Too Many Presents for a 5 Year Old
By lilacskies
@lilacskies (6022)
United States
February 18, 2025 7:05pm CST
I just got back from my niece's fifth birthday party an hour ago. The party is still going on right now, but it will probably be over by 9pm since it's a school night. I was surprised by how many people showed up. There were a lot of people present. I have no idea how many. Some kids had both parents with them. Wow. I stayed off to the side and hung out with my immediate family.
I left after the birthday song was sung, my niece made a wish and blew out her candle that states five, and the presents were opened. I was astonished by how many presents a tiny five year old got. She easily got 40+ presents today. 5 of those presents alone were from each of my parents, me, my brother, and his wife. I got her a dainty bracelet that matches the necklace I bought her for Christmas, but it got buried with all the other presents.
I don't know why a five year old needs purses, but my brother got her a glittery silver purse and my sister-in-law got her a glittery purple one. Why would they get two purses for her when they could get her one if that and then get her something else? I don't know.
I've never celebrated my birthday before and neither has my brother. Not officially at least. My brother would go off to party and drink on his birthdays when he was a teenager and onwards. I stayed home and relaxed. We never celebrated any birthdays until my brother got married, and then we started celebrating his wife's birthday. Then, his daughter and son came along and they got their own birthday parties. It's weird how we went from celebrating no birthdays at all to three over the years. Just something I've thought about today at the party.
11 people like this
10 responses
@kaylachan (75343)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19 Feb
I think it's because people don't communicate with each other on what they're doing. And, children, especially at that age, love to dress up and feel grown up. A purse might make her feel grown up.
3 people like this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
@kaylachan She is a little princess so she might.
2 people like this
@luisadannointed (7245)
• Philippines
19 Feb
Its not too late to celebrate yours and your siblings birthday each year. Its good to celebrate it once in a while and beside it happens once a year. You can just a mini celebration with the fam just remembering the day you came in the world.
Anyway, maybe your niece love purses.
3 people like this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
I don't need a party or anything of that sort and I'm sure my brother continues drinking and partying for his birthdays and anytime he can. My family isn't really into birthdays. They only started due to my sister-in-law's pressure. Maybe one day. I don't know. I've never seen her carry one before. That stood out to me.
2 people like this
@shaggin (73966)
• United States
19 Feb
Oh my little girl who is 3 has always loved purses. She loves to fill them with her toy and take them with her wherever we go.
Wow interesting that you never celebrated birthdays before. I guess if it’s just the way it was you never knew ant different but it is a wonderful thing. That definitely sounds like a lot of guests and a lot of presents.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (73966)
• United States
19 Feb
@lilacskies here if we invite one child from the class it isn’t allowed we have to invite the entire class. School rules.
1 person likes this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
@shaggin I think the same applies to her school because the entire class showed up. Must be school rules. I have no idea. I don't have kids.
1 person likes this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
Wow, I didn't know such little girls like purses so much. I've been out of the loop. Maybe my niece will do the same with her two new purses. I've never seen her with one before so that stood out to me. Yes, my family doesn't celebrate birthdays. My parents don't celebrate, I don't, my brother didn't unless you count partying and drinking even though he did that everyday. Yes, it was too much. Her entire class attended plus their parents.
1 person likes this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
I didn't count, but I would say more than that. My family's presents alone cost $318. However, I only paid $7 for the bracelet due to buying it from a thrift store.
3 people like this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
I know, right? How many do you think she will actually enjoy anyway? Five year old don't have that kind of attention span to appreciate each and every present.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (89071)
• Bangalore, India
19 Feb
I have always kept birthday celebrations a low key one in closed circles. That's even for my children. But I have attended quite a lot of them with grand celebrations and all money spent. They would need a truck to carry all the gifts that come.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (89071)
• Bangalore, India
19 Feb
@lilacskies Yes, the circle of people whom you hang around with has an effect. Your sister in law seems like a social butterfly who enjoys parties. It can be exhaustive for some.
1 person likes this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
@arunima25 Yes, if I could avoid her, I would. She is a textbook narcissist. I have witnessed her do horrible things to do other people. She has even physically assaulted people, including her own father!
