Can you be 'too cheap' for kids bday party gifts?

[Kab3042]

Dd has had 4 party invites from class mates between now and April. 2 are also joint parties with younger pre school or reception age siblings (Dd is year 2 if relevant). So not sure whether I need to get the sibling something too?!

Even with the classmates alone, it's 4 gifts. Potentially 6 if you get the for the siblings. Can you look too cheap?

I'm thinking nice colouring books. Aldi had some nice large colouring books for £1.99 this morning and some pencils or felt tips perhaps? So £3-4 each? Too tight? Home bargains also had colouring books for 90p.

we are struggling financially and have my older sons birthday in a few weeks then Dd's soon amongst everything else we have to pay for too.

Do not get things for siblings.
Poundland and wilko do great colouring books/sets.

All the best

Personally my kids would hate colouring books, they’d probably end up in the recycling. Argos often do 2 for £15 toys. Or something like this if they are into Harry Potter www.argos.co.uk/product/7890330?clickSR=slp:term:harry%20potter%20card:2:149:1

The only thing I would say from this thread is don't get haribo!

Lots seem to be suggesting it, but it really won't suit a lot of people. It's not vegetarian, halal, or kosher. It's terrible for health and teeth. It's full of colourings. Many children don't like gummy sweets too.

Nothing wrong with cheap gifts, and lots of good suggestions above, but please stay away from Haribo.

£5 is more than enough and I wouldn't get for the siblings, no.

We have a party for my DC as we are in a position to treat them. We certainly do not expect to be paid back in gifts! One of her friends gave her a £1 in a card one time and a homemade card another. She still gets an invite as my daughter wants her friends there. I would be very upset to find out people were worrying about how much to spend and looking ‘cheap’.

I'd spend £10 max. If £3-4 is all you can afford that is fine but it's also not necessary for your child to go to all the parties.

I wouldn’t buy for siblings but books in the works they do offers on books so could get a few books each?

www.theworks.co.uk/c/offers/multibuys/10-for-10?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0q6Hn7Pc9gIVFIBQBh3DxAq3EAAYASAAEgJg8PD_BwE

It is fine! I wouldn't buy for the sibling and I'd spend max £5 on the dc they know. My dc were gifted a £1 bag of sweets a couple of times at big parties and were delighted with it!

I always buy a book and a wee pack of sweets. Parents are always pleased when their child gets a book & it encourages reading. Usually around £5 mark.

I don't know perhaps I am over spending then.....
We do go a bit mad for birthdays in my house.
i do remember my daughter getting a packet of percy pigs from nect door last year and being over the moon!

It's not the cost, it's the gift.

I wouldn't get pens, most children have LOADS already.

Get something more unique. Outside chalks, finger paints, face paints etc.

Or buy in bulk and split for the parties. So get a 10 pack of Julia Donaldson books and give one per child. Alongside maybe some bubbles and stickers etc.

I think £5-10 is a normal amount to spend. £3-5 is quite low. I personally wouldn't worry if my child received a cheap gift though, I'd probably just assume they were hard up (assuming you don't live the highlife otherwise).

@crosstalk

What about - don't bring a present bring 50p?

Into a hidden box so people don't know.

£15 for a party of 30 would mean the child could choose.

My child's party cost £250 last month. Included an entertainer, food and the venue. 30 kids.

I'd be pretty upset with 50p each. It's a fun 2-3 hours party with lunch included. 50p wouldn't cover the slice of cake, let alone anything else.

I know it's not about funding the party but 50p is extremely tight, even for those with the tightest of budgets.

@DontLookBackInAnger1

It's not the cost, it's the gift.

I wouldn't get pens, most children have LOADS already.

Get something more unique. Outside chalks, finger paints, face paints etc.

Or buy in bulk and split for the parties. So get a 10 pack of Julia Donaldson books and give one per child. Alongside maybe some bubbles and stickers etc.

I think £5-10 is a normal amount to spend. £3-5 is quite low. I personally wouldn't worry if my child received a cheap gift though, I'd probably just assume they were hard up (assuming you don't live the highlife otherwise).

I agree with this. Iv never spent less then £7-10 per kids party.

I think a colour book/pens/pencils is a bit crap as most kids are likely to have a ton anyway.

You can get lots of other stuff around £4 in HB with is a bit more unique to the child.

The works do 10 books for £10. 1 of those & a pack of stickers is what I usually do. Covers most of the years parties and doesn’t look to tight for less than £20 all round!

@crosstalk

What about - don't bring a present bring 50p?

