Present for vegan child?

[WhathappenstoDD]

Been invited to an old school friends DCs birthday party with my DD. SFs DC will be turning 5, my DD will be 7 by the time we go.

Invite says that they can only accept gifts which are fully vegan including toys. I was thinking maybe of getting a book? But I don’t know if books are vegan.

So any suggestions? I don’t want to offend by turning up with the wrong present.

Oh I've thought of something else! Lanka kade do really sweet wooden toys. My daughter had a couple brought recently. You could buy 2 and it might encourage some play with other children?

www.babipur.co.uk/search/?q=Animal+Lanka+kade

Dear god a gift is a gift, if you don't want it then you re-gift it or donate it.

My child is vegetarian, if they ever got haribo or whatever then I'd just pass it on and sometimes would get them non gelatine sweets to make up for it.

I guess they don't want to generate waste or whatever but it's a bit up their own arse to dictate to people what they can or can't buy.

As for a gift, a book would be fine or maybe something like a grow your own sunflower kit from Wilko.

Be careful if you give cash lots of it is plastic and non vegan now

If you go by the EU definition they are trying to push through things can’t be labelled vegan if they are made by the labour of an animal.

As humans and pollinators are animals you can give precisely nothing on that definition?

Sorry not helpful but always amuses me they are shooting themselves in the foot when it gets so strict!

@Undersnatch

Wow, how to lose friends and alienate people. Do they make these stipulations in a respectful way? (If there is one)

Message said "Hi Whathappens would MiniHappen and yourself like to come to ours on 7th August for (her DDs name) birthday? Address is (address). If bringing a gift please don't bring anything none vegan we cannot accept anything that doesn't match with our views, this includes toys. Sorry to be a pain"

I've used this company before, the sweets are very moreish :
www.consciouscandy.co.uk/

I have a friend like this, I always get her DD something fun or frivolous (and new) that she wouldn't have access to at home (which is not my norm, I usually buy books). I've done stuff like beanie babies, wooden doll's house, stuff from Claire's etc... My friend doesn't specify no plastic though, although it's maybe implied?
I think you'd be safe with a book or a board game. Snakes & ladders? There are some good indie board games too.

[quote sylbunny]Oh I've thought of something else! Lanka kade do really sweet wooden toys. My daughter had a couple brought recently. You could buy 2 and it might encourage some play with other children?

www.babipur.co.uk/search/?q=Animal+Lanka+kade[/quote]
Ohh I love the Babi Pur website, I bought some bits for some other friends of mine from there. Thank you

The message about plastic was after, I asked her what her DD liked and she said "Anything that isn't plastic"

She’s probably dying for an LOL or something similar but her parents won’t let her have one

Books! Get her a couple of picture books (or some classic stories for the grown-ups to read to her like...charlotte's web? the sheep-pig? the animals of farthing wood? :-) )

Or something like a science kit - National geographic build a volcano/grow crystal ones are often in a two-for offer at Argos and suit that age.

I think the child would like anything, but the Mother will go ape if it's not right,and good enough for her..

I'd check with the parents before you buy, I wouldn't want to spend loads of time and possibly money on a gift the child won't be allowed.

I'm baffled at the idea of vegan toys tbh, what might you give a 5yo that's made of leather or fur

Go find it cards. A nice wholesome activity.

Book from Waterstones with a receipt inside if she’s got it?

Lush do loads of great things

More gifts are vegan than not really - don’t worry too much!

I feel like this child will have a million books so I'd get her something fun that her mum probably wouldn't get her. Sorry no suggestions but it sounds like a lot of hard work for a 5 year olds birthday present!

Aldi had vegan sweets last time I went. I would buy a glass jar (asda have them for £1) and fill with vegan sweets.

Or how about paper and pencils, they are definitely vegan and eco, metal pencil sharpener and hemp pencilcase perhaps

I'd get her marbles. They are interesting to look at and you can play loads of games with them.

Take them out of the plastic netting they will no doubt be in and put them in a cardboard gift box. A plain brown one, not a glittery one!

I think I would politely bow out. They sound like hard work

Tricky one- the strict environmentalists I know tend to discourage presents full stop or ask for contributions towards a wanted item- the whole idea of surprise and possibly unwanted gifts isn't hugely green.

In your shoes I'd probably go with a book (animal glues aren't generally used).

A pp suggested sponsoring an animal which I think is a great idea but might need to be run by the parents. I wanted to sponsor an animal for my goddaughter when she was born but her parents gave me chapter and verse on the exploitation involved with this as well. Essentially commodifying guilty feelings it boiled down to, which I do not neccessarily disagree with, but it was rather dispiriting when everything else had been shot down too.

In the end I bought her an antique gold locket for when she is older and that was probably wrong as well (and it was also expensive).

Myriad have beautiful Waldorf Steiner eco hippy toys - although there's a lot of felt going on

Myriad Toys

@WaterAndTheWild

Myriad have beautiful Waldorf Steiner eco hippy toys - although there's a lot of felt going on

Myriad Toys

I loved this website thank you.

I imagine they are quite low waste so would they be bothered by people buying lots of new things?

Do you have anything your daughter loved playing with or wearing that you could give to them.