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Original poster

Neighbours dropped of chocolate for my child…

63 replies

bananasinabowl · 01/01/2023 17:09

We were away for Christmas this year and our neighbours have just dropped off some large chocolate buttons gift thing for our child who is four as they didn’t know we were away.

do we give something back? Their child are a lot older and in their teens/20s. Don’t know what to do? If it was before Christmas I would have dropped off some biscuits as a thank you from my child. I could still do that? Or do I leave it?

OP posts:
Original poster
bananasinabowl · 01/01/2023 17:10

They have 4 children who are in their teens/20s.

OP posts:
WashAsDelicates · 01/01/2023 17:11

Thank you note from your dc. Even if it's just a daub.

TeenDivided · 01/01/2023 17:11

Leave it.
Perhaps get your child to draw a thank you picture.

Chrysanthemum5 · 01/01/2023 17:12

I wouldn't give anything back. It's kind to give a little gift to a small child but that doesn't mean you have to respond for 4 young adults

NuffSaidSam · 01/01/2023 17:12

I'd get your child to draw a picture/card to say thank you and leave it there.

PinkBuffalo · 01/01/2023 17:13

I sometimes give my next door with kids a box of biscuits for xmas, sweets for Halloween etc. i never expect anything back we get on well and I like to treat them couple of times a year
Hopefully be the same with you neighbours 🤞

QuiltedHippo · 01/01/2023 17:16

Our neighbour with adult children drops off sweets for our little one for christmas - I think we even got some before she was weaned which I enjoyed. I haven't reciprocated as I took it as a kind gesture that they enjoy watching her grow, we just thank them

Original poster
bananasinabowl · 01/01/2023 17:16

So not even a box of biscuits with a thank you post it note written by my child?
they have him a chocolate gift on Xmas day last year so I feel bad not even giving anything back, they are the only neighbours that do give him something.

OP posts:
23mum · 01/01/2023 17:17

TeenDivided · 01/01/2023 17:11

Leave it.
Perhaps get your child to draw a thank you picture.

That would be nice

milkysmum · 01/01/2023 17:17

No you definitely don't need to buy back for older kids. Smile, say thank you. Job done.

HiccupHorrendousHaddock · 01/01/2023 17:18

Don't worry about it - I ginve my neighbour's little kids stuff and don't expect anything back. Our much older (like, 80s) neighbours on the other side used to give my kids chocolate for Christmas when they were small.

I'd pop a thank you card or thank you drawing through the letterbox.

CaptainMyCaptain · 01/01/2023 17:22

Just a thank you letter. You don't need to buy anything for neighbours' grown up children .

ClaireEclair · 01/01/2023 17:26

We give Easter eggs to our neighbours kids every year and they make lovely drawings for us as a thank you. We don’t expect anything at all so it’s a lovely gesture.

Wetblanket78 · 01/01/2023 17:30

I dowt they will expecting something in return. They just wanted to treat your daughter for Christmas.

Get your daughter to make a thank you card for them or draw a picture as a thank you. I found this is always more appreciated than a gift in return.

Beautiful3 · 01/01/2023 17:44

I doubt they'd expect anything back as their children are adults now. Just post a thank you picture from your child. It's nice to acknowledge the gift.

fluffiphlox · 01/01/2023 17:48

You’re making far more of this kind gesture than you need to. Don’t get into a arms race of gift giving, just a thank you note/drawing as others have suggested.

Adviceneeded200 · 01/01/2023 17:52

No, lots of people like buying for kids. I buy for my bosses children. My Mum used to buy for the children in her culture de sac at Christmas and eggs at Easter (apart from the JW children who she would give chocolate to "randomly" during the year so they weren't left out.

Neither of us want anything in return but a thank you is really lovely to receive.

Violinist64 · 01/01/2023 17:55

A thank you is all that is necessary. I have adult children and it is a pleasure for me to give my friend’s children a small gift. People like giving gifts to children and really do not expect anything in return.

grapehyacinthisactuallyblue · 01/01/2023 17:59

Just thank you note with your dc's drawing or something should be enough, I think.
Maybe next time you go on a holiday or day out or something, get some small gift and give it to them as from your dc.
That's what we used to do, when my dc was small and a neighbour used to give him little gifts.

PegSliderskew · 01/01/2023 18:40

I buy for my neighbour's children of your son's age. I just like doing it and a thank you is all I want :)

ermmm · 01/01/2023 18:46

neighbour on our road who found out my son has severe allergies( always saw us in the yard whilst my lad was poorly) and instead of token chocolates as he gives to the other bright we got a little Lego set 💝. We gave a thank you note and choc on NYE.
this yr we are all unwell but am sure he doesn’t mind and will definitely be treated to a massive thank you when my son next sees him after the holidays 💝.

Original poster
bananasinabowl · 01/01/2023 19:16

Okay thank you for your replies. I am giver so if someone gives me something, I always give a present back but this is quite new to us and we moved to a new area so not sure what etiquette is with neighbours.
I will draw a thank you picture card etc

OP posts:
LBFseBrom · 01/01/2023 19:27

PegSliderskew · 01/01/2023 18:40

I buy for my neighbour's children of your son's age. I just like doing it and a thank you is all I want :)

Same here.

Don't buy the neighbours anything, op, people often buy for children, it's quite normal and nobody expects a gift in return.

Adviceneeded200 · 01/01/2023 19:27

I think they will honestly love it. So few children send thank you letters now.

FeelingwearyFeeelingsmall · 01/01/2023 19:29

I'm with most other posters. Our neighbours have little kids and we occasionally drop in a little treat for them. It's a pleasure to have little kids to buy for and hear them playing out with our small gifts. I would be mortified if the parents felt they should be buying our much older children something in return.

OTOH after we left some little somethings outside their door during a lockdown I was moved to tears when, a week later, an envelope of very gluey, glittery thank you notes arrived!