Twin birthday party--two less expensive gifts or one more expensive gift?

[Anonymous]

What are typical gifts these days for preschoolers? Just curious, I don't have kids old enough to go to birthday parties yet. What's wrong with a coloring book? How much do people spend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is up with twins parents stating a gift giver gets "brownie points" if we buy two of the same or two different presents. Tacky!!

I'm a parent of twins and agree! Also am appalled that some posters are so particular about what gifts are good enough. No coloring books? My kids love coloring books, but more importantly, a gift is a gift. Teach your kids some class and how to be appreciative.

I'm the poster who said no coloring books. I'm sticking to my guns. I will laugh at you if you gift my dd with a coloring book.

I will laugh at you for being classless and greedy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is up with twins parents stating a gift giver gets "brownie points" if we buy two of the same or two different presents. Tacky!!

I'm a parent of twins and agree! Also am appalled that some posters are so particular about what gifts are good enough. No coloring books? My kids love coloring books, but more importantly, a gift is a gift. Teach your kids some class and how to be appreciative.

I'm the poster who said no coloring books. I'm sticking to my guns. I will laugh at you if you gift my dd with a coloring book.

I will laugh at you for being classless and greedy.

That's fine. I'm in a class where I don't show up with a coloring book as a birthday gift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is up with twins parents stating a gift giver gets "brownie points" if we buy two of the same or two different presents. Tacky!!

I'm a parent of twins and agree! Also am appalled that some posters are so particular about what gifts are good enough. No coloring books? My kids love coloring books, but more importantly, a gift is a gift. Teach your kids some class and how to be appreciative.

I'm the poster who said no coloring books. I'm sticking to my guns. I will laugh at you if you gift my dd with a coloring book.

I will laugh at you for being classless and greedy.

That's fine. I'm in a class where I don't show up with a coloring book as a birthday gift.

Ha ha! What class is that? 4th grade? Tacky class? Greedy class? Your daughter is so lucky to have such a classy - or is it klassy - mom!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is invited to a birthday party for a preschool classmate who is a twin. Do I get two smaller presents, one for each birthday child, or one more expensive gift and just put both their names on it? I usually spend about $20 per birthday party, so I'd be looking at two $10 gifts or one $20 gift.

If you normally spend 20 per party then really you normally spend 20 per kid. I think it is crappy that you would spend HALF that just bc they are twins having a single party.

Parent of twins here who posted two small gifts would be fine. The last thing I want is for parents to feel put out by having to double the cost of the birthday gifts. More important than the gift is that my kids' friends come to the party. My kids appreciate gifts of any size and they wouldn't know the difference between a $10 gift and a $20 gift.

+1

A dad of twins here. Please get whatever your budget allows and you feel is appropriate (and we do appreciate your company even if you don't bring a gift). We teach our twins that we should be grateful for friends and their company. Gifts are a bonus and are not guaranteed. Every gift should be appreciated whether separate or shared. They can have some expectations from family (our families go overboard, but that's a separate issue), but should not expect gifts from friends and their families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is up with twins parents stating a gift giver gets "brownie points" if we buy two of the same or two different presents. Tacky!!

I'm a parent of twins and agree! Also am appalled that some posters are so particular about what gifts are good enough. No coloring books? My kids love coloring books, but more importantly, a gift is a gift. Teach your kids some class and how to be appreciative.

I'm the poster who said no coloring books. I'm sticking to my guns. I will laugh at you if you gift my dd with a coloring book.

I will laugh at you for being classless and greedy.

That's fine. I'm in a class where I don't show up with a coloring book as a birthday gift.

Ha ha! What class is that? 4th grade? Tacky class? Greedy class? Your daughter is so lucky to have such a classy - or is it klassy - mom!

Honey, if it's greedy to expect more than a $2 coloring book from cvs then so be it.

[Anonymous]

Whatever you want. There's no right or wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is up with twins parents stating a gift giver gets "brownie points" if we buy two of the same or two different presents. Tacky!!

I'm a parent of twins and agree! Also am appalled that some posters are so particular about what gifts are good enough. No coloring books? My kids love coloring books, but more importantly, a gift is a gift. Teach your kids some class and how to be appreciative.

We do teach our twins (and their sibling) to be appreciative, and they are. But it doesn't feel great to a 6 year old to always get gifts that are half as nice as the ones their older sibling gets, or to always have to share a present with a twin. I would NEVER ask for two gifts for or twins, same or different, unsolicited. But the OP asked what to do. Is it really so ridiculous to answer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are typical gifts these days for preschoolers? Just curious, I don't have kids old enough to go to birthday parties yet. What's wrong with a coloring book? How much do people spend?

