When people ask you what to give your DC for their birthday..how do you answer?

[veronica]

i feel like I have spent so much time figuring out what to get DD myself, that I am stumped when people ask me. She kind of likes everything and doesn't have any "favorite" type toys. I usually don't give a specific answer but DD's birthday party is on Sunday and I am getting a ton of questions.

How do you answer this? I don't want to give expensive answers, etc.
If I tell everyone she likes books, she'll end up with too many. What about Barbies-I don't want to end up with a ton...I'm clueless with how to answer this question......

[HIU8]

When people ask (and I do wish more would) I tell them what DS is into--he likes the human body and the solar system, pretend play (dress up) star wars and a couple of the newer super heroes. I leave it open ended so that people can find something in the price range they want to spend. I really wish more people had asked for DS's 5th bday. We seem to have gotten a number of gifts that DS will never open and that he asked if he could give to toys for tots (not to mention the duplicates of things we already have).

[Ceepa]

We tell people books and art supplies. Then let people choose if they want to go that route or for something else. If DC receive something that is too advanced for them, we put it away until they're ready. If they receive something that we already have, aren't comfortable with, etc., we donate.

[egoldber]

Not everyone is comfortable with this, but DH's family all maintains Amazon Wish Lists. Love it. It makes things soooo much simpler.

But when an acquaintance asks for a birthday party, I usually just say things that I don't mind duplicates of. ;) I tell them books, puzzles, drawing, games and baby dolls. Thay can spend anything they want on those items.

[KpbS]

I tend to be very general in my answers--he likes playmobil, legos, books, art supplies, games, etc. I don't give specifics unless someone asks about a specific gift (my close friend for example) and also give different answers to different friends so we don't end up with multiple copies of the same gift or all of the same type or theme, KWIM?

[sarahsthreads]

I just updated the girls' wish lists on thethingsIwant.com for DH's sisters. What I do is put things on there that DD1 has specifically asked for (this is how we get out of stores without tantrums - if you want it and you can remember what it was by the time we get home, it goes on your wish list) and then add things I think she would enjoy so there's a variety of price ranges. So far for DD2 I've just been picking things out that I think she'd like, she obviously can't ask for specific toys yet! I wouldn't send out the link in a birthday invite, but if someone asked I'd ask them if they wanted me to send them the link.

I *really* appreciate other people sending me wish lists - I don't always buy off them, but it often gives me an idea of what the child (or adult!) is interested in and might like to receive.

Sarah :)

[klwa]

How do you answer this? I don't want to give expensive answers, etc.
If I tell everyone she likes books, she'll end up with too many. What about Barbies-I don't want to end up with a ton...I'm clueless with how to answer this question......

Maybe try asking for accessories for things you have. Like, tell people, "she's got a Barbie, and loves changing her outfits, maybe some Barbie clothes?" I agree with the PP about art supplies, too. Wonderful gifts!

[Tondi G]

my boys have wish lists at Amazon and toys r us. AS they see toys and tell me they want them I have them added to their wishlist. It also gives me a chance to read some reviews and see if it is a toy we should bother to ask for or buy (sometimes they are just crap). It is a good way to keep track of the things they ask for or show interest in... we go through and update often ... removing things they decide they no longer want or have bought. For birthday and xmas I can direct people there so they can get an idea of what my child is into and buy what they like.

[kijip]

For my older son, I will usually say books and what general sort of books he is reading as far as topics and reading level. I used to say books and art supplies but dude has more art supplies than a chain of large preschools and we don't need a single additional marker, pastel, sheet of paper etc for I estimate about 91 years. The only people who get more specific answers are people that WANT specific answers like my dad and the boy's childless godparents.

For my younger son, he is a baby and I just say books or "anything, he is a baby"

[Globetrotter]

I tell them their interests, rather than a specific item (like space, geography, art, lego, anatomy, etc...).