I love Poster’s idea. Those are my fondest memories of growing up (minus the mall and lunch part – never did anything like that). We didn’t have much, but the chol hamoed/midwinter days spent playing games together and having a really good family time are worth more than any ‘shtickiness’. I hope to recreate them, and on some level already am, for my kids bez”H.
I don’t recall ever being overly jealous of my friends’ glitzy descriptions of their escapades. Maybe a bit, but nothing unbearable. And we didn’t nudge our parents to keep up with the Cohenses. We knew we just couldn’t afford it and that was that. We weren’t sad about it AT ALL. I clearly remember that. It wasn’t even something that we hoped for.
I’m not talking about the good old days half a century ago either. Contrary to the image my screen name may present to you, I am a very young parent. I think the attitude of the children is dependant a lot on the attitude that the parents project.