Birthday Gift Registries; Yay or Nay?

  There has been much discussion about birthday gift registries over the internet lately.  An episode of The View on March 30th 2015 dedicated their Hot Topics segment to birthday gift registries and a post on Reddit.com exploded a series of both positive and negative comments.

 

ABC The View March 30th 2015  

  I received a registry for a birthday party once.  It was approximately four years ago, I was a first time mom to a 2 year old girl and the registry was for an 8 year old girl.  Initially, I didn't know what to make of it and I definitely had mixed feelings. Part of me felt that it was slightly presumptuous of the parents to send me a list of their daughter's wishes but, upon further reflection, it was clear that I had no clue what to get an 8 year old.  The list provided much better guidance than the alternative of taking a shot in the dark and making sure I got a gift receipt for easy returns. 

  As the founder of WishGift.ca, I clearly support and encourage making gift-giving easy on already busy parents.  My main complaint regarding birthday gift registries is where the registry is created.  The gift registry I received four years ago was made at a specialty toy store 30 kms away from my house.  The traveling posed quite the inconvenience for me and was the sole reason why I didn't use the gift registry for this event.

Knowing that there was no way I would be attending the birthday party empty handed, I was grateful to the registry for proving some guidance and a glimpse into the birthday girl's interests.  Although I did not buy off the registry, I used the items registered as a guide to help me choose a gift at a store closer to me and within my budget.

  The main difference between a store registry and WishGift.ca is that guests will never be inconvenienced or have to commit to a gift above their budget.  WishGift allows guests to contribute towards the group-gift right from their computer and they are free to contribute any amount they desire.

Why I WishGift:

For Us:

  By trade, I am a teacher and my husband is a technical writer for an aerospace company.  We make decent salaries and purchased a cottage in a beautiful suburban area two years ago.  Despite our middle class lifestyle, life is expensive!  No matter how much we budget, there are always unplanned expenses for our family and repairs to maintain our house and cars.  Over the years, WishGift.ca has allowed us to provide experiences and items for our kids that we may not have been able to afford comfortably.  

For Guests:

  WishGift.ca was an unintentional project and came to be following my daughter's second birthday.  Prior to Aliah's birthday, several party guests began asking what they could get her for her party.  Although I had requested "no-gifts", our family members and close friends insisted on getting presents.  My mother-in-law suggested mentioning the swingset we wanted to purchase and offer it as an option our guests could chip-in towards.  I casually began mentioning the swingset as an option and to my surprise, many of our guests chose to contribute in lieu of a wrapped gift.  On the day of her party, the swingset was installed and ready to be played with by all the kids.  What took me back most that day was how many family members and friends thanked ME for offering them an item they could contribute towards.  They expressed how much simpler it was for them to contribute towards the gift, while I was left in awe at the amazing play structure that stood in our yard that was now paid for.

  Final Take:

  Whether you are for traditional wrapped gifts, no gifts, charity donation gifts, store gift registries or group-gift contribution registries, there should never be an expectation from your guests!  A gift is (and should remain) something given willingly to someone without payment or assumption.
  For me, having a group-gift that my event guests can contribute towards makes it easier on them (their words not mine) and allows for our kids to receive unique items or amazing experiences.  I like the idea of giving my guests an option to make gift-giving as simple as possible and always make it clear that the registered gift is a suggestion should they be looking for ideas.   When I am invited to a birthday that has a WishGift, I am thrilled at thought of not having to shop, decide and cross my fingers that I bought something that will be enjoyed.   WishGift and group-gift giving is just my way of taking the stress off of giving gifts altogether.

Like the idea of giving-together?  Follow my blog or join me on my social networking sites to share gift ideas and inspire. 

Disney Princess Dress-Up Kit Post-Play Product Review

3 years ago I WishGifted a 12 piece Princess dress-up kit from Disney. It cost about $250 (with shipping to Canada) and included 5 gowns (Arielle, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella and Jasmine), a petitcoat, a pink boa, two pairs of gloves, a gown bag and a hanger.  There were plenty of cheaper options I could have chosen that would have fulfilled my then 4-years-olds dreams of being a princess, but we are a family who buys based on reviews and this Disney kit had a terrific rating.

                 

  To say that this dress-up kit has been "used" would be a real understatement.  For the past 3 years, this set has been the highlight for my daughter, her friends, cousins and...her little brother. 

Storytime reading to the cat

Pros: 

 1) Three years into having the dresses and they still look new without one single rip!  If you've ever purchased a Razzle Dazzle dress or Halloween princess dress, you'll be quite impressed by this too.  The last 2 non-Disney store dresses I purchased pretty much frayed, ripped and fell apart in no time.  My daughter could not even get six months worth of wear out of those dresses so having had these dresses for this long without any tears or rips really impresses me.

2) My daughter really loved having the petitcoat.  I'm so happy this was separate piece as it easily provided different looks for each of the dresses. 

  

Cons:

  1)  Get ready for glitter!  Many of the reviews I read prior to purchasing the Princess dress-up kit warned about glitter and this was no lie.  The trail of glitter isn't my biggest complaint but if this is something that would get to you, be prepared.

  2)  The pink boa.  Approximately two months after buying the set, I started finding pieces of pink chiffon fabric around the house.  At first, it wasn't very noticeable on the boa but after awhile, as the pieces of fabric continued to detach, there were obvious patches missing on the boa.  The fabric is sewn so although it may have been a fairly simple stich-fix, I got rid of the boa when the majority of the fabric became detached.

3) The gloves.  Please keep in mind that we have had the Disney Store Princess dress-up kit for over 3 years however, as soon as I think I can get away with it, the gloves are the next pieces to go.  They are completely worn out and most of the silver and gold has faded at the fingertips.  Although they are still hole and rip free, they are in pretty desperate shape.

4) The bag and the hanger were useless to my daughter.  No point, no fun and the kit could have gone without them.

Pro/Con:

1) Dress length.  The dresses in this set are "short" dresses as opposed to "gown" style.  I was very happy by this as I was looking for the shorter style to avoid a tripping hazard.  I purchased this set when she was 4 years old and bought one size up.  Buying the small 5/6 was perfect as it definitely extended the wear time on the dresses.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My daughter is now a month shy of her 7th birthday and is still teetering the princess phase.  She refuses to let go of her 5 Disney Princess dresses but they are noticeably too short on her.  We keep them for younger guests to enjoy and because of the high quality and durability, we just bought (and put away) the Elsa costume for her upcoming birthday!  

UPDATE:

The 7 piece Disney Princess dress-up kid reviewed above has since been retired.  The newest Disney dress-up kit includes: five Disney Princess gowns (Cinderella, Aurora, Belle, Tiana, and Rapunzel), a reversible capelet and an organza garment bag.

**All content of this review is solely my own. My opinion, my experiences and my thoughts.  All about being honest to help you choose the right product.

Toys that make children happy

If you have children you are probably spending lots and lots (and lots) of money on toys or gifts for kids.  You have probably also at some point asked yourself why the $20 to $25 range of toys looks so chinsey.  It seems like the cost of toys and gifts for kids is constantly rising (have you seen the price of a Monster High DOLL?!?) and to get a substantial looking gift, group-gifting is a viable option.  

The National Toy Hall of Fame released the Top 10 Toys that have been enjoyed and loved for generations.  Do you think it is the more simple, non-expensive toys or the high ranged, pricey toys that made the cut?  Check out the link below to see what made the list. 

Bonus photo number 11 is definitely a hit for my 4-year-old.  There is definitely no better toy he could receive!

Enjoy!

Top 10 Toys at the National Toy Hall of Fame

Like the idea of giving-together?  Follow my blog or join me on my social networking sites to share gift ideas and inspire. 

A Broadway Camp Birthday

"Where has the time gone?" is the classic statement made when a child's birthday rolls around and this week I can't believe that a special little girl is turning six-years-old.  She's not my daughter, nor my niece but is the first baby I ever held, fed or babysat!  She's a beautiful, intelligent, mature and extremely animated child!

So...what do you get for a child who's over dolls, dress-up and most of the toys in her playroom??

Luckily, her mom thought of "us" (those racking their brains for gift-ideas) and registered the MOST perfect gift and experience for this little drama queen.  The specialized 10 day Broadway Camp focuses on dance, theater, vocals and art.  Although the program comes with a hefty price tag, group-gifting makes it an affordable, sure-to-be loved gift and I'm just hoping to get her reaction on video!

What's up with camp prices??

I attended city camp for most of my upbringing.  The $400 a summer price tag was an affordable way to keep me occupied, active and safe and has left me with awesome memories.  Obviously I didn't think camp prices were the same and was anticipating a higher cost but was shocked to hear that the average price of city camp (with extended day) was $1700...for 1 child!!  Would love to hear how parents of 2+ children afford that??

What to WishGift?!?

  The hardest part about having a WishGift, is knowing what to register.  Once that decision is made, contributing and purchasing the WishGifted item is simple and effortless.

  For the past year, we've had amazing gifts registered!  We've had items registered for 1-year-olds to 40-year-olds and everything from toys, to lessons, to gift certificates have been given as gifts.  Guests don't spend more and everyone comes together to give something amazing!

  With the holiday season quickly approaching, thought it'd be fun to share some of my favourite WishGifted items!


*Product links have been added for your convenience.  Wishgift.ca allows any gift to be registered from any store and is independent from all stores linked in this blog.

Outdoor WishGifts:

 

Little Tikes Endless Adventures Playground

Bayberry Outdoor Playhouse

Kidwise Castle Bounce House

Electronic WishGifts:

LeapFrog LeapPad 2

X-Box Kinect

Nintendo Wii

Little Boy WishGifts:

 

Melissa & Doug 60 piece Block Set

Hockey Night in Canada Mini Steel Set (with extras)

Melissa & Doug Workbench

Little Girl WishGifts:

 

Disney Princess 12 piece Dress-Up kit

KidCraft Majestic Mansion

American Girl Dolls: McKenna Doll & Book

 Ride-On WishGifts:

Classic Pickup Truck

Fisher-Price Power Wheels Harley-Davidson

Disney Princess Bicycle

 

Activity WishGifts:

 

  

Like the idea of giving-together towards a group-gift?  Follow my blog and join me on my Social Networking sites to share gifts ideas and inspire.