I Want My Swag

Next month Katherine and I will be flying up to Massachusetts for my 10 year reunion from Smith. Reunion is a big deal for Smithies, full of tradition. The biggest event is Ivy Day, which is the day before graduation. There's the big Ivy Day Parade in which all of the alums march into the Quad and cheer on the graduating seniors. All the Smithies wear white (with black shoes because its before Memorial Day). Usually each of the reunion classes have some sort of theme for the parade; every has matching hats or t-shirts or something. Basically they've got swag or flair or whatever you want to call it. Its paid for out of the fees that one pays to attend the reunion (about 50 buckaroos just to attend, not including any additional events you want to go to like receptions and dinners). Well this morning I received an email from our class president with the following message:

Unofficial Class Events/Swag: Since many of us still have Smith T-shirts cluttering up our closets, we decided to use the budget typically saved for swag to host a few class events for FREE! Friday night will be a Herrell's ice cream social and Saturday afternoon we will have a tea-type event at class headquarters. These events are open to everyone in our class (and their guests) who registers for reunion. If you are not registered, or bring unregistered guests (other than children), we will ask you to donate a few dollars to help cover the costs.

'scuse me? You mean to tell me that I forked over the $50 and I'm getting no swag??? Due to the fact that I have a two year old in tow who will need to be in bed at a decent hour and who takes an afternoon nap I may not be able to attend either one or both of those "free" events (yes, I know Papa and Gram are available for babysitting but we're talking principal here). Second you mean to tell me that someone who has decided not to register for reunion (aka: freeloader and I know there will be some) can walk into one of the "free" events and contribute a "few dollars" and participate? Somehow that does not seem right to those of us who forked over the $50 (and in all honestly thought about being a freeloader but thought that wasn't right and hey, at least I'll get some swag, right? Do I want to be the only one at the Ivy Day Parade without my swag?). I want my swag.