How much do you spend per gift for a classmate?

I am just curious. I think I might be on the cheap side when it comes to gifts for classmates.

If your twins attend a party for a (3-year-old) classmate, how much total (whether you give one bigger gift or two smaller) do you think is about right to spend? And I'm talking about your average classmate, not particular best friend, type kid.

I don't mind being sorta cheap (I always give nice, thought-out gifts) but I don't want to be waay out of line with the average, and I have no clue as to what is appropriate.

 

Usually no more than $20 in that situation.

 

I would buy two smaller gifts and I would probably spend at most $30 for both things.

 

Usually up to $20, but of course there's two gifts so $40.00. We're just off after school to toys r us as we have a party to go to on Sunday


amanda

 

We've been going to a lot of bday parties lately for PS friends and I usually spend about $20 on a gift from both of my children.

 

Okay, thanks! I guess I'm not really out of line (except maybe there is some geographic variation ) -- we have a twin party tomorrow though, and that will mean more like $80! I think I'm going to skimp a little and do more like two $25-30 gifts. Is that horrible? (I'm really trying to be superfrugal right now for a variety of reasons. You do what you can, right?)

 

QUOTE(marieber @ Mar 28 2008, 03:13 PM) [snapback]692715[/snapback]
Okay, thanks! I guess I'm not really out of line (except maybe there is some geographic variation ) -- we have a twin party tomorrow though, and that will mean more like $80! I think I'm going to skimp a little and do more like two $25-30 gifts. Is that horrible? (I'm really trying to be superfrugal right now for a variety of reasons. You do what you can, right?)

All I would expect, and I'm sure most of you are the same way, is one gift for a birthday. I would not expect a gift from each twin if twins were invited to our birthday party. Especially at the preschool age. Don't go broke buying presents!

 

QUOTE(Snittens @ Mar 28 2008, 03:53 PM) [snapback]692795[/snapback]
All I would expect, and I'm sure most of you are the same way, is one gift for a birthday. I would not expect a gift from each twin if twins were invited to our birthday party. Especially at the preschool age. Don't go broke buying presents!



Good thinking to the above poster! On the flip side I wonder if that mother would then ponder what to do if she was invited to your twins party. It would seem right to me to buy each twin a gift. HMMM... something to think about. How about a $10 gift from each of your twins? Honestly at preschool age these toys are going to be thrown out/ donated sooner than later. I think it is mostly important that the kids attend to make the b-day child feel special. Sometimes those less costly gifts are the best!! An idea- for my twins first b-day another twin mommy bought the kids those large bouncy balls- sand pails and sunglasses. It was a GREAT gift and not so expensive and my 3 year old loved the balls too.

My twins are only1 1/2 so I don't have much experience- just thought I'd throw it out there.

Good topic!

 

I would say $15-20 per gift. I always give 2 gifts since when it is my girls birthday I would prefer if they each get something and not have to share..

 

I would give each child one gift from both girls and probably spend $15-$20 per gift.

 

I'm the cheapskate here! LOL We try to stay under $10 for a single gift. I usually hit the clearance aisle at Target or Walmart and can usually get a pretty cool toy, game, etc for my limit. I don't feel bad about it since I shop the same way for my own kids birthdays!

 

We do one gift from the kids for each child at the party.

So when they go to their singleton friend's party, they get one gift for him/her. When they go to a twins party, they get one gift for each twin. We haven't done "school" parties yet, we aren't there yet, but for a twins party, I would think $50 should be your highest limit on what you spend (whether it's on 1 gift for each kid, or two smaller gifts for each kid).

Does that make sense?

 

$15 - $20 per gift

 

I buy one gift from each twin for the parties I have attended and usually approx $15 - $20 for each gift - no more than $40 total.

Usually the twins get a gift each so I think that is fair.

 

I spend maybe $10-15 for a gift from each of my girls (so that would be a total of $20-30 for the party). The parties that my girls have been invited to the parents tell me that they don't expect a gift from each girl but I do it anyway because the girls like to carry in a gift and give it to the party child. For a twin party I would probably buy one gift for each child but have it from both of my girls. I also ask the parent what they are into and what I should get so I can look for sales or for the item a little cheaper. Like I got two littlest pet shop guys for like $7 and then I got a playset for $11 so I got nice deals on that.

 

I can be the queen of cheap! what I do is while shopping if I find a good clearance deal, I buy it - I have several things in my closet right now for that very reason. If I don't have anything, I try to find something on clearance or something that "looks" like I spent more on it than I did. I try not to spend but like $10 on a classmate like that - $20 at the very most and that would include the gift wrap.

that being said, I will spend more on occasion or special circumstances but we get invited to SO many parties that it gets very expensive!