https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 08 May 2026 15:01:39 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2661019 Sat, 03 Dec 2016 17:32:09 +0000 periwinklebee 2661019@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: That's awesome! Such a good idea - I know when I go home at Christmas my mom will still happily point out the ornaments I made for her years ago :happy: I'm really surprised some of them are still in one piece! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2661009 Sat, 03 Dec 2016 16:27:11 +0000 Smurfette 2661009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee: We do this. Been a tradition since I was little the kids make a present/craft/ornament for the adults. LO is doing it again this year. I love all the handmade ones on the tree. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2660973 Sat, 03 Dec 2016 12:13:18 +0000 periwinklebee 2660973@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I was a kid we'd make presents for aunts/uncles/grandparents, and use our money to buy small gifts for my parents, I don't think anything ever cost more than $10 or $15. I think this worked well for us - we didn't have a ton of money so the gifts were always needed and used extensively, and it was really exciting for me to see that my parents liked what I'd picked out. In the context of someone who already had as much stuff as they wanted, or had expensive tastes, I think I would favor handmade gifts or a gift that created a memory of doing something fun together as a family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2660966 Sat, 03 Dec 2016 11:35:36 +0000 DesertDreams88 2660966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cole: such a cute story! </p> <p>@looch: @Smurfette: definitely agree, I want to help them participate in the giving process and know that Christmas isn't just like a birthday. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2660942 Sat, 03 Dec 2016 08:34:58 +0000 Ms. RV 2660942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Growing up, my parents got lots of useless gifts from me. I want to avoid this with DD :silly: </p> <p>The plan is for DD to make ornaments each year for the adults in her life (including parents). When she gets older I am sure we will have to coerce her into it but I definitely want an ornament each year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2660936 Sat, 03 Dec 2016 08:04:38 +0000 looch 2660936@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I take my son to buy something for immediate family members. It's not a lot of us, but he gets something for my husband, my parents, brother and my aunt, who is like another grandma to him. I think it is important that he learn to give, he sure knows how to receive!</p> <p>I take him to a place like TJMaxx or Marshalls, so we're not talking about hundreds of dollars. He also really likes to package the stuff, so we get gift bags and he goes to town. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2660930 Sat, 03 Dec 2016 07:41:44 +0000 skipra 2660930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We each take them out to shop. Last year DH wanted a wallet so I picked out a couple options at the store and let them decide. When they were shopping with DH, one of them became obsessed with some Ov Gloves so he let them get it. And I do actually love those things so it worked out. They do help make presents too. For us we just want to have them get involved with giving. They do also give each other presents which is good because it means they get a little one on one time too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2660885 Fri, 02 Dec 2016 21:06:01 +0000 Cole 2660885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: I took the girls I nannied for out to skip for each other on separate days. They both picked out the exact same thing for their sister and both were consumed with angst that they wouldn't be getting it. It was so fun as an adult to see that they knew their sister would love it and they were going to lovingly give a gift they really wanted to keep. Both were soooo excited when they opened them too. </p> <p>I haven't figured out the parent side of things yet. I am making it a tradition so far to have my daughter make a little something each year for grandparents, aunts and uncles so we focus on giving with those but my husband and I don't exchange gifts so I don't think it would even occur to him and even if I mention it he'd scoff at the idea of getting me something to show our daughter is good to give... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2660873 Fri, 02 Dec 2016 20:54:15 +0000 Smurfette 2660873@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Last year I just had LO pick out something at Target in the gift section in the men's section. She picked a tabletop pool game. I told him I needed socks so he took her to pick out socks for me. We didn't spend much but I want her to get Christmas is about giving not just receiving. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2660862 Fri, 02 Dec 2016 20:18:38 +0000 PinkElephant 2660862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: I felt like it was a good way to let them choose something that doesn't matter TOO much, so it doesn't become a waste of money if they choose something weird. DH is willing to wear crazy socks, so when DD picked some with parrots, it didn't matter! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2660840 Fri, 02 Dec 2016 17:43:30 +0000 DesertDreams88 2660840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: I like the idea of giving them a category, and then they pick within the category! Some direction, some flexibility! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2660839 Fri, 02 Dec 2016 17:42:28 +0000 PinkElephant 2660839@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH &amp; I each help the girls (sometimes separately, sometimes together) shop for a small present for the other parent. In the past it has been things like an edible treat, socks, etc., where the parent in charge picks the category and lets the kids go to town...or sometimes it's something the giftee has already picked out. For example, last year my girls "gave" me a pair of shoes I requested - Daddy ordered them, the girls wrapped them.</p> <p>I also try to get my girls to shop for each other, but as they get older and have more common interests, it gets tricky because they then want the things they're giving the other... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2660832 Fri, 02 Dec 2016 17:17:26 +0000 JenGirl 2660832@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sounds pretty similar to me, but my parents were divorced, so I think it's pretty awesome that each still arranged for me to have a gift for the other.</p> <p>I don't know how I feel about my son in the future. On the one hand, I detest random decorative crap. On the other hand, I can remember being so excited to buy presents for my family members at those little fairs at school. But definitely minimal presents. </p> <p>Overall, we are a very low level present family. My husband and I generally only exchange stockings at Christmas and very occasionally we'll get the other a birthday gift, if we have something good in mind, but usually we just do a nice date. And we'll get my son stocking stuffers, but probably no other presents, at this point, because I'm sure family will get him more than he needs despite telling them he doesn't need presents. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-buying-gifts-for-parents#post-2660824 Fri, 02 Dec 2016 17:08:18 +0000 DesertDreams88 2660824@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There may be thread(s) already on this, I don't know, there have been many gift threads lately!</p> <p>Growing up, how did you give gifts to your parents? How do you plan to handle that with your children?</p> <p>My childhood:<br /> Ages 0-9: mostly handmade or small gifts bought with allowance at the Scholastic book fair at my school<br /> Age 10-16?: Dad would give us each $50 and bring us to a store to pick out gifts for mom.... Walmart, JC Penney, etc.<br /> Age 16 and on: Used our money to pick out gifts, usually try to stick to $60-$80 per parent. </p> <p>What about you? It basically meant a lot of random gifts for 16 years... And personally, as a parent, I'd like to avoid that... :) But I do see the value of everyone participating in Christmas, and not just the kids getting showered in gifts. </p>