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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to buy 2 Barbies for Xmas?

45 replies

2BarbieOrNot2Barbie · 12/12/2025 15:59

I have bought DD5 her first Barbie this year for Xmas. She’s not massively into dolls but does do a lot of role play with teddies and Playmobil. My question is, there is 50%off Barbies at the moment so I could buy her a second Barbie at a reasonable cost. I think it would be nice so she can role play with her 2 Barbies but DH thinks it’s unnecessary as she can just role play with her teddies or just play with the Barbie by herself.

DD is an only so I do sometimes worry about going overboard and spoiling her, but in this instance I think it would be nice.

So AIBU - is 2 Barbies for 1 Christmas overkill? She is getting lots of other bits like Lego, more Playmobil, some colouring stuff, toy cars etc…

OP posts:
TheatricalLife · 12/12/2025 16:00

Of course not! Barbies are different characters and have different outfits anyway, it's totally normal to have more than one.

FerrisWheelsandLilacs · 12/12/2025 16:00

2 Barbies is a very normal Christmas present, it’s hardly buying her 15. I think it’s up to you, but a lot of kids have multiple Barbie dolls.

Needmorelego · 12/12/2025 16:01

You'd be better off buying a selection of Barbie clothes to go with the doll.

Pinknotpurple · 12/12/2025 16:01

Barbies are way more fun when they have a friend

PicaK · 12/12/2025 16:03

My daughter has 2 barbie houses (we use one as a shopping mall) for her 20+ Barbies. You are not spoiling your daughter letting her have 2.

BarnacleBeasley · 12/12/2025 16:05

Does she even want any Barbies though? If she 'isn't massively into dolls' but has specifically asked for a Barbie, then maybe she'd enjoy getting two. If she's not bothered about Barbies either but you just want her to have one, then maybe just see how the first one goes?

amber763 · 12/12/2025 16:06

I had loads of barbies when I was a kid. 2 is fine!

grumpygrape · 12/12/2025 16:09

I read this as 2 babies..... Maybe buy one Barbie and one baby then she wouldn't be an only 🤭🤔

P S for the hard of humour, this is a joke. 🤗

mummybearSW19 · 12/12/2025 16:13

Barbie needs a friend! Definitely get 2

PartoftheBand · 12/12/2025 16:19

Having two Barbies is hardly being spoilt, and they can then interact with each other and be friends!

Bluffinwithmymuffin · 12/12/2025 16:19

I’d buy two Barbies and put one away for a short while. See how much she enjoys the first Barbie, and give her the second doll when she deserves a reward or special treat… and that can be as soon as you like. If she’s not a fan, second doll can be a birthday present for someone else.

Original poster
2BarbieOrNot2Barbie · 12/12/2025 16:26

Thanks everyone - sounds like it is a broad consensus that 2 Barbies isn’t massively overbuying. I think I’ll go buy the half price Barbie and then I can think whether to give it to her straight away or see how it goes. I’m sure it could be regifted if needed. And I do love a bargain! 😁

Now to decide between mermaid Barbie or Doctor Barbie. My feminist self prefers Doctor Barbie but DD (despite my best efforts) does love mermaids… 🙄

OP posts:
KilkennyCats · 12/12/2025 16:29

Of all the needless excess around Christmas, two Barbies really isn’t an issue.
Dd1 had about 15…

Girasoli · 12/12/2025 16:30

Aww my both my DSs used to love playing with mermaid barbie in the bath, I'd vote for mermaid barbie because you can make her swim.

BarnacleBeasley · 12/12/2025 16:31

Girasoli · 12/12/2025 16:30

Aww my both my DSs used to love playing with mermaid barbie in the bath, I'd vote for mermaid barbie because you can make her swim.

Haha I was just thinking 'my DS loves role playing with his teddies but has never played with dolls so probably wouldn't be interested in an unsolicited Barbie' and then you said this and I thought yes, he totally would be into mermaid Barbie.

Itsmeeeeeee · 12/12/2025 16:32

😂my lord the questions on Mumsnet

PickledElectricity · 12/12/2025 16:34

2BarbieOrNot2Barbie · 12/12/2025 16:26

Thanks everyone - sounds like it is a broad consensus that 2 Barbies isn’t massively overbuying. I think I’ll go buy the half price Barbie and then I can think whether to give it to her straight away or see how it goes. I’m sure it could be regifted if needed. And I do love a bargain! 😁

Now to decide between mermaid Barbie or Doctor Barbie. My feminist self prefers Doctor Barbie but DD (despite my best efforts) does love mermaids… 🙄

Get both! They'll come out the same price as one ;)

I would actually hold the second Barbie back until her birthday to see if she likes playing with it. If she doesn't take to it, you can always return the other doll.

OchonAgusOchonOh · 12/12/2025 16:36

Dd, who is now 25, had multiple barbies as a child. She would definitely have preferred mermaid barbie over doctor barbie despite actually being a doctor now.

I'm 60 and way back when I even had two Sindy dolls. Barbie had not arrived this side of the altantic then.

ADHDdiagnosis · 12/12/2025 16:41

Buy all the Barbies. Buy loads. I was never bought one. I overbuy for children. Gifts galore. Think of the magic and excitement

MumbleBumbleAppleCrumble · 12/12/2025 16:41

Two Barbies is fine for Christmas, especially as with two it’s easier to create a game, but does you DD actually want Barbies if, ‘She’s not massively into dolls…’?
Plenty of other things you could get her that are far more interesting and open to role playing if that’s what she’s into. (Dressing up/ puppets/ role play toys like shops and doctors kits and such).

FuzzyWolf · 12/12/2025 16:45

Get the second Barbie. I’m pretty sure my eldest DD had around 50 of them at her peak. She was given mine and SIL’s from our childhoods and seemed to get them for endless birthdays and they often came in a set with something else but she did love them interacting with each other.

Sartre · 12/12/2025 16:47

Oh get it. Barbie’s are quite cool nowadays, they were just pure misogyny in the 90s and I hated them. Used to cut their hair off.

SleepingisanArt · 12/12/2025 16:54

The fun thing about barbies is dressing them up - really annoying if one has a tail instead of legs!

Original poster
2BarbieOrNot2Barbie · 12/12/2025 16:57

Well I say she’s not massively into dolls but to be fair we only bought her one which she imaginatively called Baby. But she has played with him a fair bit, walked him in his pram etc… but I see that as a bit different than Barbies which I seem as more role play like Playmobil. I definitely feel like I’ve been given permission. I may need restraining in the toy aisle tomorrow! 😂

I know it may seem like a weird question to ask on the internet but I don’t have a lot of mum friends to ask and DH and I didn't see things the same way (but then again he never had a Barbie!).

OP posts:
Original poster
2BarbieOrNot2Barbie · 12/12/2025 16:59

SleepingisanArt · 12/12/2025 16:54

The fun thing about barbies is dressing them up - really annoying if one has a tail instead of legs!

The cool thing about the mermaid Barbie I have my eye on is that she actually has legs but has a mermaid tail you can slip over her legs to turn her into a mermaid. So feels like best of both worlds.

OP posts: