Wednesday, July 30, 2008

gift giving.



We've received a lot of birthday invitations this spring/summer as well as having some birthday's of our own, but the question that continually weighs on my mind is, what is a good present to take to a child's birthday party? How much is too much to spend, what is excessive, what is not enough? I am not convinced I know the answer. Is it a toy that they will play with a few times and then it breaks, an outfit or accessory that isn't very fun to open but may be well used, art supplies or a craft.. what are your favorite birthday gifts to have your child give and what are the ones you most enjoy your child receiving?

gift via erinruth.com

16 comments:

  1. I usually stick to books. You can get one or two for the age the child is now, and maybe one for them to "grow into". I don't think you can ever have too many books, and I always appreciate getting them!

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  2. i, too, like to give books - whether it be a story book, or a how to book, etc. you can get inexpensive ones on amazon or wherever else, but i think it is a nice, simple gift.

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  3. i read a website somewhere that had good ideas, like going in with other kids for a membership to a museum, or a gift subscription to a fun magazine. not fun to open, but something that keeps on giving!

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  4. we are firm believers in the amazon wishlist around here. we love getting things off it. when we give gifts, we normally give away a lot fo small things in one big gift basket.

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  5. I agree - books are great gifts. You can get a couple and it doesn't cost a fortune. You can definitely tailor the book(s) to the kid and most moms are thrilled to have their kids get them (one can never have too many books). I typically try to get one nice hardback and then a similar (themed) sticker/activity book. (My kids and most of the parties for us at this point are preschoolers).

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  6. My nieces got a lot of craft kits for their b-days this year and my SIL said it was great because when they were done they were done! Not adding another toy to the already cluttered house.

    And I love giving books, but I'm a teacher so maybe I'm biased?

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  7. This is a great post. I am so excited to read what everyone suggests. I love getting books, board games, and gift cards for my kids. I do not like anything noisy or loud like guitars or drums toys with batteries are a pain too.

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  8. It seems I usually buy for babies, so my top 3 gifts are... the twilight turtle, every mom & baby love these. A Blabla doll- can't go wrong with one of those. Or a collection of tried and true favorite books. For toddlers or older kids I love getting something creative they can do. Local quilting shops usually have a few kid crafts you can buy... like a kit to make your own purse, or pincushion!

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  9. I try to give greener gifts. Toys made of wood, recycled clothing, books. No plastic or batteries in my gifts!

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  10. I try to give kids' gifts that are big in impact, but easy on the budget. Major hits in the past have been hula hoops, jump ropes, and custom children's aprons (found those via etsy for $10 or less). I always say simple gifts are best, and you'd never want to spend so much that the parents feel outdone or uncomfortable. And yes, a book is always a great idea.

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  11. Oh! When I was a child going to a birthday party, my mom often purchased a large helium filled balloon and tied oodles of curly ribbon to it. All down the string she would tie $1 bills to look like bows on a kit string, usually the amount equalled the child's age like $5 or $7. Everybody loved it. I've done it for my nieces and nephews and they love it too!

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  12. I have been making gifts, usually a tote bag with their favorite colors or sports and maybe an artist case. Lately though I have been giving the gift of friendship especially over the summer. Like for a friend of my sons bday, we gave him a homemade card with the choice of going to see our local baseball team or going to play mini golf. Though, I know work at a kids bookstore, so books it may be {with a tote!}

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  13. Books :) Like the other posts, even if they aren't way excited to get them (well some kids are) I know it will most likley get used. I try to get them books that go along with their age and intrests

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  14. I like to give personalized gifts. I bought my nephew a great wooden sign with his name that can hang in his nursery and grow with him. It's not so babyish that he'll outgrow it. My daughter has received so many great personalized gifts that I love - tote bags, jewelry, jewelry boxes, monogrammed sweaters, etc. Not only are these gifts unique, but they show that the gift giver put some time and planning into the gift.

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  15. I love to let my kids pick out the gifts for their friends, whether from the "gift box" of pre-purchased items or at our local store...it helps them to feel like it is a special gift from just them. I also love to give things the kids can use to be creative. Craft items, coloring books, paints, etc. Always age appropriate

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  16. in my rather large family there is always gift giving. i make a point of giving a gift that i know is something that suits that individual person. for example, i gave one of the teenagers (who is into makeup) the kevyn aucoin -making faces book, to one of the little neices a stuffed cow, which was her treasure she took everywhere for over 2 years - until she lost it! along with the gifts i include a set of personalized note cards too. these are always a hit!

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