Clothes as presents?

[GreyhoundGurl]

Hi,

So I'm just wondering; do you gift clothes as presents on birthdays and holidays etc? Or give randomly throughout the year? My DS will be 4 this summer. I've just bought him some lovely 4-5 clothes in the M&S sale (including bits he'll love, marvel pj's etc). Previously I've just showed him then saved any clothes I've bought, then updated his wardrobe as and when needed size wise, I haven't "given" him then as such. We're very lucky his grandparents also buy him clothes - they do tend to wrap and gift them (as I would think that most people's extended relatives might). I am now wondering whether to "gift" him these clothes, or just continue as we have - after all it is part of the job description to clothe them!!! It wouldn't change the budget for birthday gifts, he'd just have more to open, but then again opening clothes as a child is hardly exciting is it?! What does everyone do? I'm thinking just the really good stuff if anything?

Thank you for answering my rambling pondering thoughts 😁

Just put them in his wardrobe.

I have never really gifted clothes to young dc, only when they are teens and have asked for something in particular that I wouldn’t usually buy. Clothes are not really a gift as they are a must have thing that us as parents provide. Obviously it’s different if it’s something they don’t really need but have asked for.

I don’t. Not at this age. They need clothes and it’s not exactly a luxury item that a 16 year old might choose.
I think they don’t need lot of gifts for birthdays or Xmas, just give them a few nice things they like, and basics throughout the year

I received clothes as a child as presents because we were poor and that was the only time I'd receive them (even if I needed them at an earlier point) so I probably have a bit of a hangup about clothing as gifts. I only give clothes as gifts to my dcs if it is something a bit frivolous like a sequin tutu, anything they actually need (I.e new tshirts because the old ones are too small) are just put in the wardrobe.

I guess if a holiday happens to line up with when new season/size is needed, sure - wrap them up. But I just buy them new clothes when they need them

Full disclosure, mine are 4yo & 5mo -- I can see this approach might change once they're teenagers and asking for specific things, brands, etc

At that age I just put them in the wardrobe. Now DD1 is 8 I show her what I've bought first in case she hates it. I won't gift them till they ask for unreasonably expensive clothes as teenagers. I don't mind relatives or friends gifting clothes but I consider it a gift for the parents really (but the kids like unwrapping anything and are grateful for any gifts).

At that age I used to bulk up the present pile with clothes.

DCs are teenagers now and they get £80pm for basics, anything extra is presents.

DD is 5 and I've always gifted clothes along with toys etc. not loads but always a set of pyjamas at Xmas / birthday and as she has a summer birthday a nice summer outfit etc. I kinda feel it's important they learn presents are a gift and you should appreciate them , it's not always toys and tat that's received

My sons (primary age) are always disappointed or uninterested when a wrapped present is clothes. Unless it's something really cool I guess, or eg a stocking filler.

I wouldn’t gift clothes at that age. Once they are older and start asking for more expensive items I would gift them expensive items.
I would gift fancy dress items though.

I used to wrap up a couple of clothing type gifts for my young children at Christmas but not usually for birthdays. Things such as themed pjs, light up trainers, sweatshirts with their favourite character on etc. My children were very grateful for any presents they received, money was tight and they did not get much.

As they got older and asked for expensive items of clothing, they were definitely given as presents.

I remember getting some school pinafores for my 5th birthday and thinking it was rubbish at the time. I still remember it over 35 years later. I got loads of other gifts and my parents did this really cool treasure hunt with a gift at each clue, put loads of effort in etc. The school uniform was probably to bulk it up. But honestly they would have been better off with one less gift!

I sometimes use clothes to bulk out the stocking presents but I don't think they are gifts unless it's a teen that wants something special. My ILs always give clothes as presents but my DS declared at about three or four (at an age where it was done with total innocence) that clothes aren't a proper present so he doesn't get them anymore 😂

I do both. But tend to give special items as gifts, eg football kits, trainers. The rest is cheap and cheerful unless they want to upgrade themselves with their own money.

A tshirt with your favourite character or a piece of hobby kit... present.

Your whole wardrobe... no.

DDs got Harry Potter hooded blankets for Christmas... very useful clothing, but fun as well.

I buy ahead and put them in a bag in the wardrobe to grow into.

If I buy something in the current size because they are running low then I show them straight away, I don't really consider it a gift, it's a requirement. However, they do usually get excited about new clothes. That's why I don't show them if I get stuff that's too big because they want to wear it straight away.

I might give clothing as gifts at birthday/christmas but DH thinks it's a bit of a waste of a present because they don't care about clothes.

Nope.wouldn't ever give clothes as gifts (unless they specifically asked for it as a teen maybe)

I would only do clothes when it was a favourite team jersey or a hoodie with a favourite character as they would be excited about that. When they were teens we did do clothes as they always had a wish list. If she was especially drawn to an outfit in a store l probably would surprise her with it for a present only because l felt she would love it.

Part of the job description to clothe him.

We did a 'fancy' shirt in Christmas stocking, but something I wouldn't normally buy like a character shirt or something.

Technically we bought Xmas presents that were clothes but we didn't even wrap them up just put them in the drawer.

Literally all our relatives got my kids clothes for birthday/Xmas last year (they are 4&1) safe to say... They were the most unwelcomed gifts to the point I felt I needed to apologise

Always bought clothes as gifts -they were special. Things like coats and shoes were when needed, though. They had a basic wardrobe of jeans, leggings, t-shirts. Most clothes were second hand and passed down between siblings.

I always do this, and so do the grandparents! Especially if it's a particularly nice thing like a t shirt themed with DD's favourite characters. I know she likes it because she'll show it off later and say "this was a present from Granny".

She's so used to it, that when I wear something nice or new, she'll say "nice dress mummy, who was it a present from?" And is confused when I say I just bought it!

Every Christmas or birthday about a third of her presents are clothing

No definitely wouldn’t gift everyday clothes. Something like a coveted fancy dress outfit would be different though. Presents for his age don’t need bulking out either!

If you think they'll be excited about it like the Marvel PJs I think it's fine to gift it. I wouldn't gift just normal everyday clothes though.

My DD and her friends aged 4 upwards get clothes as gifts but they aren't their only gifts they get from people they know.

I use to think in my early 20s that children hated clothes as gifts however it's a case of choosing the right items. So giving them school uniform, boring shoes or a coat they would hate but if it was say a t-shirt with the right characters, a fashionable item or interesting socks they have all been happy to receive them.