What Nick Klimchuk-Brown was most excited about was the magician, but the real magic happened behind the scenes.
There was a time not so long ago that a child's birthday party meant raking in the loot, and if invitees didn't enter bogged down with presents in large cartoon-print wrapping, a tantrum was sure to follow.
But times are changing, and one family's global consciousness is taking hold.
Klimchuk-Brown would say his sixth birthday was the best, even though he didn't receive a single gift.
That's because he asked guests to bring donations for tsunami victims instead, and 100 friends and strangers gathered to comply. Klimchuk-Brown's parents have always turned all of their kids' parties into charitable events, and they make sure to involve the kids by giving them a choice of charities.
"I showed Nick before and after pictures of a village in Sri Lanka that was hit by the tsunami and he wanted to help," said his mother Stephanie Brown. "Like everybody, we want to protect the kids from the horrors that are out there, but we let the kids know they're privileged here, so there's an obligation."
In past years Klimchuk-Brown, Adam, 3, and Keara, 7, donated their birthday proceedings to the food bank, the Howe Sound Women's Centre and the World Wildlife Fund.
Brown says she's seen them derive satisfaction from helping, and the idea's catching on; when she mentions the ploy to other parents, many think it's a brilliant idea.
"Who wants another bright plastic toy?" she said.
This year, however, begins a new tradition.
"We never opened it to the public before," said Brown.
Brown is on the Humanity Village fundraising committee and decided to market the party, so family and friends papered the town with cost-free advertising.
And the public did not disappoint.
"I was the most appreciative to the people who showed that we didn't know," she said, adding that the largest contribution was from a mother and daughter who brought in $61 in rolled coins.
The tally of contributions totaled $475, all of which is going to support volunteers going to Sri Lanka.
Although a lot of fuss was made of the fundraiser, Brown made sure that Klimchuk-Brown remained firmly in the spotlight. A magician was hired to entertain guests. Brown said the act did cost some money, but magician Ray Wong lowered the cost by giving a base rate instead of charging the going rate per child.
"We say it's a small sacrifice to give up gifts, but we try to make up for it with the party."
The cake was brought out during a private party before the general public arrived, and then Klimchuk-Brown and his guests had the time of their lives watching and participating in a magic act.
"Nick was laughing so hard he was rolling on the floor."
Brown said they'll try to recreate the success of the event for Adam's fourth birthday in April.
All proceeds of the upcoming party will also go to Humanity Village.
