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Should we buy a gift?

My husband and I were just invited to the neighbors 5 year old birthday party. Mom and little boy rang our doorbell to ask. It's at 7:15 tonight. Should we bring a birthday gift for the boy? What should we get?? (We don't know anything about him except that he likes to play with our dog haha). Or do you think it's more of an adult party and a birthday gift isn't necessary? Or are we supposed to bring a hostess gift? Both a hostess gift and a birthday gift?

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Re: Should we buy a gift?

  • You said it was the 5 year old's birthday party so I would buy him a  birthday present. It doesn't have to be anything big but something any 5 year old would like. Give them a gift receipt so they can exchange it if he doesn't like it or already has it. I think and outdoor toy would be good. Some type of bat and ball or somehting.

  • I would take some kind of gift for him just cuz little kid birthday parties are pretty much gift-giving occasions. Maybe a fun book or something he could play with outside. My cousin's 5-yr-old is super obsessed with Tonka Trucks. 

    My mom will sometimes get a book and put a Target gift card in it when she has no idea what to get a kid, cuz that way they can go pick their own toy. 

    Tonka Truck example: 
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  • I'd get a small gift.
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  • Sugargirl1019Sugargirl1019 member
    Combo Breaker First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its
    edited March 2015
    Do 5 year old boys like stuffed animals..? He always is under the fence nose to nose with my dog and he calls him "my dog" "my friend" and I was wondering if he would like a stuffed dog that looks like my dog?

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  • labrolabro member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its

    My nephew is four and he's super interested in:

    Anything related to Minions.

    Legos (don't get the Duplo, he may be big enough to handle the normal legos but there's also a lego brand in between duplo and the standard)

    Cars

    Pretend tools

    Anything that makes obnoxious noises

    Crafty activity books

    Since your neighbor's kid is 5 I'd definitely bring a birthday gift and maybe a small hostess gift if you feel like it's necessary (wine?).



  • edited March 2015
    I'd get a little gift. Probably just some age-appropriate Legos, or a whiffle ball set or a frisbee.

    I don't think a stuffed animal would go over too well with the 5yo boys I know. I think I've only met one 5yo that I wouldn't call "all boy", and I've worked with that age group off and on since I was 16. Of course, this was also in a social group that was, IME, pretty firmly entrenched in "boys do this and girls do that" from pretty much birth, soooooo there's that.

    ETA: I felt the need to add that if you go with the frisbee, give him a decent one that will actually fly. Frisbees are the SHIT when they fly, but if they're not good they suck.
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  • The 5 yr old boys I know only like stuffed animals that are like mine craft characters or something. (It's called mine craft, right? I don't even know). I just know the one kid was carrying around a stuffed animal from some video game. 

    I don't know much about boys. Or kids in general lol 
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  • Why are you questioning if you should bring a gift? It's a birthday party for a kid. Do you normally give gifts at birthday parties? I'm assuming you've attended at least one birthday party in your life.

    SIL is 7, she likes coloring books, stuffed animals, anything she can build with, anything that lights up/makes noise, and glitter. 

    Since Spring is almost here (or here depending on your state) something he could play with outdoors is always good. Some new chalks, a cool bubble blower thing, a water toy. 
  • Yes, it is a child's birthday party. It is a gift giving occasion. Do you not know any children?
  • plainjane0415plainjane0415 member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited March 2015

    Do 5 year old boys like stuffed animals..? He always is under the fence nose to nose with my dog and he calls him "my dog" "my friend" and I was wondering if he would like a stuffed dog that looks like my dog?



    FI 4 year old nephew loves animals, and for Christmas we got him a little stuffed like puppy that was interactive.  It had a little bone and it would do tricks and stuff.  He loved it.  Not a stuffed animal persay, but it was definitely a hit.

    ETA: It was one of "The Happy's" They have several dogs and a cat to choose from.  I think we paid $20 for it.

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  • They invited you just now for a party this evening? Tells me it was probably just a courtesy invite to keep you from complaining about the noise... I would probably just tell them I couldn't make it, but bring something small if I did go. Like some big sidewalk chalk or wiffle ball and bat.

    Also, doesn't 7:15 PM seem a little late for a 5-year-old's birthday party?  Don't kids go to bed by like 8?
  • dcbride86 said:

    They invited you just now for a party this evening? Tells me it was probably just a courtesy invite to keep you from complaining about the noise... I would probably just tell them I couldn't make it, but bring something small if I did go. Like some big sidewalk chalk or wiffle ball and bat.

    Also, doesn't 7:15 PM seem a little late for a 5-year-old's birthday party?  Don't kids go to bed by like 8?
    I never went to bed that early. Usually I'd go to bed at 9:30 but if it wasn't a school night (kid could be on spring break) it was basically whenever I dropped.

    Not all kids follow the same sleep schedules. 
  • MagicInk said:

    dcbride86 said:

    They invited you just now for a party this evening? Tells me it was probably just a courtesy invite to keep you from complaining about the noise... I would probably just tell them I couldn't make it, but bring something small if I did go. Like some big sidewalk chalk or wiffle ball and bat.

