Today’s suggested packing lists for seven-week camps might include a light blanket and warm comforter, two sets of sheets, six towels, three pairs of sneakers, 25 pairs of underwear, 25 pairs of socks, sports equipment and toiletries. Then there’s clothing for almost any weather condition, including a raincoat and boots, a fleece jacket, over 20 tops and shorts, and 10 pairs of pajamas, split between light and heavy.
Miscellaneous items include Crazy Creek folding chairs, a kaboodle to hold hair ties, makeup and nail polish, flashlights, decorative pillows for optimal bunk bed comfort, family photos to push back the homesickness, games and personalized safes for, say, smuggled candy.
The “color war” poses its own sartorial challenge. During this epic end-of-summer tournament, campers wear their team colors and compete in events. But since children don’t know what color they will be assigned, parents often consider four possibilities.
To purchase, many families make a “camp appointment” with a personal shopper at Danny, a children’s boutique in New York, New Jersey and South Florida. The associates greet them with their camp’s packing list printed out. Spencer Klein, whose family has owned Denny’s since 1978, says the average expense for a new camper’s date is $1,500 to $2,000. (A coveted perk: The store labels everything for free.)
As for these new jobs in the service sector:
This year, for the first time, Dara Grandis, a mother of three in Manhattan, hired professional organizer Meryl Bash to prepare her three children, who are leaving at the end of June for seven weeks at camp.
Here is the full WSJ article by Tara Weissvia the excellent Samir Varma.
