Do the kids in your families make/give gifts? To whom?

[Anonymous]

When should a child start giving a gift (made or bought)? Should they give something to just their parents? Siblings? Grandparents?

[Anonymous]

When I was a kid, I remember my parents “helping” my siblings and I get a gift for the other one. Once I could, I started making gifts for my parents, my grandparents, my siblings, and aunts/uncles (drawings, crafts, coupons for things I could do for them). Once I had an allowance, I’d save to get them small things. I remember picking out bookmarks one year at the bookstore and thinking really hard about the right picture/saying for each person. I remember feeling like a baller for saving up to buy Revlon nail polish for each of the women in my family and Old Spice aftershave for the men. Haha. The adults would make a show of opening and thanking the kids for our simple, little gifts. It was so fun.

Anyway, on my side, the nieces and nephews age 4 to 13 and they give gifts to their parents. My siblings take care of gifts for the grandparents and other siblings and the kids sign the card. I kind of wish I could fawn over a drawing or craft like my aunts/uncles/grandparents did, but whatever, times change.

On my husband’s side, the nieces and nephews are older - 12-18 years old. They aren’t giving any gifts to their parents or grandparents. Like nothing. They just receive. My husband pointed out that they don’t have allowances and the teens don’t have jobs.

So i guess my answer is that there’s no rule, just different practices for different families.

[Anonymous]

My kids used to make gifts, but now I give them each $20 and they very carefully shop for us family members. They buy for myself, my husband, their grandmother and each other.