Buying gifts for your child's friends...what do you think?

We never did when I was young. The real close ones maybe but not all. If you have the means then do so. It is the season of giving. And sometimes just a card if you can't afford a gift. Just the thought is enough. It is a good time to teach children about giving and material things too. What the real spirit of giving should be.

Hi jen, When Christmas is round the corner the gift aspect would surely be hitting many of us. Though I am not a Christian to be involved a lot into this still I enjoy the day with my friends. But buying gifts for children and children's friend is really a Herculean job for me. If at all we are to buy things I leave this to my wife.

I wish i could buy for everybody. What i really hate is for someone to buy for me that i haven't bought for. I think the suckers would be a cute gift for the young folks. People tend to forget it's the thought that counts . I bet they will appreciate them plus appreciate the thought, hopefully. Kids get way too much.They have Christmas the year around.

I agree with you. It should be something small and inexpensive because of the number of friends. Plus, all of the friends are probably not going to give gifts and anything of any real consequence might make them feel bad or pressured to give one. Little bundles of Christmas cookies might be good. I have a similar problem though. My son has a new girlfriend. They haven't been together very long and I hardly know her. I mean not enough to know much about her or what she likes or dislikes. I thought maybe I should get her a little something for a Christmas gift but I don't really know what. One thing she did mention the other day is that she likes horses, so I thought maybe a little glass horse figurine or I saw a small glass carousel ornament online. Don't know if I'll be able to find it anywhere locally though as there's not really enough time to get it shipped now.

I've done this a lot of times especially during birthdays. Our kid wouldn't stop whining unless we buy the gift.

Yep... You can give some money to your child that he'll by a gift to their friends, but... what amount of money you can spend for it? - this is a question...

Oh, Jen...you may think my answer a little harsh, but I know that if my son wanted to gift his friends, when he was younger (and became aware of gift-exchanging) I would ask him to come up with something he could make, or that I could help him make, as I didn't want him thinking the world could be bought! It was his chance to come up with the thought, and to create! We did things like salt-dough figurines, friendship bracelets, kites, wood-carved toys...something he would have to put an effort into! Rainbows, dear lady, sure hope your 7 days a week ends soon, and you get a nice Christmas break! HUGZ

For me it depends. If I am close to the family and know the kid well, then I buy the kid something nice and wouldn't mind spending more. Otherwise, I'd buy something simple and not so expensive.

I'm all for giving and especially showing your daughters that its better to give then to receive. So it would definitely have to be homemade gifts so it doesn't become pricey. I think its a great idea of cookie suckers or anything that is cookie or candy. I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year!

I think it's nice to get something for their friends. My half sisters are 13 and I remember last year we went into town a couple of days before Christmas and they bought them a little something. I buy presents for my friends who I have known since School.

I don't usually buys gifts for my childrens' friends. if my children would like to give a gift to their friends, that is their choice and their responsibility. I think it means more to my child and their friend when it cimes from the heart and not my wallet.

My son is already 10 years old and has a bit of a grasp of the meaning of gift-giving this season. He wanted to give gifts to some of his classmates. As this was going to be an expensive prospect, we also just resorted to candies. We bought a box of candy canes which he then gave to his classmates at the last day before the break. He ended up giving everybody, just to be fair. I think candies or chocolates would be good enough!

Oh yes I did make sure they bought something for their closets friends and it always was inexpensive as well. I always tried to plan really early so that way it would not have been a really expensive load. Your idea is a good one, and dollar stores also come to mind. LOL

Well that never happened to me when I was a child as we don't always get a gift for ourselves from our parents on Christmas Day, because we lived in a village and not many people who can afford to buy something from the shop. Most of us do farming that time and that is where we earn our food from most of the years. As for your daughters requesting something to give to their friends, then yes that is a very sweet intention. If you can afford to get something for them then go ahead, sure they will be very happy about it. Merry Christmas

Hi JenIn My Friend has a very close Friend they have been Friends since Children, are still very close and as long as I can remember I have always bought her a Present to this Day, I also buy for her Husband and the new Baby who is so sweet I buy for my Friends and their Children yes

When I have children I think I would get their friends something small. Or let them pick something out within reason. Or even like the lady you know and make them cookies or something.

I have enough trouble just buying for my own kids and family. I generally do not go beyond buying for family, except in the cases of buying for teachers, and I will get them a $5 gift card to a coffee shop. This year though my youngest is doing a gift exchange at preschool, so I have to buy a gift for one of his classmates. I also have to buy a gift for a co-woker of mine because we are doing secret santa.

Hey Jen! I like the idea of giving cookies or candy for a gift. Both are things that your daughters can have fun making too. Hope you have a great holiday!

I have only the one child and she has three friends that she likes to buy for. We only spend around ten dollars and get something small and their mothers do the same for us. It is a nice thing but I appreciate that if there are a lot of children it can easily get out of hand and the poor parents can end up spending a small fortune. I think the cookie sucker idea is a great and inexpensive one. Did she end up doing that?

On my grandson's birthday some years ago, I help buy some gifts for his friends, and his teachers, who attended his birthday party. Everyone felt happy and recongnized. This might be a positive adding to their friendship and teamwork environment, which is very important for the growing children. Gisfts maybe tiny, but means something.