You know all about “swag” … those goodies you get when you attend parties. According to this NY Post article, swag is not just for grown-up parties, conferences and weddings anymore. Kids not only look forward to good swag, they expect it!  From expensive toys to LeSac bags filled with spa goodies and beyond, many parents are giving in to giving swag.

The article also points to parents who don’t agree with the swag-giving trend, citing one parent who is giving a lollipop with a note that a donation has been made to Haiti Earthquake Relief.

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Gina Lincicum is a mom of three kids under 6 in suburban Washington DC. She shares strategies to impact your family budget at Moneywise Moms, where you’ll find tips on planning, shopping, and having fun on a tight budget.  We are thrilled to welcome her as a Guest Party Blogger today to share some of her gift ideas for kids’ parties.  The best part, under $5!  Now, that’s easy-on-the-wallet.

Welcome, Gina!

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My son would like one gift this year for his birthday that is expensive. Instead of having all of the guests bring individual gifts to his upcoming party, I would like to ask everyone to put their money toward this gift. Is this appropriate, or will people be offended?

This is a tricky question because most people do not want to be directed toward purchasing a particular item or contribute money for a specific gift. However, if you have close friends and family who you know will not be offended and you feel comfortable asking them, it is acceptable. If you decide to do this, I would not designate an amount, but let them choose what they would like to contribute without any suggestions on your behalf. Also, be aware that if you do not ask all of the guests at your party for such a contribution and they find out, it may lead to some awkwardness as well. So, if you decide to only ask a few people, you may want to consider keeping it quiet and unwrapping gifts after the party is over so no one asks why presents may be missing.

There has been interesting discussion over at the Washington Post on the topic of birthday party presents. In this great article, the author highlights her guidelines on handling which party invitations her kids accept, her party present budget, and thinking through with her children what the birthday child would like to receive. I am with her as far as the party present budget goes … $10 and under is plenty. She comes up with one quandary, however: When one family has been extremely generous with party presents for her son and the family finally decides to hold a party for its child, should she splurge on that party present or stay within her original budget?

My answer to this: stick with your present budget. This is really the top priority, especially during these economic times, and buying an expensive gift isn’t really a way to pay back what a family has done for your child throughout the years. Although they have been generous, attending the family’s party as a guest is the best present, and giving a well thought-out gift that is within budget is the absolute best plan.

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Too Party – or Not…that is the question that the Wall Street Journal’s Juggle blog asked its readers recently. Lots of good comments here regarding how people keep party costs under control…whether that means:

• Cutting the number of guests being invited
• Inviting only the girls or only the boys in the classroom
• Baking your own cake
• Not doing goody bags
• Not serving a full meal, just snacks

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The Wall Street Journal’s The Juggle blog featured the topic of bringing gifts to kids’ parties when a “no gifts” request has been made on the invitation. If you have received these invitations for your kids’ friends’ parties and aren’t sure what to do, this blog and the related comments are definitely worth a read to see what people think.

I have already chimed in my thoughts here, but it’s an ongoing issue with modern day kids’ parties. Check it out!

Recently someone wrote that they received an invitation to a kid’s birthday party that included a card for a gift registry of presents that the kid wants for his big day. Is this a trend? And if it is, is it a good thing?

Well, the off-the-cuff reaction is, “No way!” And then, “I would never do that!” It gives off the air that parties are really out of control, and that presents at the party are teaching kids to demand what they want, in terms of “stuff,” and expect to get it. Many parents are trying to get away from this message altogether, and teaching kids that their parties are about being with their friends, having fun, and sharing the good times. Other parents are moving toward giving donations to various local non-profit organizations or a family-favorite charity to teach lessons of altruism.

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