Mandatory Celebrations

I am generally not a party pooper, but I'm getting pretty tired of being asked to shell out some cash for department birthday celebrations. In addition to the schoolwide social dues that all staff are asked to pay, I'm asked to give $5 every time someone in our office has a birthday in order to help pay for snacks that I don't even partake in. These birthdays seem to happen at least once a month and this week is the second week in a row that I've been approached for cash. I usually grudgingly cough it up, but I'd rather just skip the whole thing. Truthfully, I'd be just as happy if no one had to shell out money for my birthday either. I don't need the recognition of my advancing age. While $5 isn't a great deal of money, it certainly adds up. We'd be better off saving our wallets and our bodies from monthly snackfests in favor of putting our money into the scholarship fund that our department developed in lieu of giving each other cheesy Christmas gifts this year. Maybe I am a party pooper and a tight wad and a scrooge, but I don't care if those are my labels. I don't want to have to conform to spending money on what are unquestionably true frivolities for the sake of office politics when my husband and I have pretty big debt to pay off and every $5 helps with the mess we are in.