Do Your Children Give Gifts to Each Other?

[Bearvet]

And to you and DH (or DW)? I have always had my 3 boys pick out a gift for their 2 brothers and for DH and myself. I feel it teaches them how to be a thoughtful gift giver and they love to watch people open the gifts from them. They are now 20, 16 and 14 and I really love to see how hard they try to buy the perfect gift for someone (and it's not usually something I would think of!).

So does your family do this for the holidays?

 

[Pembo]

We do the same thing and have since the kids were very small. I too think it teaches them to be thoughtful. They also pick out gifts for their grandparents that come from them. Some years they each pick out a gift or this year they chose a group gift.

 

[luvmy3]

Yes, usually something small for eachother. They do give me and dh gifts that they make in school and we usually take them out shopping so they can pick out something to buy. We let them pick it out so its always interesting to see what we get

 

[jeepgirl30]

The kids have a holiday shop at school. DS7 is so excited to give his sister the earrings he picked out for her at the holiday shop. He used all his allotted money on her gift because the teacher didn't see I had check off other people for him. I will take him out so he can get something for DH. DD9 got gifts for me, DH, DS and other relatives. She also picked out material to make scarfs for her cousins.

T

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

Yes, our girls do this...they have a 15 dollar limit though. This year Holly got Remy two books she wanted and Remy got Holly some sad eyed stuffed cat that Holly wanted at Wally last month. Each is real excited to wrap and give their "own" gifts.

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

I think it is one of their favorite things to do. They use their allowance. They are so excited. The have already wrapped their gifts for each other and put them under the tree. The also saved to buy gifts for mom and dad this year. They are very excited about what they have decided to get for me. Dad takes them out next week to get it (I am a little nervous about the aisle they went down to check things out when we were at Target)

 

[dislaney]

When mine were younger we also had the holiday store at school which was perfect for giving them a set amount of money and letting them pick out gifts for everyone important to them. We would usually discuss who they might want to buy for and approximately how much they would have to spend. They loved picking out and giving these gifts. No more school store but they still love to get everyone gifts.

 

[mtemm]

my kids are 7, 5, 5 and I am thinking of starting this year, just having them get things for each other with a $5 limit. I like the idea of them taking time to think of each other and to really get into the spirit of giving.

 

[minkydog]

Mine are 23, 16, and 14. The 23yo hasn't given me a card or a gift in at least 3 years. He doesn't usually give his sibs gifts either, unless we remind him(and this year he's not speaking to us.) DD16 always buys us gifts, with her own money too. DS14 is mentally handicapped, so he doesn't buy gifts. But we always buy something "from Christian" to his brother and sister, mom and dad.

Don't ask me why DS23 chooses not to give gifts. He wasn't raised that way. He's sensitive in a lot of ways, but he's not altruistic at all. Unfortunately, he is much more interested in what people are going to give him. Which this year isn't much.

 

[luvmyfam444]

I always did growing up but really haven't done it with my own kids - I never have just one with me - but last night the kids picked out books for each other & my oldest & I said that would be our new tradition for them to pick out books for each other.

I don't have them buy for me or hubby - the 1 or 2 gifts (clothes for dh) are just from all of us (not even labeled normally)

 

[PaulaSue]

My 2 girls do secret Santa at school and buy for the 4 of us. My oldest school doesn't do secret santa so I took her shopping for her sisters. She didn't mention buying for dh and me so I didn't say anything . I was touched that she wanted to do for her sisters. But it is not a have to do thing. Usually they made something and a card from our craft stash.

 

[SCHBR'smom]

Up until the 4th child, the kids gave a gift to all siblings. Now, its just too many gifts, so they draw names and buy a gift for whoever they get. We even include the baby, I just do the shopping for her. The kids really enjoy it. I always make sure they pick out a gift for DH, but he doesn't usually have time to take them shopping for me. My favorite almost gift was when DD10 was younger, she told DH that she wanted to get me a buffet, but what she meant was a bouquet. So cute!
We, also, have the children pick out a small gift for each of their cousins from all of them.

 

[4nana]

Yes, our kids started giving small gifts to each other incl. Mom and Dad at a very early age. Many times it was Secret Santa, but never the less something they picked out and wrapped. Now that they are all adults, they still give sentimental gifts to their siblings. They each took the time to send their brother in AFG. BD and C'mas pkgs also. We've been very blessed, they all seem to enjoy spoiling the ole' fokes, be it holiday or not.

 

[dismom2]

Yes, I take my kids out individually and let them choose a gift for each other. I just think it's nice for them to do that, and they want to.

 

[Freyja]

My kids do this to and for the exact same reasons that the OP mentioned I give them a $25 limit though, and each child only gets one gift from their siblings. They get to pick out something for DH and me too, if they haven´t already made us a gift at school.

 

[coolbeans]

we do here, DD is 13 and she can pick something out for her brother that is only 3.. I pulled up two items on the internet that I had narrowed down for DD and let him point at the one he liked best.. he has expensive taste!!

 

[MIGrandma]

Looking back, I wish we would have done that with our kids, to give gifts to each other. I remember taking them shopping so they could pick out gifts for their Dad, and he did the same with them to pick out gifts for me but we never had them shop for something for each other.

So, now as adults they don't give gifts to each other. DD does give gifts to us, or sends flowers, or takes us to lunch, etc. DS is hit or miss, depends on if anyone reminds him. I think he has finally learned to at least acknowledge our birthdays, Father's/Mother's Day with a phone call. I don't expect a gift, but a phone call is nice.

 

[golfgal]

Our kids have done this as well. When they were smaller they would buy things at the Secret Santa shop that a group in our town put on (they would buy things for us there too). As they got older they started buying things on their own. They have had to use their own money for these gifts. They now spend around $15-20 or so. They also draw names with their cousins and buy for them too. I think they are more excited to give out their cousin presents than anything at Christmas. We just had our family party yesterday so the kids got to give their gifts then.

I miss having the kids shop at the Secret Santa shop--it was so much fun seeing what they picked out for everyone and better yet the "WHY" behind it .

 

[Tasha+Scott]

We also do the same as you, OP.

 

[C.Ann]

Yes - they purchased for each other - as well as DH and I.. They also used their own money that they had saved from doing chores for the elderly in the neighborhood; raking leaves; shoveling snow; etc. - until they were old enough to secure "real" part-time jobs while in high school..