What do you spend on birthday gifts for other kids?

[jd11365]

Well, it's all starting to begin...birthday parties! What do you usually spend for a child of a good friend? What do you usually spend for a child from playgroup? Is there a staple gift you usually give?

TIA!

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
5-1-03

[khakismom]

Jamie, for a playgroup playmate, I try to spend about $15, no more than $20. For a good friend's child, $25, no more than $30. :)

[AngelaS]

I'm cheap. LOL I stock up on gifts that are age appropriate for Adrienne when I find them on sale. Usually after Christmas clearance is a good time for me to fill my gift bin for the year and then I have toys to give out at all the the upcoming birthday parties. :)

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

I hope to do the same...but I have to say I think Birthday gift exchanges (atleast what I have witnessed here first hand in our neighborhood) is absolute insanity. Kids are opening a gift and not even looking at it and moving on to the next. I jsut want to know where do folks keeps all of these toys????

For Tristan's Birthday I am asking folks NOT to bring presents...and I mean it-my child needs nothing !!!! It is considered rude to ask such a thing and then to open any publically at the party if some bring them so I am going to politey put on the invitation...NO GIFTS and he will be opening gifts from his parents.

A columnist just wrote about the insantiy of gifts everywhere, but more so the parents having to buy on average of one a week...and he/she had the idea to purchase books...I thought that a good idea...

Honstly my friend with two children hits birthday parties everyweek on average...yikes!!!


Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[jd11365]

Yikes..birthday parties every week! And they said we would save money by staying home... I think I'm going to do like Angela and pick some toys up during after-holiday sales if I see some good stuff... I enjoy giving gifts...much more than getting them believe it or not... Just wondering what the protocol is for stuff like this since I'm new to it all. :)

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
5-1-03

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

keep in mind my friend's children are in day care so an invite to a party goes to all of them!!!...and then you factor in neighborhood kids, and friends kids and I can see where there would occupy 2 kids every week. It seems she is always heading to a birthday party and her kids are only 2 and 5...


Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[MartiesMom2B]

I spend around $10 - $15 on birthday parties for playgroup and my friend's kids. Hardly any of my good friends have children, but for nephews I spend around $20 for birthday.

My playgroup is having a birthday swap and one party for all the kids in the spring - since most of the babies were born in the spring. We're going to draw names. I think it'll be much better for all of us all around.

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03

[mom2kandj]

Our usual limit is $15 and that includes wrapping paper and a card! For close friends it may go up to $20, but you can get great toys/gifts for $10-12. For close family members(cousins), we go up to $30 or buy a gift on sale that is normally that price. DD just had her birthday extravaganza and Hi Ho Cheerio got the same enthusiastic reponse as the much more expensive LP Cash Register. Favorites for the toddler set:

Magna Doodle (especially when on special like at Target right now for under $10)
Playdoh fun buckets (small cans of playdoh and assorted cutters)
Crayola Wonder Magic pen sets (Pens that write on special paper and not on your walls!)
Toddler computer software (very inexpensive at Costco!)
Book sets (also a great deal at Costco)
Hot Wheels multipacks
Sand toys and bubbles for summer play
Wooden puzzles
Tea sets or any other imagination play items!

HTH!

Rose
mom 2 Katie (almost 3!)
& Jack (19 months)

[suribear]

$15 for playgroup/preschool friends, except for a couple who are very close. for close friends around $20-$30, even $50 at times. keep in mind I'm a bargain hunter, so I get really nice stuff for the $15! (worth a lot more, that is) We have parties almost every weekend - it's my social life :)

I've heard of a playgroup where each family gives $10 towards a gift certificate for each birthday. There are around 10 kids, so you end up with a $100 GC! It's nice b/c they can get something big instead of a ton of small stuff AND it doesn't cost too much. Though I kind of enjoy hunting for appropriate gifts. Call me crazy.

Kris

[mamahill]

Hey Neve - I'm with you! Ainsleigh doesn't need lots of toys, and I wanted people to come CELEBRATE her first birthday, so I just wrote on the bottom of the invitation, "No gifts please" and we had a separate family party where we had gifts. But I did ask everyone to bring a stroller, high chair, or eating seat for a party picture. That, and the messing up of the cake, was all that was important to me.

[AngelaS]

They had an idea in an old Family Fun magazine, that instead of having people bring gifts for the honoree, to have the guests bring cat/dog food to donate to the local animal shelter. Neve, I know you're an animal lover... :)

Then for the party, you have a dog/cat cake and do crafts or games with a dog and cat theme. I think it could easily be adapted to any age. I want to do it with A some time since I really want her to realize it's not about getting, but GIVING....

[sarasprings]

My favorite gift for children that DS hangs out with (except his best buddy -- who we spend $20 on by agreement), is a nice set of wooden playdoh rolling pins (about $7) and homemade playdoh or a nice book from a discout book place (I've found board books kits -- such as The Hat by Jan Brett with a Hedgie stuffed animal and Rooster... by Eric Carle with a rubber stamp and pad set for $6) that has good stuff.

[starrynight]

Playgroup/neighbors kids my limit is $10-$15 but most of them are 6 and under so you can get a decent toy for this age at that price. Good friends or relatives I spend a bit more but still keep it under $30 for a birthday.

[egoldber]

For the holidays, my playgroup usually does a group gift exchange. Everyone brings a gender neutral gift and we do some kind of exchange at the party. The $ value is usually set at $10-$15.

For birthdays, my playgroup has done something similar. Originally, all our kids were born around the same time (July - Sept of 2001), so we did a group birthday "party" in August, with a similar $ value gift exchange limit. Its not expected that we invite each other to our kids "private" birthday parties. Next year is the first year where there will be first birthday parties for the second round of kids, so I'm curious how things will go then.

For the playgroup gifts, I try to give basics (Playdoh, crayons, drawing stuff, etc.). Something that is a consumable so its not a hassle for the parents to return or exchange.

For close friends, I usually spend $20-$25. Maybe I'm cheap, but I don't feel the need to spend more than that.

HTH,