1 person likes this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
Yes, it's best to keep it low-key. Unfortunately, my sister-in-law goes out for birthdays and other events so there is no low-key with her. Haha yes, but it was held at their house which is next door to my parents' house so they don't need a truck. It was too much though.
1 person likes this
@kareng (68653)
• United States
19 Feb
@lilacskies And next thing you will know, they will be complaining that she has too many things/toys and start giving stuff away/donating. That one always has me laughing when the parents are responsible for most of the stuff there in the first place!
1 person likes this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
@kareng I know. Knowing my sister-in-law, they are going in the trash. She thinks donating/thrifting is beneath her. Ugh!
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
I know, right? I was overwhelmed just watching her open all those. I ended up leaving shortly after because it felt uncomfortable staying any longer. Yes, two different colors, but both were the same design. I have no idea. I never even saw her carry one before. Even then, she just took them out and put them to the side. Just an observation I made from my corner in the back. Lol!
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (171743)
• Boise, Idaho
19 Feb
That seems to be way too many. That kid will think being a consumer is the only way to go.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (171743)
• Boise, Idaho
19 Feb
@lilacskies ......That's what happens. Mothers tend to want to give their children all they can but I think sometimes they go over board.
1 person likes this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
I know. She already is very spoiled. Like mother, like daughter.
1 person likes this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
@celticeagle Yes, this is not good for a child's attention span. They need to focus on one or two things and that's it.
1 person likes this
@much2say (57258)
• Los Angeles, California
19 Feb
Birthday party gifts seem to be more extravagant than when I was a kid. Growing up, our family birthdays just meant our favorite meal cooked by my mom and a cake for dessert. I never had friends party in my childhood. It wasn't until my kids came along that we all made a bigger thing of birthdays . . . birthdays were/are very special for my kids.
Purses - some girls are girly girls that way. My daughter never got into that 
.
.1 person likes this
@much2say (57258)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Feb
@lilacskies We've done the big and small . . . personally, I think the small ones are whole lot more meaningful, just with close family and friends. I don't know their situation, but sometimes parents feel obligated to do the big ones because everyone else did/does it that way. Ha ha - me neither - and if anything I'd want to pick out my own purse .
.1 person likes this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
It's better to have small birthday parties celebrated by close family members and a few friends. It's not necessary to have such a large birthday party where the entire class and their parents are present. It was overwhelming, but at least the birthday girl enjoyed it. I know, right? Even I don't enjoy them! 
1 person likes this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
21 Feb
@much2say My sister-in-law likes go all out for all holiday events and it's just too much. She doesn't like to tone it down so she drags us all around. It's irritating. I have never carried a purse in my life. I have a wallet that I stick into my pants or parka pocket and call it a day. I used to be fashionable once, but those days are long gone.
1 person likes this
@grenery8 (13805)
• Zagreb, Croatia (Hrvatska)
19 Feb
it feels like she is much older; i agree, to much purses for one kid. i didn't have luck with birthdays. i loved it with my family but they pushed me to celebrate with my class mates, which i didn't like and then it was only between my parents and me and for birthday, this year, i won't clebrate it rather, by my own and i hope some stores, which apps i have on my phone, will give me some discount. i think it won't be a big discount, maybe not at all.
1 person likes this
@grenery8 (13805)
• Zagreb, Croatia (Hrvatska)
21 Feb
@lilacskies she is a princess, for sure! peace is priceless. you are right; it will be different yet peaceful. thank you
1 person likes this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
21 Feb
@grenery8 Haha Yes, she is. That's right. You can't put a price on peace. It's priceless. Yes, it will be different but worth it. You are welcome.
1 person likes this
@lilacskies (6022)
• United States
19 Feb
She is a bossy princess who has everyone wrapped around her little pinky. Lol! My family skipped all birthday while I was growing up, including their own birthdays. It was just another day in our families. My brother would celebrate his own way when he was a teenager. He would go off to drink and party, but that was a daily occurrence so it wasn't like he was specifically celebrating his birthday. You made the right decision to celebrate alone. You will be much happier that way. Peace is priceless. I always just relax on my birthday. No drama, no people, nothing. Alone. Peace and quiet. I love it!
1 person likes this
