donate the money that you would spend to a good cause (not the fund rich donation boxes in the malls). The prayers you get from people in need that you help may be more valuable and memorable then than the money you spend to celebrate your child's 1st birthday with a party and balloons. You see a lot of these expat Asian labor toiling hard in the heat, building bridges, roads and buildings. The conditions that they live in is appalling. Even a bottle of cold water/Tang and some fresh fruits will be more appreciated by them.