Gifts for siblings

[Night Elf]

Do your children exchange gifts? If they do, do they come up with the ideas or is it more a case of Mom/Dad buys it, wraps it and puts said child's name on it?

 

Back when the kids were younger, I helped them pick out gifts but I paid for them so dollar amount was never an issue. Then when oldest dd got a job, she bought gifts from her brother and sister. But it got too hard for everyone to reciprocate because none of us are creative when it comes to giving gifts. So this year I asked oldest dd not to buy gifts for all of us. She doesn't really have the money and there is nothing really any of us need or want. I'm having a difficult time coming up with gifts that I can give the kids. I have no ideas of small gifts they can give to each other. And while my daughters could give each other girly stuff, they wouldn't know what to buy for ds and vice versa. So I'll skip all of that this year.

[linders]

They make gifts for each other (my rule). This year, DS14 is making wooden stilts for DS11, and DS11 is making a tied-fleece pillow for DS14. They've done photo collages, photo frames, duct-tape wallets, and tied-fleece blankets in the past.

[craftymama]

Ours give each other gifts and they are little so we foot the bill. I let them pick the gifts and encourage smaller things. Once they are old enough, I encourage handmade gifts for each other.

[wendyroo]

I take each of my kids on a special mom-son trip to the Goodwill to pick out gifts for his siblings.  They normally choose a toy or a character shirt since I refuse to buy clothing (other than underwear) with licensed characters.  When Elliot was a toddler and just about to move out of his crib, I steered Peter toward getting him a really cute animal comforter for his new bed.  Last year, baby Spencer "chose" used books for each of the older boys.

 

The comforter was $15 (I looked it up...$200 new!!), but normally their gifts end up being about $2 - $4 which I pay.

 

Wendy

[Pippen]

They didn't exchange as younger children, and I just let it evolve. They are teens now and they usually do very low cost gifts that they know the recipient will like--Starbucks gift cards, guitar picks, etc. Sometimes one will do something more, and I don't let it worry me if they do.

[MeAndTheBoys]

I have three boys--we have them draw names, so each buys for one other.  We tend to stick to under $5 trinkets--candy (they love all those tubes of candy at Christmas) or a cool Hot Wheels or a sticker book (for the younger one)--just random stuff for fun.

 

The older boys pay themselves; the youngest gets money from us.

 

I want them to learn to give gifts of love, but on the other hand, we are not a big gift-giving family, so it's a struggle--

 

B---

[paceofnature]

With 7 children, it would be a bit much for them to buy gifts for every sibling. What we have done is on Thanksgiving, the kids draw names from a hat and buy or make for that particular sibling. We help fund those who are under 6, but those over generally use their own money (with help, if needed). December is a great month to help out with extra chores to earn a few dollars...and we slow school down enough that there is plenty of time for handmade gifts.

[Guest]

They go shopping with me or dh to get a gift for each other, but we pay.

[Tap]

Ds20 is just like his dad, and couldn't really care less about presents.  

DD16 is like me and adores presents.

 

 

We have 3 kids and they buy for each other each year. Since the kids were very little, we have traveled a few hours to the in-laws on Christmas Eve.  Our tradition is, that they give the kids-to-kids presents to each other right before we hit the road. Due to this tradition, their gifts to each other often have something to do with the trip.  A video game for the DS, a book, a doll, a portable toy, etc.   I help to pay for the presents because I don't give my kids allowance.  

 

I check with ds20 before I buy the presents to his sisters, to get ideas on what to give them, but I buy them myself.  DD8's I just buy myself because she has no idea what to buy.  DD16 picks out her own gifts to the siblings.  

[ashfern]

My kids decided a couple of years ago that the needed to buy gifts for each other. I take them to Five and Below. That way they can't spend too much money.

[Stacia]

Mine always have. When they were little, they would each draw a special picture for the other one & put them in each other's stockings. (This was their idea.) We have some of the cutest drawings!

Once they got a bit older, they started buying gifts for each other. Originally, we paid for what they bought, but over the years they have morphed to using their own money. They are very excited & specific about getting gifts for each other & both really seem to enjoy getting something they know the other one will love. Sometimes they go by a wish list the recipient has put together, sometimes not, but they always choose carefully to find something wonderful. This year, ds is getting his sister a dvd she wants & a gaming gift card. Dd is putting $ toward a special (expensive) keyboard that ds wants (will be a joint gift from all of us). They wrap the gifts for each other too & it is always a big deal for them when their sibling opens their gift.

[PrairieSong]

Our seven have exchanged names with each other for years. The oldest doesn't anymore because she is in a religious order. We send her a box with homemade peanut brittle and other goodies, photos, letters, etc. The others are old enough to buy their own gifts, but in the past I helped the little ones pick something out/pay for something. It was a fun shopping trip alone with Mom.

[kewb]

My kids don't. I just asked them of they ever thought about exchanging gifts.

Dd: I think about it but he is so picky so I don't.

Ds: No.

I fear dh and I have not sent a good message with our never exchanging with our siblings.

[Baseball mom]

I generally foot the bill but let them do the for each other. Generally it is in the $5-$10 range.

[Tanaqui]

This is why Secret Santa was invented. Seriously, this is the reason.

[Arcadia]

My kids love buying each other gifts. They have a wish list so they would choose something out of each other's wish list, go find it in store and we would give them cash to pay. It's generally $20 per child but we are ok with exceeding.

 

Both want more hexbugs this year and that is easy for them to go Target or TRU and pick for each other.

[Jaz]

We never had our dc exchange gifts. The last few years they have decided on their own to exchange gifts. It works like this. "I love this Webkinz and it's on sale!" "Okay, I'll buy it for you. I'd like that Lego set." So, they both know what they are getting and they love it. LOL

[Chris in VA]

Mine didn't until recently. They started gift giving by getting candy from the Dollar Store at birthdays. I really think dd started the boys.

Some years (as older teens) they didn't have any money to give things.

 

Special story--

 

A few years ago, my eldest, then in college, literally had 5 dollars to spend at Christmas. He wanted to get something for his sibs. I thought it was so sweet and generous to want to give his last $ for them.

 

He walked to the Dollar Store and when he came back, he said, "Come here, Mom. I want to show you something."

I went to his room and he held out his hand. In it were 3 quarters.

He said, "This was my change from the store."

I thought he meant he was able to get what he wanted and have some left over.

 

He said, "No, look at them."

 

The quarters were marked "1989," "1991," and "2000," the birth years of my son and his sibs.

 

I felt like it was a little "God wink;" that He was letting ds know He approved of his generous spirit!

[Mommy22alyns]

Mine like to give each other gifts.  They are actually the ones who decided to do it.  This year, I kind of said, "Hey Sylvia, get this for Rebecca" and vice versa because I found a pair of absolutely perfect things, and we only do three gifts for each girl, so this is how I snuck in a little something extra.