The traditional wedding practice of a gift registry has trickled down to the sticky mess that is a kids’ party.
Parents are now able to ask other parents to select gifts off a chosen list or contribute money towards something larger like a holiday, an X-Box or… their child’s education fund.
Gift registry apps like Purposit encourage parents to ask for money to be put towards experiences such as trips, experience and education rather than material items.
Listen to Holly and Andrew debate the politics of pre-picked presents below. Post continues after audio.
Material items are still very much a part of the idea, it’s just that parents can now channel the money spent on their child more efficiently. The goal is to eliminate ‘unnecessary’ gifts.
The idea raises a few issues. On the one hand, it could offer financial relief to a family who was struggling to purchase their child’s ‘dream gift’.
On the other hand, it’s forcing other parents, who may also be struggling financially, to purchase items they simply can’t afford.
The idea of gift registries for children’s birthdays was brought up on our parenting podcast This Glorious Mess.
Podcast hosts Holly Wainwright and Andrew Daddo discussed whether parents and children should be able to dictate birthday gifts.
Top Comments
No. Disgraceful..
If I was asked to purchase a child's gift from a gift registry then they would be getting nothing at all.
This is just totally ridiculous and beyond a joke.
My kids get lots of presents from their family, so when we have parties, we ask people that instead of a gift, they could bring money to donate to the World Wildlife Fund to help save an animal - my kids pick the animals they want to help save, and they get a soft toy from the WWF (the American Website, not the Australian one). My kids still get a present from their friends (a soft toy in the mail!) and they all get to help take care of the wonderful wildlife we have. Everyone has always been very supportive and happy to be involved,, and we've raised hundreds of dollars over the years. And when they are sick of soft toys, we could raise money for "adopting" an animal in a zoo that we could visit etc. Just thought I'd share this idea in case other parents get overwhelmed with presents and would like to do something a bit different!