First Birthday Party Invite

MiliMe

My little girl has been invited to her first birthday party in a few weeks time. It is a joint party for 2 sisters in a play park. One is older (7 I think) the other is my little girls age (3).
What gift is normal to give? Should it be something for both sisters as the invite was from both or is it just for the younger of the two.
Also, i know that we should cover the cost of the party but what else should we give??
I am so completely oblivious to the rules of toddler parties...

ted1

In Our kids school the general guide is 5 Euro in a card. That’s what ever one gives it allows the kid go to a toy shop and pick out a good present thst they want

jlm29

I wouldn’t worry about covering the cost of the party- that’s never entered my head. That said, the norm in my kids school seems to be around €15- either money in a card or a toy shop voucher. A few give a gift. I doubt anyone would expect you to buy anything for the older sister, that would be a bit much. If you wanted, you could get a cinema voucher or something and let it be a joint gift.

Digs

ted1 wrote: »

In Our kids school the general guide is 5 Euro in a card. That’s what ever one gives it allows the kid go to a toy shop and pick out a good present thst they want

This is what we do too in our school and thank god for it. Fiver in a card and the child ends up with a nice sum to go buy something good.
OP I definitley wouldn’t worry about covering the cost of the entrance at all.

jlm29

Digs wrote: »

ted1 wrote: »

In Our kids school the general guide is 5 Euro in a card. That’s what ever one gives it allows the kid go to a toy shop and pick out a good present thst they want

This is what we do too in our school and thank god for it. Fiver in a card and the child ends up with a nice sum to go buy something good.
OP I definitley wouldn’t worry about covering the cost of the entrance at all.

I WISH someone would introduce this €5 business in my kids school! That said, we’re not over run with birthday parties this year, they seem to be tapering off a bit!

Bitches Be Trypsin

I'd be really really careful with the fiver idea. If it's not the done thing in your area, it'll make you look cheap, and you don't want that for your kids. 20 is the going rate in my area

The_Honeybadger

Bitches Be Trypsin wrote: »

I'd be really really careful with the fiver idea. If it's not the done thing in your area, it'll make you look cheap, and you don't want that for your kids. 20 is the going rate in my area

€15 - €20 here, fiver might seem a bit stingy alright

Digs

jlm29 wrote: »

I WISH someone would introduce this €5 business in my kids school! That said, we’re not over run with birthday parties this year, they seem to be tapering off a bit!

Yes it’s a brilliant idea! I’m sure most parents would be happy to introduce it. We have at least one party a month, some parties have 2-3 kids celebrating at the one party so anything more than a fiver in a card and the costs would seriously rack up. My daughter had her party a few weeks ago and ended up with €120 to spend in Smyths!

ETA: Actually I’m wondering if it’s just a Gaelscoil thing? It’s called the carta cuig scheme. Either way I’m very grateful we’re not expected to put €20 in a card!! I’d be broke! Plus my daughter would have ended up with almost €500 for her fifth birthday, that seems insane!!

Bitches Be Trypsin

Digs wrote: »

Yes it’s a brilliant idea! I’m sure most parents would be happy to introduce it. We have at least one party a month, some parties have 2-3 kids celebrating at the one party so anything more than a fiver in a card and the costs would seriously rack up. My daughter had her party a few weeks ago and ended up with €120 to spend in Smyths!

ETA: Actually I’m wondering if it’s just a Gaelscoil thing? It’s called the carta cuig scheme. Either way I’m very grateful we’re not expected to put €20 in a card!! I’d be broke! Plus my daughter would have ended up with almost €500 for her fifth birthday, that seems insane!!

It's more a social expectation among families than a school thing. Since birthday parties are outside of school, the school cannot implement any sort of rules around them. What can happen though is if the parents have a WhatsApp group or something, they could start something together.

Digs

Bitches Be Trypsin wrote: »

It's more a social expectation among families than a school thing. Since birthday parties are outside of school, the school cannot implement any sort of rules around them. What can happen though is if the parents have a WhatsApp group or something, they could start something together.

Of course the school can’t but that is exactly how the carta cuig system was initiated a few years ago. A school in Cork together with the parents association sent flyers around suggesting the fiver in a card idea to parents to take the pressure off some families that may struggle with larger gifts. €20 in a card every couple of weeks might be no sweat to some but might be a big deal to other families, it spread from there, most likely amongst parents WhatsApp groups and parents association meetings etc
My daughter is in junior infants so it’s her first year, it’s just an understood agreement amongst parents that this is how gifts for parties are done within the school, it’s not written into the rules of the school! Parents with kids in older classes pass it onto newer parents. This of course only applies to parties within her school peers but they’re the only parties she goes to aside from cousins etc

If kids are going to parties of kids outside their class then of course that’s a different kettle of fish.

jlm29

Some schools do make rules around birthday parties though. I know of one local school that has a rule that birthday party invites can’t be handed out in school unless they’re being handed to every child in the class.
Digs, my lb is in a gaelscoil, and there’s never been a mention of it, but I know other schools where parents just have an understanding. Or other times it might be just written on the invite.
It’s sonething that would actually make me consider joining the parents council, lol! I wouldn’t like to be the first to write it on an invite, as essentially it’s asking for money, which is a bit rude, if it’s not part of a preexisting arrangement!

ted1

Digs wrote: »

jlm29 wrote: »

I WISH someone would introduce this €5 business in my kids school! That said, we’re not over run with birthday parties this year, they seem to be tapering off a bit!

Yes it’s a brilliant idea! I’m sure most parents would be happy to introduce it. We have at least one party a month, some parties have 2-3 kids celebrating at the one party so anything more than a fiver in a card and the costs would seriously rack up. My daughter had her party a few weeks ago and ended up with €120 to spend in Smyths!

ETA: Actually I’m wondering if it’s just a Gaelscoil thing? It’s called the carta cuig scheme. Either way I’m very grateful we’re not expected to put €20 in a card!! I’d be broke! Plus my daughter would have ended up with almost €500 for her fifth birthday, that seems insane!!

My kids do go to a gael Scoil!!

On the invites the parents actually write. “No present or just 5 Euro in s card will do” or along those lines .

ted1

The school also the no invites allowed to be handied out unless all are invited rule

ted1

Bitches Be Trypsin wrote: »

I'd be really really careful with the fiver idea. If it's not the done thing in your area, it'll make you look cheap, and you don't want that for your kids. 20 is the going rate in my area

30 kids in the class , that’s 600 Euro alone on presents on 1,800 if you’ve three kids.

You need to knock that in the head.

MiliMe

It's a great idea, given that classes can have upwards for 30 children these days.
Think ill grab a smiths voucher, kid can grab whatever they like.

Moonbeam

in our class whats app groups the 5 euro in a card was suggested and most follow it.
Unless you know them well you only get a present for the relevant child so the child yours plays with.
Tesco always have lovely art stuff on offer too which could serve as a joint present.