My son was invited to two birthday parties recently where I did not know the families personally. They were just kids he had befriended from his sports team.
We don’t know much about these kids, their likes and dislikes, other than they enjoy football.
So we got the kids each a gift card and attached it to a big bag of candy. What kid doesn’t love candy?
It seems that more and more people are giving gift cards in lieu of gifts. This makes the dilemma even more difficult of how much money to spend on the present. When you buy a gift you can get it on sale, find something cheap that looks cool, basically be a bargain hunter. When you give money it is just that, money. Can’t pretend that the $20 bill really cost $30 can you?
I am curious… what sorts of things do you buy for birthday presents for those kids you really don’t know very well? Are gift cards the way to go? They seem so impersonal. Are there other sorts of presents perhaps I hadn’t considered?
I have used gift cards to movie theaters or movie rental places. Both were very popular
Comment by Lori — September 25, 2008 @ 12:34 pm
I usually let my daughter pick out a gift, if it is a girl and around the same age as her. I figure she would know best what to get a 6-7 yr old girl than I do. If it is for a boy, I take my husband with me. As much as I hate to admit it, he is a big kid and usually knows exactly what a 6-7 yr old boy would like. This has worked pretty well for me.
I usually hear back how so and so loved the gift when my daughter or husband pick it out, not so much when I do the picking. I always attach a gift recipet, most stores have them, and figure if it is that horrible of a gift they can go exchange it for something else. I mean they would have to go to the store, anyway, if I had given them a gift card. It doesn’t help in the price department, but I put a $20 limit on all b-day gifts.
Comment by SoMo — September 25, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
No advice from me, but I do feel in distress when it’s older kids (say, 10 and up) that I’m buying for. I hate having to use gift cards, so they know exactly how much I spent, but I have no clue what else to give them!
Comment by Brigitte — September 26, 2008 @ 4:42 am
My son recently received a craft box – a shoe box with a few dollar store type craft supplies. He loved it!
Comment by Mandi — September 26, 2008 @ 2:32 pm
I have found bike accesories (spoke decorations, baskets, noise makers) are great. It seems every kid has a bike. For an older child, I get a bike chain, bike headlight, or saddle pack. Most of them have loved it.
When my son turned 14 I had no clue what to get him. The eonly thing I knew he liked, outside of expensive video games, was root beer. So, I bought various bottles of different brand soda, some bottles, some cans, and an asortment of snacks like chips, candybars, little debbies. All the stuff he is never allowed to have on a regular basis. It filled a small laundry basket! He loved it. It took him 2 months to finish it off, and has requested another basket for Christmas!
Comment by Claire — September 28, 2008 @ 6:58 pm
I find it interesting about the comment that since you don’t “know the kid well”, you feel that it’s okay to buy a cheaper gift that look “cool”… I wonder, it doesn’t cost the kid’s parents to spend any less in having your kid over as part of the party… I guess the point is, you’re invited to go to celebrate someone’s birthday, get them a decent gift to wish the kid a good time… you probably won’t like it if someone get your kid a cheapie gift on your son’s birthday party if their “reason” was that the parents feel that “didn’t know your son that well”?
Comment by Kinto — September 29, 2008 @ 11:06 pm
I think that Kinto has misunderstood what was being said, I also don’t like the idea of a gift card to either give or receive. I don’t like the idea that someone knows exactly how much I spent on them whether I know them personally or not. I have four children ranging from 2 – 10 and I find it just as hard to pick a gift for any age. The idea of a craft box is a great one I also have done this and my daughter cried when she handed it over because she wanted it. I have also done subscription to kids magazines, that’s a good one because the present lasts. Another one I have found that is a good one is to take the child with you (without the parents) and let them pick the present, although this would obviously only work when you knew them personally.
Comment by cate0404 — September 30, 2008 @ 3:30 am
Hello,
I truely believe in clothes. Now a days kids like clothes just as much as toys and GC. My daughter and son like to go shopping with me for their friend’s parties. We usually find some type of clothing-shirt, sweater, shorts, pjs etc. I have received nothing but great compliments from the parents and the kids.
Just another idea-
Comment by antigone — October 3, 2008 @ 10:40 pm
For the past few years we have asked everyone who comes to our kids parties to bring a wrapped hard cover book – then all the kids get a choose one after cake – so it is like a book exchange in reality. Kids have loved it, parents even more and it has caught on to about half of the parties we now attend. We felt our kids had most of the things they needed – and the idea of 15 more toys (plus the stuff from grandparents, etc) was just too much.
Comment by Greg — October 6, 2008 @ 6:30 pm
I ask the parents when RSVPing for the party what sort of things the child likes if my son doesn’t really know. He is 4 and is in preschool, so he plays with most of the kids on a daily basis. I don’t really like gift cards for this age group, but buy them frequently for family members and friends. I also like to put a $20 limit on gifts for my son’s friends’ birthday parties.
Comment by Emily — October 7, 2008 @ 10:53 pm
You should have your son ask the other kids what they are getting for the party and get something like (not the same) that
Comment by jessica — October 8, 2008 @ 7:01 pm
when was the party?
Comment by jessica — October 8, 2008 @ 7:02 pm
For my kids who are 10 and 12 they LOVE money!! So I don’t do gift cards any more for older (10 and up) kids, we give money. I personally think 20.00 is enough and the kids always seem to be happy with money. Besides money can be spent anywhere. A gift card you normally have to spend it at the store where purchased.
Comment by Leigh Anne — October 9, 2008 @ 6:00 pm
What I have always done for my son’s parties is this: He can either choose a big activity with his parents (Chuck E. Cheese, a water park, the movies, etc), or he can have a party with a few friends at our house. If he chooses the party, I make the cake. I send out invitations that say, “please do not bring a gift, just come enjoy the day with us”. I get a lot of calls about this and I just insist. Most people come empty-handed. Some just can’t comply. My theory is that my son will recieve and open gifts from us at the party. Other families have no idea what he already owns or what to get him. Sometimes we have a pinata, where the kids can fill goodie bags with the candy from it. I don’t believe in giving gifts to the party goers. Kids birthday parties have gotten way out of hand! Some people have even started “registering” at Toys R Us for their kids birthdays. I think that is way too much!
Keep it simple, have some cake and punch, and let the kids play.
Comment by Guest — October 10, 2008 @ 12:41 pm