Need gift advice for a 1-year-old's birthday party.

[Oreo]

This is the place to ask!

I'm invited to a birthday party for a 1 year old. I'm close to the parents, but this is a joint party with another couple who also have a 1 year old. I don't know this baby or couple at all, but obviously, I need to bring a present for him.

Money is really tight since my work is way off. It doesn't seem right to buy a nicer present for one kid and a cheap one for the other. And it's all show for the parents anyway. What's appropriate??

Thanks for any replies!!

[agalisgv]

Children's/baby books (they can be cheap), or stuffed animals. Those are generic enough that it will apply for most babies, they can be inexpensive, and it will grow with them.

[BaileyCatts]

Teddy Bears. Or a stuffed ie or y are always nice. I luvs stuffed animals.

[maatTheViking]

As a baby parent - maybe I is our family's love of stuffed animals, but at 9 months our baby already has enough!

I think baby books are always nice, and can be really cheap (while still being nice) Just wrap them, to 1 year old tearing off paper is the most fun .

I would consider off the record maybe offering the parents you are close to a night of babysitting - really at 1 year you are celebrating the parents too?

[mag]

Books, books, books. You can never go wrong with books. I strongly suggest the Sandra Boyton books: http://www.amazon.ca/s/?ie=UTF8&keyw...l_94f7rmj50p_e

My kids' favourite was Moo Ba La La La. Also the Going to Bed Book.

If money is tight, just buy one or two books per child (depending on your budget - one is really fine!) They will gets lots of gifts and the parents will totally understand and actually appreciate that you are not buying tons of plastic crap for their kids .

[BigB08822]

They have those baby books that are made of something more soft so that the babies can't hurt themselves with the pointy edges of the books. Those are nice and I don't think they are very expensive.

[DAngel]

They have those baby books that are made of something more soft so that the babies can't hurt themselves with the pointy edges of the books. Those are nice and I don't think they are very expensive.

Yes, those are very nice... My nephew has some soft plastic books and they can be cleaned easily (when he was younger he would chew on them )

[skateycat]

Books, books, books. You can never go wrong with books. I strongly suggest the Sandra Boyton books: http://www.amazon.ca/s/?ie=UTF8&keyw...l_94f7rmj50p_e

My kids' favourite was Moo Ba La La La. Also the Going to Bed Book.

Little skateycat's Boynton favorites are What's Wrong Little Pookie and Hippos Go Berserk.

[skateycat]

And I almost forgot to mention our own manleywoman's books Silly Faces and Opposites at http://www.squishypress.com/buy-our-books/.

[Oreo]

This is awesome, guys. Thank you so much. Never having had my own kids, I'm pathetic when it comes to knowing this stuff. A few months ago, one of my friends went to a toddler's birthday party, and she was expected to bring presents for the siblings as well. It gets expensive.

[vesperholly]

I bought clothes for my nephew when he turned 1, and my brother thanked me profusely for them. Everyone else bought "fun" presents — toys — and he has tons, especially since our mom was a kindergarten teacher for 30 years and has basically assembled a library/playroom in the basement.

I bought basic sweatpants, jeans, t-shirts and a few onesies. They were fairly cheap at Target and Kohl's. $3-6 for a t-shirt and $8-15 for pants. Babies start growing really fast at that age, and become extremely messy, so they outgrow things quickly and multiple clothing changes in a day is not rare.

[AxelAnnie]

My daughter had her son's first birthday party with another child. It was neither parent's intent that people bring a gift for the kid they didn't know. My daughter was surprised when people did. First birthday parties are such a scatter.

Books are a really wonderful idea. Also, pull toys for that age...and they are not expensive.

[Garden Kitty]

If money is tight, and you feel comfortable offering, I like maat's suggestion to offer to baby sit. You could make up a gift certificate saying it can be redeemed for __ hours. I'm sure most parents would appreciate a little break more than just about anything you can buy.

But I usually relied on the old Gymborree Going to the Zoo video. It's too bad I don't think they ever put that out on dvd, so many kids I know just loved that tape.

[Andrushka]

Books that have the soft pages they can feel.My boys loved them.

Nothing with batteries.Because (1 they are too loud most of the time (2 batteries die,parents get busy and they never get changed (3 batteries are expensive.

[IceAlisa]

Books are always good. My son never liked stuffed animals so it could be a miss.

[Skittl1321]

I know lots of parents who have liked the books by http://www.squishypress.com/
they are slightly, but only slightly, more expensive than regular children's books of this sort- but the "green" aspect is appreciated by most parents.

I mention this specifically because a board member is involved (owns?) the company (Aw man, I scrolled through the thread and thought no one mentioned them, but now I see that someone already did!)


I lucked out in never needing to give 1 year olds presents. I always given their parents money. You can't really do that with strangers. I've found that pretty much EVERYONE with children has too much "stuff". Diapers were well recieved gifts for many holidays!

[znachki]

BOOKS!!!! Always a good idea. One book that I give to people a lot, is a board book titled "Chicka Chicka ABC", which is the short version of a book titled "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom". It's the alphabet (obviously). A told B and B told C. I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree. Whee said D, and so on. The thing is, you get a rhythm going and it's really engaging. My nephews loved it.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=pd_lpo_k...2PM5NV4QTAF1CT

I didn't even know at the time I first bought it, that there is a sing-along cassette.

[Jenny]

TA few months ago, one of my friends went to a toddler's birthday party, and she was expected to bring presents for the siblings as well.

Seriously? So every time one of the kids has a birthday, one is expected to give gifts to all of them?

That's ridiculous. The only time I've ever received a gift on my sister's birthday is the one time she got some outdoor sports equipment, and they gave me one too so she'd have someone to play with.

[milanessa]

My mother used to do that - not expect others to bring the non-birthday child gifts, but she would always give gifts to both of us so "the other one didn't feel bad". All it did was ensure that neither of us ever felt special.

I echo books for a gift. especially the soft, chew on ones.

[UGG]

NOOO STUFFED ANIMALS!!! LOL. I have an 8 month old and we have so many I don't even know what to do with them!!!

I just went to a 2 year old birthday party and I gave a $25 target gift card. I know that is kind of impersonal but I figured my friend (the mom) could just get whatever she needed and it would, in the end, be better than be giving a stupid toy. (like if she needed winter stuff, new shoes, etc...)