We usually spend between $10 and $20 dollars, and I generally buy stamp sets (like the Melissa and Doug ones). Good for the age group, good for both genders, and not too expensive.

[Anonymous]

I am a mom of twins. I agree that 2 gifts is better than 1 to both. If you know one twin, and not the other, just buy a gift for the friend you know, it's fine. The most important thing to each twin is that their friends are there to celebrate with them.

I will say it is a total pain when my twins are invited to another set of twin's birthday. We come lugging 4 gifts, and trust me, I am not paying $20 per gift.

Just an idea, but I think a paperback book is a nice and inexpensive gift for each twin, just ask the parent what books they are into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is up with twins parents stating a gift giver gets "brownie points" if we buy two of the same or two different presents. Tacky!!

Someone is asking for advice on giving gifts to a set of twins. This is advice.

No, the person asked whether one gift or two were warranted, NOT for additional advice (re: different gifts, gifts catering to a particular twin's likes, etc.) AND the OP was not asking for ways to get "brownie points" in the eyes of the twins' parents based on the gift(s) given. I repeat: TACKY!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is up with twins parents stating a gift giver gets "brownie points" if we buy two of the same or two different presents. Tacky!!

I'm a parent of twins and agree! Also am appalled that some posters are so particular about what gifts are good enough. No coloring books? My kids love coloring books, but more importantly, a gift is a gift. Teach your kids some class and how to be appreciative.

We do teach our twins (and their sibling) to be appreciative, and they are. But it doesn't feel great to a 6 year old to always get gifts that are half as nice as the ones their older sibling gets, or to always have to share a present with a twin. I would NEVER ask for two gifts for or twins, same or different, unsolicited. But the OP asked what to do. Is it really so ridiculous to answer?

I don't think that my kids, as perceptive as they are, care whether their gift costs $15 versus $30. Actually, the less expensive gifts - including coloring books, crayons, puzzles - are sometimes the gifts they enjoy the most. DH and I make sure they get their fair share of individual gifts at birthdays and holidays - they're not deprived. But really, the birthday party is about the celbration, not the presents. At least, that's what they take away from it at this point - and I hope in the future.

To expect parents to always shell out double the money to attend our kids' birthday party is asking a lot. Sure, many do, but I certainly don't want the fact that there are two gifts to buy to be an obstacle to attendance. I suspect my kids feel the same way. It means a lot to them to have their friends come to their birthday party.

[Anonymous]

Honey, if it's greedy to expect more than a $2 coloring book from cvs then so be it.

When I was a kid, occasionally my parents would buy us educational coloring books that followed things we were interested in, not just some thoughtless CVS pickup with some random cartoon or disney theme. I recall having a marine biology one and wildlife flowers with the scientific names (I loved going to the zoo and was into nature at the time). My brother went through the little boy dinosaur phase and he had a coloring book with facts about the dinosaurs, their scientific names, and what they ate, and later he got really interested in the Civil War, and he had one of famous battles/scenes with Lincoln. I have no idea what these coloring books cost, they were probably pretty cheap, but they were certainly memorable because I remember them as an adult, and we definitely enjoyed coloring in them. I probably remember those coloring books more than a lot of my "expensive" gifts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is invited to a birthday party for a preschool classmate who is a twin. Do I get two smaller presents, one for each birthday child, or one more expensive gift and just put both their names on it? I usually spend about $20 per birthday party, so I'd be looking at two $10 gifts or one $20 gift.

If you normally spend 20 per party then really you normally spend 20 per kid. I think it is crappy that you would spend HALF that just bc they are twins having a single party.

Parent of twins here who posted two small gifts would be fine. The last thing I want is for parents to feel put out by having to double the cost of the birthday gifts. More important than the gift is that my kids' friends come to the party. My kids appreciate gifts of any size and they wouldn't know the difference between a $10 gift and a $20 gift.

PP here with the fraternal twin girls. I agree with this, but would also note that if you can afford to get two gifts of your usual size, please do. My twins have a singleton sibling, and always see that sibling getting more or better gifts from friends and family.

So why don't you treat them like singletons and throw each a b-day party at different weekends? It would be a pain I agree but if you had two children born in the same day but in different years (or close enough), wouldn't you throw a different party for each most of the time?

This way, each twin can invite their own friends only and get a good gift like a singleton usually does and not feel bad about being a twin. Keeping their individuality...

[Anonymous]

Parent of twins here- when my twins get invited to a party I send a gift from each of them. For their joint birthday party the ideal is to receive a gift each, doesn't need to be large but just equal.