Birthday party gifts

nuttycoconut

Hi all. This is my first post on here. I usually post on multiples or PAL but I suppose I belong here too!

My DH and I attended our first kid birthday party over the weekend with our twins. We had no idea what to do about gifts. When you attend a party, do you purchase a gift for each of your kids to give to the birthday boy/girl? Or do you purchase 1 gift from the family? 

We wanted to spend about $25 and were strapped for time so were going to get a gift card. However I was informed by a few other moms that we should have had a $25 gift card from each twin (and spent $50) since we had 2 children attending the party. 

What do you usually do? Thanks!

ps. This is also posted on multiples but I thought I may have more responses over here. 

nawlinsgrl

No way would I give $50, that's insane.  I think $25 is more than enough for 2 kids, especially at this age.  I usually stock up on toys when they are super cheap (~$20 for $10 or less) and keep them in a closet so they are ready to go.  It's especially good to have them when invites pop up at the last minute.  

I guess I'm just of the belief that parties are about the experience for the child, not the presents.  Nice presents are what family is for.  Any presents from guests are just icing on the cake.  

Just to clarify, gifts are a must, but certainly don't have to be grand, and can certainly be from both kids.  For twins, I'd suggest something a little nicer than than from one, but not much, and $25 in this case was more than enough for both, IMO.

jf198400

LibbyLouHoo said:

$50 for a child's birthday seems insane to me. We usually spend around $20 and the gift is from both of my kids.

Agreed

nuttycoconut

I know. I think it's really ridiculous to spend that much. I will have to start declining parties if that's what it's like in my area.

mommymegan831

I don't have twins but I was thinking about this the other day.  There are twins in DD's class, so if she was invited to their birthday party, I think it's only fair that we give two gifts, unless there was something special I knew of that they wanted to share.  It makes sense that if I had twins and they were invited to a birthday, I should bring two gifts.

  It's one thing if they're really young and just going to a house party, but DS, 1 1/2, was just invited to a party for a 2 year old at The Little Gym.  This is something that they will be paying for per child and 1 extra child does mean another slice of pizza, maybe not a larger cake, but if you're doing cup cakes it's another cupcake, another gift bag.  On a totally different scale, but if you're one person at a wedding you'd obviously give less than a couple, so if someone is inviting your 2 kids to a party, I think you need to give more.

lifeisbetteronthered

While I do agree that $50 is too much, as a PP said, the guests at your twins' party will likely be bringing two gifts. I think 2x $15 gifts would have been more appropriate. Two complimentary gift cards for $15 each (say movie and desert) could have worked.

I really like the idea of stocking up on gifts when they are on sale. This past year, if we've seen toys that we think our nephews will like on sale, we've bought them. Christmas shopping for them was done months ago, at 60% off.

jf198400

mommymegan831 said:

I don't have twins but I was thinking about this the other day.  There are twins in DD's class, so if she was invited to their birthday party, I think it's only fair that we give two gifts, unless there was something special I knew of that they wanted to share.  It makes sense that if I had twins and they were invited to a birthday, I should bring two gifts.

  It's one thing if they're really young and just going to a house party, but DS, 1 1/2, was just invited to a party for a 2 year old at The Little Gym.  This is something that they will be paying for per child and 1 extra child does mean another slice of pizza, maybe not a larger cake, but if you're doing cup cakes it's another cupcake, another gift bag.  On a totally different scale, but if you're one person at a wedding you'd obviously give less than a couple, so if someone is inviting your 2 kids to a party, I think you need to give more.

I have to disagree. We are going to a bday party for twins this weekend and bought 2 gifts. I got 2 board games, spent $28. I was not going to spend $50 on them, so why should I expect that they give $50 to me? When we had my daughters bday party, we had some kids come with their siblings, they did not bring 2 gifts.

I hate that there is so much focus on gifts, it's not supposed to be about how much you spent. Being invited to a party should be about celebrating with people you care about.

mommymegan831

jf198400 said:

I don't have twins but I was thinking about this the other day.  There are twins in DD's class, so if she was invited to their birthday party, I think it's only fair that we give two gifts, unless there was something special I knew of that they wanted to share.  It makes sense that if I had twins and they were invited to a birthday, I should bring two gifts.

  It's one thing if they're really young and just going to a house party, but DS, 1 1/2, was just invited to a party for a 2 year old at The Little Gym.  This is something that they will be paying for per child and 1 extra child does mean another slice of pizza, maybe not a larger cake, but if you're doing cup cakes it's another cupcake, another gift bag.  On a totally different scale, but if you're one person at a wedding you'd obviously give less than a couple, so if someone is inviting your 2 kids to a party, I think you need to give more.

I have to disagree. We are going to a bday party for twins this weekend and bought 2 gifts. I got 2 board games, spent $28. I was not going to spend $50 on them, so why should I expect that they give $50 to me? When we had my daughters bday party, we had some kids come with their siblings, they did not bring 2 gifts. I hate that there is so much focus on gifts, it's not supposed to be about how much you spent. Being invited to a party should be about celebrating with people you care about.

I really think that depends on the kind of party you're having.  I don't think you need to spend $25 on a gift, $15 seems ok, so $30 if you have twins.  It's not that it's about gifts, it's just the right thing to do.  I think bringing another child to a birthday party is rude depending on the party.  DD was invited to a party at a place similar to Chuck E Cheese.  I don't think it would have been a big deal to have brought DS and DH, if DH had taken him to the food court when DD ate with the party.  This weekend DS is going to a party at Little Gym, that's somewhere you pay per child and it would be incredibly inconsiderate if I brought DD.  It may not really be about money, but I just don't think it's right to bring the same gift one child would bring if they birthday child's parent is paying to entertain and feed two of your children.

twister22

Other mothers seriously told you that? They need to STFU. My cousin has 4 kids and we currently have 2. We go to all 4 of her kids' bday parties, and take one gift to each. She comes to all our bday parties, and also takes 1 gift to each. I'm sorry but I think a $25 gift card is more than enough. Your twins aren't even one yet! *Maybe* when they're older I could see getting two small gifts (i.e. two $10-15 gifts) but even then I wouldn't say it's necessary.