Is a desk an acceptable birthday present?

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Dd turns 10 just after christmas. She doesnt know what she wants for her birthday aside from one single thing that her Grandmother has already arranged to buy her.

Dd loves writing and drawing and does a lot of it both in her room and downstairs at the coffee table.

I have an idea of buying her a desk for her room, swivel chair (which she loves sitting in whenever we go anywhere with one), and filling the desk with lots of different paper, pens, a nice lamp etc.

It's a head start on her needing one for secondary school anyways, but is it naff to give it as a gift?

We are also swapping her bed (single) to the spare double when we are off over christmas, so that plus the desk will make her room more grown up.

Is this naff?

@MrsSkylerWhite

colourfulpuddles

Sorry but a desk is not a gift; it is a basic necessity she needs to do schoolwork on. Similarly naice paper, pens etc are not gifts; they’re essentials.“

Sorry, miseryguts, you’re massively out-voted.

(On a more serious note, your idea of an “essential” is another person’s financial stretch - not suggesting you OP. Don’t be a knob.)

At 88% in favour how is OP being out voted?

Also for the 88% of the voters all lot of them have said it’s not just the desk it’s all the extras and fairy lights etc that make the difference

I was addressing colourfulpuddles, not OP, obviously 🤷‍♀️
Desk/swivel chair is a brilliant gift.

Sounds amazing!! Could make it really lovely by filling the drawers etc with stationary and arty stuff. I'd have loved that at age 10!!

Sounds fantastic!

Naff?????

How about lovely !!!

@MrsSkylerWhite

I was addressing colourfulpuddles, not OP, obviously 🤷‍♀️ Desk/swivel chair is a brilliant gift.

Ah ok apologies MrsSkylerWhite your post didn’t show this

There were no quotes highlighted

My DD sold toys to buy herself a desk and swivel chair when she was only 5! She is the craftiest child, constantly making something and she adores her desk. She’s 8 now and would absolutely love to have a double bed, new desk and ‘grown up’ bedroom.

If it’s what your DD would enjoy then it’s never naff.

I remember begging for a desk when I was young and never getting one ! ❤️

Dd got a deal and a spiny chair when she was 9 for Christmas and it was a huge hit!

Yes yes and yes - fab present -I would love it and I'm a tad older (about 40 years)

I love stationery

Perhaps along with all the other marvellous erasers and pencils etc you could get her some personalised cards/notelets and one of those pink (not the standard green) cutting boards

And then there's the paper, cute animal clips , washi tape - heaven

I think it’s a lovely idea. Maybe consider wrapping the stationary under the tree as something to unwrap and maybe a creative clue hunt to find the desk in the house to make it special. Plus some small bits like choc/socks etc

I got a desk with dd last week in ikea.
They also have boards like this
That have lots of accessories

"Skadis" range

My mother is buying me a desk for this coming Christmas 😁

I now want this for Christmas!

God I'd love a desk for Xmas actually. Mine's getting on a bit.

Come to think of it the presents I'd most appreciate are things that are boring, functional, unfortunately necessary and a little more expensive than you think they should be considering how unexciting they are. Give me the gift of not having to shlep round John Lewis to poke at pillows, or to faff around getting the right size blinds.

I think it sounds perfect! As pp said, wrap the paper, pens etc, plus some pen pots, cork board, pretty pins… lovely!

We got our dc a desk, chair, lamp and loads of stationery for their 10th birthdays. The eldest asked for one and the younger one wanted one to be all grown up. They have been so useful over the years

Fabulous present which she’ll love from the start. (Unlike the Anglepoise lamp I was given for a birthday at around that age, in the 70s. I remember being distinctly underwhelmed - and it was only when I was much older that I realised what a design classic it was.)

The comment about the desk eventually evolving into a dressing table is the most disappointing thought I’ve read all year …

I got a desk as a present the Xmas I was 6. I was beside myself with excitement. I now use that desk to WFH (am 41). Wonderful gifts don’t need to be frivolous or simply fun, they can be useful.

You can make it really pretty with lights and organised stationary. Will be lovely.

What a lovely idea! Some kids aren’t that into toys, growing up I was happiest with pen and paper. I loved colouring and when me and my sister got a desk for the playroom it was amazing to us! Obviously unwrapped a load of stationary that year and it was the best! She will love it

My immediate reaction to the title was, that's a bit boring. But then I read the OP and I completely changed my mind. I would have LOVED the desk, swivel chair, lovely stationery at that age. I had to use a corner of the kitchen table because we didn't have the room or the money for a desk. I also remember how delighted my own daughter was with her swivel chair. It's a lovely idea.

My DCs have often had desks for christmas, starting with the mini "school" desks when they were tiny and moving up to a full size office desk for DS1 when he got his first PC.

One of my most precious possessions is the desk my DGF had made for me (he had a building company and got his joiner to do it) for Christmas when I was c 7/8yo