When do you give birthday gifts?

[nanodyne]

It's my DC's 4th birthday next Tuesday, so we're having their party with friends from preschool on Sunday. Obviously they can have gifts from the party as soon as we get home, but what do you do about other gifts? Both sets of grandparents will be at the party but not around on Tues, same with cousins - do you give all gifts on the party day or save until their actual birthday?

Thinking about letting them open everything apart from parent/sibling gifts on Sunday, gifts from us on their actual birthday (also taking the day off on Tues to go to a show with them). WWYD?

Do you need both sets of GPs at the kids party?

However I'd keep their gifts for the LOs actual birthday because that's when LO will look for it.

If LO asks it'd easy to say "I'll bring it on your actual birthday'

@Needanewname42 they don't have to, but they want to - birthdays have always been big family affairs in both mine and DHs families, it's something we both enjoy and appreciate. We definitely won't be giving parent/sibling gifts on Sunday.. leaning towards one grandparent gift each so the GPs get to enjoy it without it taking away from his actual birthday.

Birthdays and presents can be overwhelming.

If a very large birthday party or whole class then I'd open a few on party day and then spread the rest out over the next few days.

Presents from family would be opened with the person present if they come back to ours on party day or kept for the family gifts but it doesn't really matter.

DDs birthday would last a fortnight, birthday with friends at the weekend, birthday with me on the day, birthday with dad at the weekend, gifts and picky dinner with my parents if they weren't available on her actual birthday etc etc.

@Singleandproud that sounds like a sensible approach - I could definitely see him getting overwhelmed. He's already more excited about the idea of party bags than presents so he definitely won't mind them being spaced out 😅

I'd do only party gifts on party day. Having said that, DD is 4 and every birthday and Christmas so far we have (had to) space gifts out over a few days as she naturally wants to play with whatever she has just opened and gets overwhelmed when it's just non-stop unwrapping! Grandparents are not always happy with this, but it's best for her and we try to make sure she opens one thing if they are there to watch and then maybe send a video of anything else to them.

Up to you and whatever works for your child! We tend to spread it out. It depends how much we have but often the friends gifts we’ll do on party day, family gifts we do when we see them, our gifts on the day.

We would open all family gifts on their actual birthday. You don’t open gifts literally at the party anyway. You take them home. So unless grandparents are coming over to yours after the party, they wouldn’t see their gift opened.

We always do a birthday dinner and cake at home and they open gifts then from any family.

@mindutopia yes sorry, probably should have said, but grandparents, aunts/uncles and cousins will all be coming back to ours for tea and cake (and some non-mauled lunch) after the party which is when I was thinking it might make sense. His little brother will probably also be napping then so it'll be slightly less hectic!

@nanodyne it doesn't really matter whatevery one else does. What works for you and your family is great and could be a new traition or just a one-off.

As the family are coming back I would open family presents then, let him enjoy them with those who brought them.

Presents from schools/nursery friends stretched out over the week (or popped away for rainy day if you don't write individual thank you notes)

Presents from you on his actual birthday.

You just need to be mindful if his siblings is going to be aware of the present fest that you have a few trinkets he can play with. I'd wrap up something he hasn't touched for a while in newspaper or kitchen foil so he thinks he's getting something too. Although I only have one child and that may not work at all.

I've just re-read and realised the GP wont be round on actual birthday. I'd assumed you were doing birthday cake for family on Tuesday.

Then yes open their gifts when they are round after party on Sunday. Nice for GPs and Aunties etc to see their gifts getting opened

When my kids were preschool birthdays were moved to the weekend when was easiest for me.

@Needanewname42 yeah unfortunately because one set of GPs in particular have to stay over (4h drive) it never makes much sense for them to come up midweek. I think we would normally move the birthday as you suggest but because we have theatre tickets I thought it'd be nice to make a fuss of the actual day, especially with him starting in reception next month so no more midweek excursions.

Thanks for the feedback everyone, definitely in less of a tizz about the whole thing!

Sometimes you just do what need to do what works, and if that means juggling date so be it.

Lots of people celebrate birthdays at weekends rather than actual birthday.