Joe Heller for April 28, 2024

And I thought it was expensive back in 1959, corsage, tux rental. No limo, no pre-dance dinner, but still costly using only my funds. Nice time and thank you Sally for being my date.

Seriously? Kids need a limo to go to prom? And a pre prom dinner at a fancy restaurant?

They took our prom and put it in a movie. Doubt me?

You never seen Footloose?

The costs of proms and weddings is the choice of the participants and those who are paying.

Give ‘em everything, forget to teach them the value of money.

It’s very inexpensive to NOT GO TO PROM.

Prom attendance is not mandatory!

I did not go to my Prom, too busy working that night.

Let the kids pay for it.

As I grew up in the South (or, at least, under southern influence) the adults around me worried not only about the cost of “Promenades” but of “Cotillions” as well – presenting your children to “Society” was a big part of the growth process in Southern life – or, at least, in parts of it.

Now impressing your peers is done with clowns, ponies and the sizes of the “Bounce Houses” at birthday parties – or, if you’re plebian, renting Chuck-e-Cheese for the evening, but it’s still a monetary competition with your peer group – my two boys had to make do with a cake and ice cream party an a not-so-very subtle card to the invitees requesting their presence without presents which told THEIR parents that we already had way too much “stuff”! (one-upmanship through a card…).

In 1967—I sewed my dress, as did some of my friends, and if your date didn’t have a car, the parents drove.