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A friend invited me up for her kid's 6 birthday party. I've gathered from facebook conversations that it is now going to be a joint party to include one of her sister's kids as well. I know the sister, but not as well, and don't usually celebrate her kid's birthday's.

So do I bring two gifts? Equal value? I've already surpassed my monthly gift budget so I don't want to go too crazy. Is there a standard token gift that would be acceptable for both a 6 year old boy and a 6 year old girl?

Edited to get to the point

[This message edited by Crescita at 2:01 PM, May 21st (Wednesday)]

My daughter is almost 6. She loves sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and drawing/painting supplies, and I am always thankful when people buy gifts like these (outside gifts or crafts).

Oh, also bug catching stuff.

Actually, living where you live (and I know the climate well) I'd look more for things that can be done indoors rather than outdoors at this time of year unless you know they will be vacationing in a cooler climate.

My go-to gift for most kids is a book. I'm not sure what's appropriate for age 6 (I'll have to gear up for this at some point ) but someone in the bookstore may be able to help. You could also get a set of activity books for each. They're good for indoor time.

Good ideas thanks! One of the kids is actually a cooler climate, and his mom is very artistic, but I think both would love activity books as well.

I would go with a theme for both the kids and get a few things for each. The boy dinosaurs are always a hit, an actual factual book, and then a coloring or sticker book. The girl I would probably go with American girl story and a coloring book.

I am a huge fan of giving books to kids, and when they get just a bit older, like 8-9 I get gift cards to book stores. Let em go pick out their own.

Ya know, I don't think it's necessary to bring a gift for the child you are not close with. We went to a graduation party a few years ago -it was a combined grad party, we were invited by the one family we are close to. The other was a cousin of the girl we knew.

We took a gift for the girl we knew, wished the cousin well and that was it. I don't think anyone expected gifts from the *others* invitees.

Do what you are comfortable with.

I would not bring two gifts, you were invited to one child's party... My kids frequently have joint parties and as a parent, I don't expect each guest to bring two gifts. Most the time I honestly tell them no gifts are necessary.

Lost - I would actually put on the invites for my kids when they were small in big capital letters

NO GIFTS PLEASE

It's a party to celebrate another year of life. If anything I should be giving presents to all the kids for tolerating my children. LOL

I honestly don't know, but I'm pretty unapologetic about getting kids' gifts at Dollar Tree. Heck I buy stuff for myself there.

I'm talking even my own nieces and nephews, because I have a ton, and I'm not spending real money on a present for a 5 year old who is going to be getting 10 other presents that day when they're just as happy with a dollar present, they don't know the difference.

So if there is a good Dollar Tree near you, that could solve the whole thing. They also sell cards, 2 for $1.

I’m sure the parents don’t expect gifts, but I have terrible anxiety about showing up empty handed to any event, and these are just kids, a little goes a long way.

Absolut, I know what you mean about young kids not caring what a gift costs. I used to spend $50 per kid on my nieces and nephews, only to watch them set my gift aside after thanking me and move on to the next, by the time they were finished they couldn’t even remember who gave them what.

I would not bring two gifts, you were invited to one child's party... My kids frequently have joint parties and as a parent, I don't expect each guest to bring two gifts.

Ditto this.
You were invited to "Jane's" party. That "Peter" is also having his party does not mean you need to bring a gift for "Peter".
Don't feel bad about it. Wish "Peter" a happy birthday, then go be merry (especially if you've already blown your budget).

No, you just bring a gift for the kid whose party you were invited to.

If you're that stressed about the second child, get a card and pop $5 into it as a "nod" to him for his birthday.

I buy a stack of either Target or Toys R Us gift cards. Either $5 or $10 and place those in a card for whenever one of my kids is invited to a b-day party.

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.