Into a hidden box so people don't know.

£15 for a party of 30 would mean the child could choose.

50p?

What’s the point. Just don’t take a gift at all.

@AnAverageMum

The works do 10 books for £10. 1 of those & a pack of stickers is what I usually do. Covers most of the years parties and doesn’t look to tight for less than £20 all round!

A fair few parties Iv took my kids to have done this and gave them out along with sweet cones as the party favour at the end of the party.

I’d have been delighted with a colouring book - eminently sensible choice. We got a lot of gifts in the €20+ bracket and even if they had been purchased in the Argos 3-4-2 sale they still raised the level too high.

And then you have to find a home for all this junk and it’s very difficult to step down from class parties as the dc feel they’re missing out on the haul.

DD's party cost £250 but that was money we chose to spend with no expectation or desire to recoup our costs through gifts in any way. A colouring book or a sticker book is fine and would have been much appreciated!

I have a bag in my loft of potential gifts that were given to my child but for some reason - too many toys, doubles, not age appropriate, etc. we didn't give them to her. I raid the bag for party gifts, I can probably only get away with it because she is little.

I think sticker books are always a hit and as other have suggested This Works is great for a craft set at a good price and they have some awesome books in their 10 for £10 range.

As for the 50p in a box suggestion, you'd have to put that on the invite and considering how many people hate wedding requests for money I don't think it would go down well!

Also the last thing I'd want is to cause stress for anyone attending or make them worry about money. We are in a position to treat our daughter, but no one else is under obligation to or should sacrifice stuff for their own kids to provide something for mine.

If it helps, many years ago I organised a joint birthday party for 2 of my sons, as their birthdays are 2 weeks apart, and right after Christmas. I also knew that one of my sons would not have enough people willing to come for a solo party (I was right - out of a class of 30, he had 4 friends say yes, and I think even one of those didn't turn up). So I did a joint party so that he wouldn't feel so sad.

Under no circumstances did I expect his friends to buy presents for his little brother, nor any of my youngest sons friends to buy presents for his older brother. It didn't even occur to me that anyone might think they should! So I would be surprised if the parents have thought that at all - they will have invited their own groups of friends.

With regards to the gifts, I'm sure they will be grateful for anything that you can afford. We all know how tough things are at the minute.

One thing that might be worth trying, is looking on Facebook selling pages or local charity shops, as you might find someone selling brand new toys for a lot cheaper than usual! Or look at things you already own - is there anything unopened that you think your child will never play with, or that you could gift now and replace in a few months when you don't have 4 gifts to fork out for at the same time? Otherwise, your suggestions sound great.

I'm not sure if The Works still do their 10 for £10 offer on books. I used to give one of those with a £1 box of maltesers.

My dc are older now but we had many many parties. Never ever did I resent any gifts they received. One of my dc once received an obviously preloved swimming bag. She loved it and used it for years. I think it's still knocking around somewhere and she's left home now

The main thing is to rsvp promptly, turn up on time with something wrapped, make a fuss of the birthday child and thank the parents at the end (especially if the party has given you a couple of hours peace!).

Oh and we loved colouring books, crayons etc. I used to put them away for rainy days and holidays.

I love when my DC get books, sticker books, colouring books etc. It always gets used. This Works as someone has already mentioned is really good. You can often get two for £6 etc in there and they are great gifts. Sometimes when I get paid and I know there are several parties coming up I stock buy a few pressies and wrap them up all ready to do. The poundshops or ASDA do lovely wrapping paper and cards etc. Please do not worry about not spending enough, the children and their parents will just be happy that your children turn up to celebrate with them! Where we live some people spend loads and others don't and neither us or the dc pay any attention (if anything I prefer when people spend less, big gifts make me feel really uncomfortable). I have also been in situations where I have really struggled about gifts and worried about it being to "cheap". I have always done the best that I could with The Works, the book people, Pound shops etc and made an effort with what I can afford. I have let the DC make their own cards as well. Seriously no one has bat an eyelid, ever. Please don't worry. Oh and from what I understand the "etiquette" is to buy the gift for the person that invites you only, so please don't feel that you need to double up.

Why are you even considering buying gifts for the siblings?

I don't think it matters at all how much the hosts spend on the party. That is ridiculous and has nothing to do with it FGS. Where we live in London a lot of parents go bananas and spend so much money on the parties. Over £500 is standard, easily. That does not mean that they expect gifts to reflect that. That's insane. My nDC went to a party on the weekend where the parents had asked to omit gifts entirely and donate items to charity instead.