What do teenage boys do about buying presents for schoolfriends’ birthdays?

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

When I was at school we used our own pocket money to buy something small. Eg a single (am old!), something little from
The body shop.

Oldest DS is now 15 and while organised parties at venues have stoppped they’re starting to organise get togethers at each other’s houses. Nothing rowdy, just maybe a trip to 5 a side then pizza or takeaway afterwards. We give him spending money for all of it unless parents are specifically paying for some part of it eg pitch hire or escape room entry, in which case we give him just enough money to cover his share of food/drink etc

Because it’s not a formal party at a venue thing like when they were younger at soft play or trampling DS doesn’t think he has to even give a birthday card at these things. Says that boys don’t do that!

Yeah I think he's right. Presents are a bit naff

Tenner in a card?

He's more or less right.

Pressies are very rarely given, unless it's the flat, folding type inside a card.

Birthdays boy's parents wouid normally stump up for cinema tickets, pizza etc, so I don't supply money to cover that (DSes wouid have their own cash/bankcard with them so couid pay if need, and I wouid refund if that happened but it hasn't - yet). We do give ours cash to treat their friends after eg cinema when it's their birthday.

Yes, Tenner in a card is standard for mine.
Or they sometimes get gift card things for online games. Don't know the technical term!

Tenner in a card here too.

PlayStation voucher
Nando's gift card
£20 in a card

Mine stopped doing presents once the organised, parent- led parties stopped. From memory I think this was at about 13. Teenage girls seem to buy presents for one another, but boys don't bother.

He’s gone with a tenner in a card. Don’t think he’s generous enough to give 20 whole quid of his own!

One of his friends is taking nowt apparently so hope I’m not going to get “oh, Mum, I wish I hadn’t listened to you, I was the only one to give him anything and felt like a tool”!

Well the child's parents will like him for it anyway. That can be a bonus.

DS and I were just having the exact same conversation. Going to go with cash, but late to do anything else.

Ds just going out to get 15th birthday present for friend - probably novelty sweets or something from Tiger. Maybe they're unusual but they all tend to give each other something.

Ds is 15 - don’t think he and his friends do any specific present buying for each other. When it’s someones birthday they will generally go into nearby town together and eat food. I should think that the birthday boy may get their food paid for by the others or there’s some sort of money contribution but would have to ask him. Definitely no birthday card.

DD is 13 and either gives money or a present. And a birthday card. Birthday celebrations are more organised with her and her friends.

Tenner in a card (paid by me).
Once they got to 15/16 and organised their own birthdays that stopped. They don't even give cards to friends now they are over 18.

On-line gift card or ten pound in card.
If he didn't want to take it to the get-togethers I'd get him to drop it round or put it through their letter box the day before.

Ds 14 was on a birthday outing yesterday, four of them. They all took a card with money in. I know this as I interrogated him on his return

DS1 is 17, since about 14 his mates haven't even done cards, they just go for a cinema and Nandos/burger/pizza trip and split paying for the birthday boy's ticket and food amongst the rest of them. They do still give Christmas cards and small gifts then though!