

Knowledge Demands 

The text refers to autism and charities.

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

1. Preparing to Read

Have students preview the text features. Ask:

  • What is the topic of the debate? (Prompt students to use the debate title and the heading on the chart as clues.)
  • What do you think are the two sides of the issue?

2. Reading the Debate 

Read the debate as a class or in small groups.

Have students read the debate a second time. Prompt them to mark the types of support the author presents to back up each side, including:

  • Facts and statistics (F/S)
  • Quotes from experts (Q)
  • Stories or examples (EX)

3. Discussing

As a class or in groups, have students discuss:

  • Which evidence is most effective in supporting each side?
  • Is one side stronger than the other? Why?
  • What is your opinion? What evidence do you find the most convincing?
  • For more-advanced students: Do you think the author has a preferred point of view on this issue? What is your evidence?

4. Writing

Have students complete the chart in the magazine.

Distribute the activity “Write an Opinion Essay.” The lower-level version guides students to write a three-paragraph essay on the debate topic. The higher-level version prompts them to bring in additional evidence and write six paragraphs, including a rebuttal of the other side. With either version, hand out our Opinion Writing Toolkit, which offers writing tips and transition words.

Text-to-Speech