Gift Etiquette (Half Siblings)

[littlejosh]

Do you (still) buy individual bday presents for half siblings from half siblings. Its dsc's 16th at the end of next month, (we have sorted out family present) and am just wondering what to do? I have normally bought them a present from our dc (3yo), I did it to begin with because I thought it was sweet and nice (and the right thing to do, but not feeling it this time)...ty

Ps: The siblings don't live together...

Well, if you stop now, won't it look odd? Personally if you have always done this before, I think you should carry on. I think it IS the right thing to do. I am guessing from your "not feeling it this time" comment that DSC has upset you or you've fallen out, or something. This shouldn't impact on whether your 3 yo buys (of course, everyone knows YOU buy really!) his/her half sibling a present. Whatever happens, they are and always will be half siblings, whether or not they live together.

Wouldn't you be upset if the DSC didn't buy your DC a birthday present?

They are siblings though, aren't they? I've always bought / had bought a present for my half brother. I can't think of doing otherwise. I buy for him like I do my sister.

Does your DSC buy a present for the 3 year old on their birthday?

Do the older kids give presents to the little one?

I think it is a nice thing to do, although if the giving were entirely one-sided, I would expect my DP to be sorting that out with a quiet word to the big kids.

My nephews always chose or make their own gifts - my sis takes them to a charity shop or used book shop and they pick something. It has always meant more to me than something she has picked on their behalf. I'll do that with DD as soon as she is just a tiny bit older. In the meantime, DD (2) and the teenage DSCs do live together, and she gives them gifts, but normally I'd do something like a framed photo of them together, or something that she would like the look of, too - like a football or a sparkly bracelet - something that seems like it comes from a kid, not from me IYSWIM.

I don't think there's a right or wrong thing. We always just do family gifts, but then neither me and DP nor his ex and her family really go in for massive present giving, so it works for us.

In this case, I think I agree with UC that it might look a bit odd if you suddenly stop now. Especially as it's the 16th birthday - they'll be in adult territory after a couple more years and maybe that would be a better moment to switch to family gifts, or else your own DC might be getting old enough to buy presents out of pocket money if thats what they want to do.

Yes, everyone in our family always gets presents for everyone else. This is my view of what siblings should do. I know some families do not suggest/require that siblings buy gifts. But if you have always done it I think you should continue.

I don't understand if you have always done it so far, why you would stop? Is there some back story?