Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

To resent a star

26 replies

pranma · 15/02/2010 12:12

My dgs has 3 sets of gp and his first birthday was one of the rare occasions we were all together.It was so weird,the adults all sat around with baby playing in middle of room.Out came the presents.I went first-a fisher Price circus train-ooh yes dgs loved it and crawled around tooting merrily.Next was dd's m-i-l.She produced a V-tech trike with detachable electronic steering wheel with car and horn noises-Oh Wow!baby ecstatic.
Finally dd's f-il and his [genuinely]lovely wife."We just got this",. she said,producing a tasteful wooden shape sorting box.
"Oh and this",a STAR-they had had a star named after him complete with certificate and map of the galaxy with star's location pinpointed.
Now I know dgs loved the plastic tat at the time but he will have that star forever.
It is his baby brother's first birthday next week.I have bought a Little Tikes transporter and will give his parents a cheque towards decorating his room.I have been warned that another star is going to shine forth.
AIBU to wish I had thought of it first?

OP posts:

CuppaTeaJanice · 15/02/2010 12:18

You just need to find something equally meaningful - plant a tree with a name similar to his, adopt his favourite animal in a zoo....

Dirtgirl · 15/02/2010 12:18

You are not being unreasonable to wish you had thought of it first . YABU if you are annoyed with them.

penguin73 · 15/02/2010 12:21

Not unreasonable to feel slightly outdone, but I think it's nicer to give a gift that the receipient can actually appreciate as you did. Mind you I think the idea of giving a star as a gift is a bit naff anyway. It isn't something they own, they can't do much with it (except look at it occasionally) and with so many companies offering this service I doubt they are the sole recipients anyway. I've always seen the idea as another money-making con but that's just a personal opinion
Giving them something they can love and use now is much more appropriate I think - a piece of paper wouldn't have been received with the same joy.

ChippingIn · 15/02/2010 12:21

Ditto Dirtgirl

Wait until they are a bit older and let them choose an animal to 'adopt' - far more exciting for a child to 'have' an elephant than a star

mazzystartled · 15/02/2010 12:21

It is a lovely present

But you have bought your GS's things they will love to have and play with right now.

Frankly it would be a rubbish birthday if everyone sent adopted animals, stars, and trees.

Original poster

pranma · 15/02/2010 12:22

Oh I am annoyed just awe stricken with respect!
Now the adopt an animal idea would be perfect for next time thanks Cuppa.

OP posts:

Ewe · 15/02/2010 12:23

Tbh I think those star things are a bit crap, it's fairly meaningless.

Something like a tree - you can in some places adopt a fruit tree and then go and pick it's fruit - or an animal, or sponsor a child of a similar age to him through Oxfam etc would be way more personal and something that he will actually appreciate and can see/interact with.

YABU to resent it though, competitive grandparenting is not a good look.

PuppyMonkey · 15/02/2010 12:23

I think it's naffola too, sorry!

cumbria81 · 15/02/2010 12:23

a star? as in a star in the sky?

So presumably they paid good money to choose a star which no one legally owns anyway?

It sounds like a huge con and, imho, a bit daft.

Original poster

pranma · 15/02/2010 12:33

I just looked it up you can do it for about £20.I am not a bit annoyed but it certainly made an impression.Am going to see if chester Zoo have an animal adoption scheme.

OP posts:

Lizzylou · 15/02/2010 12:39

Awww, it's a nice present but don't feel bad. I know when ours were younger and we were skint, if eveyrone had bought them stars/trees whatever they'd have not had much to play with!
Chester zoo do have animal adoption schemes, yes.
One of our fave CHristmas presents was when SIL bought us a family annual pass for Chester zoo. We got lots of use out of it, especially as we had preschoolers, so didn't have to fight the hordes in school holidays.

Muser · 15/02/2010 12:42

"Buying" stars is a massive con. You can't legally buy a star, so paying some company money for a fake certificate is a complete waste of time. You might as well save your money and make up your own certificate, it means exactly the same.

Now, adopting an animal is a MUCH better idea. Either from a zoo, or you can sponsor a dog via the National Dogs Home.

GetOrfMoiLand · 15/02/2010 12:46

Sorry I would have probably laughed. Imo it's a crap present. I mean who gives a shit? These star companies just randomly pick out a star and send you a picture of it. The star is not actually renamed - you won't find astronomers in some lab in Mexico or whatever going 'oh look at the pic of star Bob Pranma in that galaxy far far away'. It is meangingless. You may as well find some picture of a star on the internet and make up your own certificate and save yourself £20.

pigletmania · 15/02/2010 12:49

YANBU to have wished that you had thought about naming a star, but are YABU to be annoyed by it, is a lovely present and so thoughtful. There are many threads on here about pILs or mums and dads who do not care.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 15/02/2010 12:50

star thing is a giant con as others have said. tis utterly crap.

(I ws so incensed by one comapany when I was a student that I led a campaign to get them removed from doing ads on local radio station - phoned congress library, British library Patrick Moore etc - company got very upset with me and threatened to take me to court. A proud moment )

TrillianAstra · 15/02/2010 12:51

Nice novelty for about 5 mins, but means nothing. Sponsoring an animal at the zoo is much better.

OrmRenewed · 15/02/2010 12:58

Adopt some beast maybe? I suspect that for a child that is really more exciting anyway.

TrillianAstra · 15/02/2010 13:03

And if it's a small-child birthday they'll be more interested in the box that the plastic tat came in than any of the real presents, let alone a present that is just a piece of paper.

thrifty · 15/02/2010 13:27

I find it ever so slightly amusing that you have 'star envy'. But YANBU to feel a little annoyed.

however, if you want to get a present that will really be appreciated by a 1 year old, get a family membership to their nearest farm/soft play/zoo and get the birthday boy one of those big silver helium balloons. Everytime they go to the farm/soft play/zoo they will think of you!

honestly of all the presents ds got for his first birthday (and there were many!) the helium balloon was the most played with (until it finally died about 3 weeks later).

mnistooaddictive · 15/02/2010 14:14

Buying stars is a rubbish present to get a small child. Be glad you bought a proper present and not something bought to try and outdo the exwife and new partner!
I agree with thrifty bout membership to farm. This is a truly awesome present and actually bought with the child in mind.

OrmRenewed · 15/02/2010 14:51

It was an additional present though. Not the only thing they gave. My dad is always giving my DC 'boring' presents that they might appreciate when they get older - shares in stuff and premium bonds etc. But also toys at the same time.

BalloonSlayer · 15/02/2010 15:02

Can you imagine if we ever get intergalactic space travel sorted . . . all the wars we will have with the inhabitants of Planet Bleen and others, because the stupid buggers just will not accept that their home is actually called Zac McManus III ?

I can just see Barack Obama waving the certificate at them: "Look fellers, be reasonable..."

Marwois · 17/02/2010 09:22

A tree, animal child...the interaction and comparison with kids growing up here and kids growing up who live on the other side of the world is second to none.

Far from boring it's educational, personal and inspiring. I do it through this orphan charity, who have also been working in Haiti for a number of years.

Amapoleon · 17/02/2010 09:26

I always make a time capsule for new kids in our family.

heQet · 17/02/2010 09:26

That was a present for the parents, not for the child, iyswim.

Keep to the plastic tat. Plastic tat is the way to a child's heart

Flip

1 2