Presents

Birthday gifts for twins

My eldest attended a birthday party on Saturday. But along with the party is the unspoken rule of having to purchase gifts for the child. I don't mind this, especially as I know that this is the only party that they have ever had. But how am I meant to know what to get 11 year old boys that I barely know?


It's a tough one. Toys or games that I can guarantee will be appreciated are way beyond our price budget (especially as I needed to purchase two). I refuse to get rubbish that will end up getting binned. I liked the idea of a torch. Every boy loves having torches, don't they? My son vetoed this. Apparently they have torches and, anyway, I give everybody torches. He's bored of torches and it was time for something different.

So I purchased the next best thing, stationary. This will get used up over time. Everybody needs stationary. Even my son agreed, but more so because he fell in love with the lego style erasers that we found. All from Wilkinsons and didn't feel cheap. I had lots of fun arranging the bits and bobs onto card with glue-dots. My boy thought it all a bit too much but I was having fun.

At the last minute I remembered to wrap them in different wrapping paper and, importantly, make labels. I so nearly forgot this small touch. Just because the gifts are identical is no excuse for treating the twin boys as is they are interchangeable too.

All went well and a good party was had by all. But now that it is over I also know what we should have purchased for them. Batteries. Lots of different batteries. That is something that no boy with a battery powered toy/tool has enough of.  I wonder if I will remember next time I need to buy a gift?