Children’s books - do you give as a gift?

[fromheretothemoon]

The reason I ask is that I have been looking at threads for weeks for ideas for DC, and when posters list what their DC are getting for Christmas books are rarely mentioned in comparison to toys, electronics and clothing.

DS(5) loves books and yet he is not often given them as a gift for Christmas or birthday; sometimes we are asked for ideas and we emphasise how much he enjoys books but he will inevitably get toys which mostly are a 5-minute wonder.

Do people think books are a boring gift? I usually always include a book and toy when giving as parents usually say their kids have too many toys but maybe I’m a boring gift-giver?!

Always always give books. Boring or not. They will be there for when they want to pick them up.

I think books are quite difficult to buy for other children. I buy my own ddvs quite a few as gifts (and throughout the year) but it's really hard to judge what another child might like. Dd1 is a particularly gifted reader (free reader by end of reception) so I'm always slightly unsure what level to buy her friends - too easy and they are a waste, too hard and I look like I'm bragging about dd. I like giving the national book tokens so dc can choose themselves

I've always bought books for for my nieces and nephews, right from them being very small. I love choosing them and getting just the right one. Not boring at all.

I give books as presents to children, my family all do really, have got one of these for my niece for Christmas this year.

www.kickstarter.com/projects/603954508/torchlight-tales-the-snuggle-down-light-up-bedtime

I buy our DC at least five new books each every birthday and Christmas. We also get books throughout the year with their pocket money. I think they’re a great gift!

I give books.

Yes, we love books!

I have two girls and a boy and the boy is far less likely to be given books as a gift by friends (and even family). We had to start buying extra books to build up his bookshelf compared to theirs. It's mad.

I always give books and I'm always happy for the DDs to receive them. I love that they are building their own libraries and they can go back again and again

I’ve always given books for gifts, particularly for babies and young children. It does get harder as children get older as they have much more exposure to books through school, libraries etc so it’s hard to know what they may have already read.
My DS’ Christmas list is mostly books despite us having a house full but I don’t think children can ever have enough books!

Thanks all - it’s good to hear I’m not the only one that really appreciates books!

I just wondered why most posters who list their kids gifts rarely mention them.

Yes, I think they're a great gift (and so do my kids!), but my DB made a comment about not wanting his gift to my DD to be too book-heavy which stunned me somewhat. I didn't think there was such a thing as too many books clearly other people don't feel the same as I do!

Yes a fair few books every year, around half a dozen per child, a mix of fact and fiction.

I always got books as a child, still get books from my sisters and parents, and my DD receives books.
For DH’s last birthday he got a total of about 25 books.
Can’t have too many books!

It's often the only thing my son asks for. We give our children books for Christmas and birthdays and usually do the same for my niece too

I'm less likely to give books if they have an older sibling(s) as they might already have the books but certainly for younger children I buy books and love DS getting some.

I disagree op. Most of the lists I see on here include books.

I buy books for the dc all year round and as Christmas presents.

@Findahouse21 my eldest was an extremely gifted reader, was reading chapter books before school and at 13 is doing some work with postgrads at Oxbridge on developing her English skills so has always read ahead BUT she is a brilliant present buyer where books are concerned. She knows what's popular at school, is well read enough to know if a child likes x book, they would like y, has read across classics and modern stuff and across genres. She can recommend books to me in fact and I'm an ex-librarian! It's her super power.

I buy beautiful illustrated classics for babies of close friends too. I alway write a note to the child for when they're older and ready to read it. I love to buy books for people. It's a sign of affection in our family.

It’s a given that my kids gets books from Santa. It’s not their main present though and probably wouldn’t list them as they always get them!

Every year for birthdays/christmas for every child i buy for its always the same gifts i buy, decent pjs, a good book and something for bathtime depending on age either bath bombs or bath toy. As a child my Aunt did this for us and it made an impression so ive followed suit. The books really stood out to my brother and i amongs a sea of toys and were well loved and cherished. Ive still got Fungus the Bogey man and Silas to name a few.

Yes they always get a few books for bday and Xmas. I even give them a book at Easter too instead of an egg, they get enough chocolate off relatives.

I always give my DD books! For her birthday I got her 4 new books and she loved them. They were the bulk of the gifts! I've got her a festive one for Christmas eve, and another one for Christmas. She does have a lot now I have to admit Haha. I remember when she was born I was gifted a lot of books that we still read now. I gifted one of her friends a book as well for her birthday, they do stand the test of time especially if you read stories every night. :)

Definitely give books, without a doubt but obviously it helps if they are into something in particular... Posters on different thread recommended the gone series, my 13 year old is into it now so I've got a whole set and will give the rest over Xmas.
Buying books usually second hand, has been my biggest extravaganza with my dc.

Second doesn't like books though!

No such things as too many books, just too few bookcases. My children read books that were gifts to me as a child. They view them as very special which they are. They will get passed down to their children and so on for as long as they hold together. Books are a beautiful gift.

For my children, books are a necessity not a gift. We have hundreds, and when they have read what they want, or they want another of a series, or an author, or just fancy one- it's bought. In some houses if your child said "l fancy bolognese" their mother would go to buy mince/ onions/ carrots/ spaghetti - in my house, if my children want books, it happens. (I realise how incredibly fortunate I am to be able to afford this)

The culture of books as necessity, means that any book they would want they already have. If people bought them as gifts it's likely they'd already have them, or not want that particular book.

I stopped buying ds1 books a couple of years ago. He doesn't read them. I bought them because I thought I ' should' and hoped that one day there would be something that sparked his interest.

DS2 always gets a set of books, I'm thinking Sherlock Holmes this year. I just need to check if he's read them.

I often buy my nieces and nephews books as well as I know their parents don't want tons of toys, and they have loads of those. You can never have too many books though

eBay is great for second hand books I've found. Dd2 uses the BorrowBox app to get more of her favourite authors too as it's free and she goes through them so quickly. I've loved books since I was tiny and have thankfully passed it on to dc. I spend most of my day reading in some form. I'd rather read than watch tv.