Birthday presents-How much?

[MrsWhirling]

DD has just finished her reception year.

Her school has three reception classes (90 kids). She seems to be invited to a classmates birthday every other week or so and I'm really unsure as to how much is acceptable/normal to spend on a present?

Thanks xx

You need to ask around parents in your area, see what they do. Around here £5 is still typical, but has been like that for 10 yrs. Occasional tenner.

A Tenner!!!! I buy packs of books or colouring books from book people or such places and works out as 2 quid a party usually! I must be mean!

A fiver usually, but something which full price would be £7/8. For close friends we might spend a little more. Yr R is the worst most prolific for parties, followed by the term leading up to Christmas of yr1 when all the Sept-Dec children who didn't know anyone in yr R have big parties. After that yr 1 tends to be just boys/girls, yr2 onwards is generally closer friends only.

Thanks everyone! I've been spending too much!!

The key around here is to stock up when you see generic bargain present so rrp is up to £10 but actually cost much less.

I usually do £5 for just classmates and £10 for best friends.

Fiver max for me (never had any complaints )

For a couple of close friends we spend between £5 and £10 but these are people we have known a long time and socialise with as a family.

for classmates I buy packs of books etc from the book people or little lego and things at tesco when they double up vouchers and have 3 for 2. so normally £2-3 but looks slightly more than that.

DS goes to a small rural school so parties spread out, especially now in juniors. Anything between £8 and £15 depending on what DS picks. When he was smaller i always kept a stock of crayola and craft items in case of late invites or no time to shop and made craft treasure chests with lots of little bits in.

£5-10 unless v close friends (ie we know the family, etc)
If I can get a bargain even better, though that was easier when they were younger.

Around a fiver rrp here too, but I stock up when Sainsburys have a toy offer on

Agree £5 is fine, but you should stock up when there are offers on / at the Book People / with those companies that bring stuff into staffrooms at your place of work / in sales / etc., so it doesn't actually cost you £5-£6 each time, it just looks like it.

DS is 18 and it was a fiver 13 years ago! We used to bulk buy from the early learning and one year I did a bulk buy of football gloves and shin pads from the local cash and carry for 3.99 each. That was brilliant. Girls I found later, were a little harder to please, mostly the dd who had very specific ideas about what specific friends would want.

Everybody does the offers from BookPeople so it never looks like you've spent more than £1 or £2

£5-7 is about right.

Find something good in the sales and buy as many as you can afford/store. I did that last year and haven't had to buy a present for aaaaaaages.

My eldest two are year 2 & 3 and I probably spend around the £15, partly because I'm disorganised and despite having a present drawer there never seems to be anything suitable in it and also because the older they get the more specific my DC become a out what they want to give

you would be surprised how many people have never heard of the book people Earlyinthemorning. plus of course they don't know that you have heard of them either.

IMO though it doesn't really matter. I think a book is a more than decent present for a child, it isn't like the child cares (or they shouldn't anyway) how much it cost and I certainly wouldn't expect my kids to get given presents worth more.

I spend £6-£10, depending on how much I can afford.

During Reception we had lots of class parties and I tend to get offers from The Works or BookPeople, they held a sale at work so I often have a stack of things at home. I try to stick to £5.

For really good friends I go to £10 and very good ones we see regularly, do things together £20.

It got better in Year 1. I think DD was invited to 3 parties.

DD is a July child, she asked for a class party last year as well and we drowned in arts and craft kits. I know, easy to buy but on our case it took a year to do the last bits. The Barbies and books were played with/read a lot more.

I now tend to ask the mum.

I'm with you periwinkle book people all the way :)

Admittedly DC haven't had very many parties, but books were probably the least likely present they'd get. MN so unlike real life, yet again. I definitely feel like high risk that I've done the wrong thing if I give books as gifts to DC young friends. Folk expect their kids to receive tat.

If your kids attend relatively few parties like mine then it is quite bad value to stock up. I would have lost a huge amount of money if I stocked up on offers the way you guys describe.

Each to their own I suppose but Its made it so much easier no last minute stress about no card or present ( I order card packs and wrapping from amazon , I have hardly bought the store out. i have 10 books for £10 and they did us last academic year with a couple left over its not as if they go out of date??? Do people really want tat?

I spend £10. Seem to be at parties every other weekend.

That is good value, does that £10 include delivery charges, too? £10 for 10 gifts, right?

I reckon people do expect mostly tat. Books are boring.
DC typically only attend 2-3 parties a year (that's in the dizzy heights of reception), so most of those books would have gone to charity shop for us.

Mine were happy with tat or books simply saw each gift by its individual merit. You wouldn't keep nice books? my 3 love books and we simply regift any duplicates. I can't remember if postage free? Sometimes it is with a promotion.