Would you think this was a crap gift?

[yellowrose11]

My DC (2 years old) was invited to 3 parties this weekend. All from friends which I wouldn't consider super close.

We are struggling financially at the moment and 2/3 parties also involve buying food / drinks when there.

I really had to budget when buying the gifts.

Today I gave the first present to the 1 year old boy at his party which was a mini windmill for the garden ( similar to attached pic) and I immediately I felt embarassed for how small and rubbish it seemed.

Other people had bought proper presents like clothes and toys which must have cost a lot more.

Just wondering if you would be offended/ judgemental/ think this was a crap gift if your child received this as a gift?

We definitely had that exact windmill and I think it was a gift. It lasted so well that it definitely made to the local charity shop years later 😀

That's a great present! DS2 is one soon and if someone got him one of them I'd be made up - even seeing the picture made me smile, they're such jolly things

Please don't feel pressured to buy food and drink at a party - was it a soft play place? You could just sit and chat without food and eat when you get home / before the party.

My son's favourite ever present was a foil balloon that another child bought. And quite possibly the only thing he really remembers.

Another saying it’s a great present. My eldest is 20 now but I remember so clearly the shame of being so poor I couldn’t afford a present for her friends birthday. I ended up not taking her to the party because of it and the kindness of the mum afterwards saying that no present would have been no problem and she wishes we’d just been able to go.

Brilliant present for a 1 year old!.

I think next time give a book. You can get some
Good books from the £1 shop.

I imagine a 1 year old absolutely loving that!

Lovely present, my child would have loved it and so would I! I don't think most people are bothered about the presents, they just want their chil to have a lovely time with their friends. In fact presents put me off wanting to invite people as I don't want to end up with too many toys but I understand it is a cultural expectation and children would be disappointed if they don't get anything but they won't care about the price!

Or could you bring a packed lunch?

It's lovely, I'm 51 and I still love a windmill.

I don't believe any of the posters saying it's not good enough are actually real people. I used to get overwhelmed with the amount of stuff that DS got bought at his primary school early years birthday parties and he was always happy with sweets or a cheap colouring book. I'd hate to think that anyone ever felt pressured to spend a certain amount.

Oh I'm sorry to hear that, it is so sad. We often say no presents needed but people still like to bring something. Only one child once came with just a card and it was perfect. But another time most interpreted that for giving money instead and I was mortified as there was really no need, we just wanted our kid to have a great time with friends. Now I don't bother saying anything as I think most people will give something anyway, as do we, but we always make a point of appreciating the good time spent together more.

That's a brilliant present. I'm stealing the idea.

It's a lovely gift. I'd love to receive that and when my children were young they adored wi windmills and would have been thrilled with this.

That's a great gift for a one year old. It's bright, spinny and doesn't take up too much space! Perfect!

Oh god not at all it's a great gift! If I have invited people with older children I always ask them just to regift something to my child that they were going to give to charity - book etc. so mad all this present buying malarkey, the children just like anything I would never judge a gift to be small

Honestly children of most ages would love one. Good idea.

@yellowrose11 my neighbour got one of those 15 years ago for one of her kids and it is still going strong in the garden!!!

In fact OP when my child was around the same age as the birthday child in your situation my very good friend bought one identical for my dd and we absolutely loved it, it was nicer weather so it went in the flower boarders and we all enjoyed watching it spin in the breeze, it's perfect!

Its a lovely gifts OP. I always do a birthday party for my son. One of his lovely friend always gift us a bar of chocolate for presents. I dont mind at all. I invite them because he is my friend son. I dont care about the presents. What i do mind is of i already paid for a party and invite people and they dont bother to rspv and not coming at all. At least let me know beforehand so i dont have to pay for empty seat.

i would judge you. im rubbish at picking gifts . i would think you put lots of thought in and most likely make your own nativity stuff. yeah i would judge but as a hippy cool mum who thinks.not the chaotic gift at last second . i would imagine you do crafts and flower press.
All what i secretly envy- funny how others see you !

That’s a really good present. Far better than book bundles or clothes.

This. Much more fun.

I think that's a sweet and unique gift for a toddler, I'd have liked that. Also very resourceful if you if you got it from Amazon, 5 for £4.80! I think it looks more expensive.

Whilst I don't expect people to spend £10 on a gift, and I definitely welcome charity shop buys or second hand books etc I do remember 3 bad gifts from my children's parties. One wasn't a gift, it was just a multipack card from a wealthy friend when I had bought their own child a lovely quite expensive gift the month before. One was a charity shop fairy dress, which would have been lovely, but it was a size 2-3 for my 5 year old and very shabby, and it was friends I had always made a big effort for and given them all my child's hand me downs, and again, they were much better off than me. Lastly was an expensive venue party where I paid close to £15 per guest and I paid for the unknown sibling to attend, and the gift was a pound shop brand pack of glitter glue.

Good inexpensive gifts I've recorded have been when a friend gifted her older child's outgrown my little ponies, mostly fake ones, but the effort was lovely as they knew my DD would love them and they'd brushed and styled all the hair. Another gifted her child's outgrown books and wrote messages inside. We've had nice hand made gifts too. So for me it's more the lack of thought rather than lack of value that sticks in my mind. You've gone to the effort to think of something a bit different a toddler likes and happened to find a bargain.

Perfect present for a 1 year old. In fact my 4 year old would be delighted!

Kids don't want clothes. They want toys and sweets and maybe a book.

Having done three kids worth of nursery/primary school parties, I can tell you presents range from £1 toys to clothes to ££££ toys and books to completely absent. It's all fine; the main thing is that their friends come to their party. My kids certainly never remembered who bought them what for more than 10 mins until they were having smaller parties with 4/5 best friends.