Re: experiences v. things

[anna7602]

Not sure if everyone saw the thread earlier today on MM about whether you value experiences or things more (or however the question was worded).

In any event, just wondering if anyone does "experiences" as gifts yet with little ones? I just bought DD tickets for Disney on Ice for this coming weekend, but I'm not presenting it as any kind of Hannukah or holiday gift. I don't know that she would "get it" if I said it was a holiday gift. She will certainly think it is a special treat, but I'm sitting here wondering at what age we would say something like "do you want xyz for your birthday or to go see a show?" Or is it just a matter of whatever you get your kid used to, regardless of age? Maybe I should just say, "this show is one of your Hannukah presents"?

[drloretta]

We haven't yet, but I'm inspired to start asking for them for DD from here on out. Her birthgrandma buys a lot of museum and amusement park memberships and tickets for her other grandkids, and everyone is very appreciative. It would definitely cut down on the useless crap sitting in our house.

DD will be 3 in March. I think by then she'll totally be able to "get it"

[CloudBee]

Our baby is due around Easter. My husband and I already discussed that we would like to include travel over the long Easter weekend (Good Friday we're off from work, he would be off from school) as part of their birthday celebration.

I assume that at some point we may allow the trip to be part of their gift. In general the trip would be the celebration and not take away from gifts. However, if we knew in advance that there was a special item at the destination that they wanted to purchase, we may consider that as part of their actual gift. I can't even think of an example, but say there's some expensive item at Disney or similar that they realllly want.

FWIW - we're probably having just one child.

I think I would have been at least 7 or 8 before I was at the point where I would be happy with receiving an experience vs. a wrapped gift.

[sewpinkgal]

We asked both sets of grandparents for "experiences" for Christmas this year instead of more stuff. This likely means a family zoo pass from one set and a kid-friendly museum or another zoo (we have 2 local-ish) pass from the other. J has plenty of toys and things that I thought he might like for this age I picked up at our fall consignment sale as his gifts from us.

[liveintheville]

Dec 3, 2012 17:14:09 GMT -5 drloretta said:

We haven't yet, but I'm inspired to start asking for them for DD from here on out. Her birthgrandma buys a lot of museum and amusement park memberships and tickets for her other grandkids, and everyone is very appreciative. It would definitely cut down on the useless crap sitting in our house.

DD will be 3 in March. I think by then she'll totally be able to "get it"

My FIL gives us a check every year to cover all yearly holidays and celebrations. He's requested we purchase something for the kids for Hanukkah that will be from him. We're going with MOS membership

[rootbeerfloat]

For DS's fourth birthday, we took him to Sea World. He got presents from everyone else (and we were OOT, so the whole trip was a fun distraction), and he didn't seem bothered by not opening a gift from us.

[drloretta]

Dec 3, 2012 17:31:34 GMT -5 liveintheville said:

Dec 3, 2012 17:14:09 GMT -5 drloretta said:

We haven't yet, but I'm inspired to start asking for them for DD from here on out. Her birthgrandma buys a lot of museum and amusement park memberships and tickets for her other grandkids, and everyone is very appreciative. It would definitely cut down on the useless crap sitting in our house.

DD will be 3 in March. I think by then she'll totally be able to "get it"

My FIL gives us a check every year to cover all yearly holidays and celebrations. He's requested we purchase something for the kids for Hanukkah that will be from him. We're going with MOS membership

Sweet!

I'm wondering how it will go down with MIL, and doubt she'd go for it. My parents, on the other hand, may be more receptive. With my luck they'll buy stuff AND experiences. Oh wel.

[Deleted]

We did pretty early for DD1 instead of gifts or big birthday parties. We haven't in a while though. I buy memberships everywhere & have for a while so that's kind of out as a gift. But if a show was coming at a convenient time, I'd certainly put tickets in an envelope & offer it as a gift. It'd be one of several though--no in place of. I want my kids to get toys as long as they want them. I stopped getting really any toys by 9 & it made me pretty sad as a kid so I'm sensitive to it.

[pitterwoo]

We do experiences with our nieces as their gifts on their birthday. We take them out to do something fun and then to a restaurant of their choice. It's become a nice tradition and it never occurred to me that they wouldn't understand that it was their "gift". They would understand that now for sure as they are older.

[bunch]

Dec 3, 2012 17:28:14 GMT -5 sewpinkgal said:

We asked both sets of grandparents for "experiences" for Christmas this year instead of more stuff. This likely means a family zoo pass from one set and a kid-friendly museum or another zoo (we have 2 local-ish) pass from the other. J has plenty of toys and things that I thought he might like for this age I picked up at our fall consignment sale as his gifts from us.

we did the same. Children's museum and zoo, here we come. We do not need more toys right now.