individual gifts vs. for the both of them gifts

My girls' first birthday is coming up. My husband and I have done most of our shopping... we got a large 3 room tent/tunnel system (I hope they are old enough to enjoy crawling around in the tunnels) and the Fisher Price Noah's Ark. We found one set of extra animals and there is another one available. We're wrapping the extras sets as one for each of them, but the tunnel thing and the Noah's ark will be for the both of them. I feel funny about it... I want them to have more individual gifts. But, at this age, they don't have individual preferences yet, and they both play with everything. I know it will be easier as they get older, but what about now. How do you do gifts? Do you have "for the both of you" gifts?

 

For Christmas, my mom and step-dad bought 2 of the same thing for the twins. Even with being boy/girl I thought that was a bit ridiculous. I think that sharing a couple of larger gifts is fine. If you want to do more individual gifts, get them each a set of wooden blocks that are similar but different or a ride on toy or something like that. As they get older it will get easier for them to have their own gifts, but until then, I'd go with the same but different way.

 

Most of the Christmas stuff was shared, and it was mostly toys. Birthday stuff is mostly just stuff they'll need in the next year, summer sleep sacks, potties, training pants, bowls and utensils, yet another set of sippy cups, etc., so it's more of a two of everything situation. Oh, and we are having 2 separate cakes, and singing twice. Enjoy!

 

For my guys' first birthday, they did share a couple of big gifts, but we had some other presents for them that were wrapped and addressed to them as individuals. Honestly though, they each play with everything equally, so it doesn't really matter! :lol:

Now that my boys are a little older, we're starting to buy more individual gifts, and especially doubling up on things that there would be huge fights over. I mean, they can share books, balls, etc. but there is no way we'd have peace in our house with only 1 Cozy Coupe! :laughing:

For their second birthday, we're thinking about getting them an outdoor play gym (ala Rainbow Recreation). That would *absolutely* be a joint gift due to the size/expense, and the fact that they could both use it. If we did this, we would probably ask for individual gifts from family so they'd each have something to unwrap.

Hope this helps!

 

My singleton is almost 3 years old and for his 1st and 2nd birthdays he had no idea about presents (we didn't even get him any b/c he got so many things from friends and family) so I wouldn't worry too much yet. I think having 2 cakes is perfect, but beyond that they have no clue. Just my 2 cents!

 

Mine are 8 now, so they get separate gifts for the most part because they have very different interests. When they were little we would get them a couple small things of their own and a big gift together. We have always done separate cakes and sang happy birthday to them individually (one year they wanted different types of location parties so we threw them separate birthday parties but they were much older than 2 then). I look at a joint gift this way, and so do my boys: There are some times when being a twin has drawbacks (like people saying "Which one is which again- I can't tell!" even though they look nothing alike :blink: ) but getting a birthday gift that is twice as big, twice as awesome and twice as wanted than any other kid your age is definitely a twin perk. We spend what we would on one child's birthday x2 so they get some really cool birthday gifts (like a Wii one year). Now that they are old enough to make requests they will often request one larger item together and for Christmas all 3 of my kids got a joint gift and loved it because since it was the "big" Christmas gift x3 it was a giant fort with 2 levels, a swing set, monkey bars, seesaw, picnic table, slide, sandbox and rockwall. Like I said, joint is a perk.

Also, I think your girls are going to LOVE that tent. The twins loved theirs and my LO got one for Christmas at 14 months old and it's THE most played with toy he has. If you want another individual gift, you could get them each a set of all pit balls to put in one of the rooms of the tent- those were a huge hit with my 3!

 

We did shared gifts for Christmas and their 1st birthday. They didn't know the difference!

 

For Christmas they each got a few hand toys For their birthday, we're telling people to donate to my walk for the March of Dimes in lieu of gifts. At this age they're too young (remember, mine are 2.5 months behind) to care so we're taking advantage of not cluttering our house with more unnecessary "stuff". Plus, we already have so much from the older kids when they were younger so we really don't need anything for them. We also give things away to Goodwill or the like (we have the kids do it) before any gift giving event so we really don't ever have that much. I guess we'll just have to donate even more when the girls get older and want separate gifts. But for now, gifts will be combined as well as limited.

 

At this age, they totally won't understand or know what is going on, so whatever you decide to do will be just fine. They will probably end up playing with whatever you give them equally anyway. And I'm sure they will love the tent/tunnels! Babies always seem to love those & it's something they will continue to use as they get older.