Is a bike a Christmas present or a every day essential?

[WeavedLentils]

I think it's an essential item that gets replaced as needed when children grow. Likes shoes and stuff.My friend thinks I'm mad to buy DD anew bike so close to Christmas and give it her now.

I'd say present. Although I agree with a pp that if a child really needed a new one in the spring then I wouldn't make them wait until Christmas.

That’s why we usually give bikes as an Easter present.
They can use it all summer.

Also, I think it’s both, a present and a necessity, so I didn’t mind spending more for an Easter present than I usually would

Definitely a Christmas or birthday present.
It’s a huge thing to get as just an every day thing!

I remember getting my DD her first proper bike with tassels and a basket.

There’s no way I’d have not made it into a big thing.

I also think it’s an extra present to have too.

Perhaps if they desperately need one for work/college and theirs breaks you could replace it but I would definitely try and hold out and make it as part of their presents.

You buy your kids Easter presents?

If you have a charity near you that refurbishes bikes then you could get her a second hand one too to make it more equal.

Summer pyjamas are an Easter present here, not a bike!

Essential for us. They aren’t Christmas presents. They get replaced when grown out of, most likely in Spring. Also DC2 always get the hand me down.

A bike is a big gift to just buy away from Xmas or birthday. I'd give it for Xmas.

It’s quite a big present . At times we’ve replaced at the wrong time but with the understanding it was for the next birthday

It's not a Christmas or Birthday present in our house. They just get replaced as when needed.

Ds got his latest one in September which is nowhere near his birthday.

I’ve never even heard of Easter presents before!

You get Easter eggs or if you don’t like chocolate perhaps a teddy or something instead.

Are you in the UK?

Definitely a present here! Admittedly DD has a summer birthday so if she was close to outgrowing a current bike there would only be a few months to wait.

Good idea. I may also look on Facebook Marketplace for a secondhand one, and then they are both getting secondhand ones. (We bought DD7's bike new but DS4's secondhand as prices had gone up quite a bit when he needed one, which worked well apart from having less choice on colour.)

Yes, UK. Not really presents but I do a pair of summer pyjamas and pack of summer socks at Easter along with a boxed egg each and a bag of eggs for a hunt. A teddy is more of a present than pyjamas imo.

Bikes aren't a christmas present for us because it'd be a shit christmas present when you can't use it for months because of snow (unless you get winter tyres with it), winter is the only time the children don't use their bikes, rest of the year they're used to get to and from school and nursery so definitely a necessity.

Agreed :)

Im in the UK, but not British. But I know many people here that give Easter presents.

My BMX was one of the best Christmas presents I've ever had!

I always get something useful for Christmas like a bike, I will buy some extra things but I want the main present to be something worthwhile rather than plastic junk which is what they ask for and what they get enough of from family - we have had bikes, a piano, kindles, a laptop, scooters over the years.

Not a present in our house.

I want them to have bikes as a tool for fitness, travel and days out. All of those things are made better by having a decent bike of an appropriate size.

I buy books all year round as well.

Presents in my world are toys or games or luxury / branded versions

Electronics as well - kindle, switch, Chromebook, phone - all
Xmas or bday presents

Obviously finances depending, personally see it as a thing you just get your child as and when. I always bought second hand and didn’t give as a Christmas present, more, as you say, in a similar fashion to a pair of shoes or a coat.

I'd planned on buying one next spring time because he's outgrown the balance bike really now, but he asked for one for Christmas - so he obviously thinks it's fine!

As pp said I think if it is necessary to get to school, I wouldn't make it a present. I do agree with you that it doesn't have to be a present even if that's not the case, but it's perfectly fine if it is too.

An Easter present???? What madness is this???? 😱

I have given bikes and scooters as birthday and Christmas presents and also replaced if they needed one at a different time, it just depends what the situation was. Bikes make a great present, and I'm not otherwise someone who gives necessities as presents - I don't do clothes of any kind, toothbrushes etc that sometimes people say they wrap up to bulk out the pile.