    Also, doesn't 7:15 PM seem a little late for a 5-year-old's birthday party?  Don't kids go to bed by like 8?
    I never went to bed that early. Usually I'd go to bed at 9:30 but if it wasn't a school night (kid could be on spring break) it was basically whenever I dropped.

    Not all kids follow the same sleep schedules. 
    Yeah, sleep schedules vary.

    But I would be wondering how long the party will last seeing that it is smack dab in the middle of the week and most people will have to work the next day.

  • dcbride86 said:

    They invited you just now for a party this evening? Tells me it was probably just a courtesy invite to keep you from complaining about the noise... I would probably just tell them I couldn't make it, but bring something small if I did go. Like some big sidewalk chalk or wiffle ball and bat.

    Also, doesn't 7:15 PM seem a little late for a 5-year-old's birthday party?  Don't kids go to bed by like 8?
    I was kinda feeling similar about the time.. Which made me question is this a birthday party with children in attendance? Or is this a party where the adults are getting together for a reason to socialize? Hence the gift dilemma.

    @plainjane0415 thanks! I'll look up that now. I found a black lab puppy that looks like it could be gender neutral and then we'll definitely get sidewalk chalk because that's freaking awesome. So we'll see how this puppy dog looks IRL and make a decision.

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  • I actually don't interact with kids at all. Like my neighbor has a kid I might see once a week but when I lived in my last apartment for Christmas I got the neighbors' kids downstairs some little toys. Like you can purchase these small bags of legos that are projects. I also purchased them puzzles and candy. I always get candy. I normally leave the big gift giving to the parents.
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  • How odd that they knocked on your door on a Wednesday afternoon and invited you to a b-day party that night...

    Anyway, past all that... I would bring a bottle of wine (whatever you have at home) for a hostess gift and some legos with a gift receipt attached. If you don't feel like going out, I'd go to CVS and get a really obnoxious kid birthday card (kids like that shit) and put 15 $1 bills in it. More is more, you know.
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  • MagicInk said:

    dcbride86 said:

    They invited you just now for a party this evening? Tells me it was probably just a courtesy invite to keep you from complaining about the noise... I would probably just tell them I couldn't make it, but bring something small if I did go. Like some big sidewalk chalk or wiffle ball and bat.

    Also, doesn't 7:15 PM seem a little late for a 5-year-old's birthday party?  Don't kids go to bed by like 8?
    I never went to bed that early. Usually I'd go to bed at 9:30 but if it wasn't a school night (kid could be on spring break) it was basically whenever I dropped.

    Not all kids follow the same sleep schedules. 

    Oh, okay.  I think I had a super early bedtime as a kid, and I know when I babysat, I'd always get the kids in bed really early.  But I also think I may have lied to them about what time it was once it got dark lol
  • dcbride86 said:

    MagicInk said:

    dcbride86 said:

    They invited you just now for a party this evening? Tells me it was probably just a courtesy invite to keep you from complaining about the noise... I would probably just tell them I couldn't make it, but bring something small if I did go. Like some big sidewalk chalk or wiffle ball and bat.

    Also, doesn't 7:15 PM seem a little late for a 5-year-old's birthday party?  Don't kids go to bed by like 8?
    I never went to bed that early. Usually I'd go to bed at 9:30 but if it wasn't a school night (kid could be on spring break) it was basically whenever I dropped.

    Not all kids follow the same sleep schedules. 

    Oh, okay.  I think I had a super early bedtime as a kid, and I know when I babysat, I'd always get the kids in bed really early.  But I also think I may have lied to them about what time it was once it got dark lol
    My parents figured the later I'd stay up the later I'd sleep the next day.

    We aren't "morning people".
  • Play dough's always a safe bet.
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  • 7:15 on a Wednesday night in March is a really odd time for a kid's birthday party.
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  • Oh it's spring break!.. And the kids actual birthday.

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  • KahlylaKahlyla member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper
    edited March 2015
    Okay, I have a four year old boy and a five year old boy! They like:

    -Dragons
    -Swords
    -Princesses
    -Lego
    -Fairies/Tinkerbell
    -Batman, although they really only know Lego Batman
    -Pirates
    -My Little Pony (can't even explain how much they and every other kid I or they know loves them)
    -Dinosaurs
    -Books
    -Rainbows
    -Stickers
    -Bubbles
    -Things that glow
    -Things that sparkle
    -Things that light up
    -Balloons
    -Dora the Explorer
    -Doc McStuffins
    -Jake and the Neverland Pirates (which is actually utter shite, ugh...)
    -Anything that an adult portrays as awesome

    And yep, they love stuffed animals, especially the older boy, and especially actual animals.

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  • So we got a tonka truck set (bulldozer and dump truck) and sidewalk chalk. It was mostly adults! Neighbors and friends from around the community. A few older kids. It was great socialization and we ate a TON of new food that I've never tried before. Not everyone brought gifts (I think I saw 2 in addition to ours) but I was a little sad to see that the little boy didn't open them. I kinda wanted to see what he got! But it was dinosaur themed and he ran around with a dinosaur mask on "rawring" at everyone. Not a typical child's birthday party (which I was suspicious of!) but still fun and we met lots of people.

    Thanks for all the ideas for a gift!

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