How much to spend on a classmate's birthday present in Spain
There is no rule. The most common approach is a present of €10 to €20 per guest, or a kitty of a few euros per family for a joint present. What matters is that the class agrees on it once.
With twenty-five children in a class and nearly all of them having a party, a family can have a present to buy every two weeks. So the question is not only how much to spend on one, but how much to spend on all of them.
Three ways of doing it
| System | What each family puts in | For | Against |
|---|---|---|---|
| Each guest brings their own present | €10 to €20 | Nobody has to organise anything | Twenty parcels, several of them duplicates |
| A class kitty (bote) for a joint present | A small agreed amount | A better present and less clutter | Someone has to collect the money and do the buying |
| A fixed kitty for the whole school year | The same figure for every birthday | It is decided once and never discussed again | It has to be agreed in September |
We have not found any reliable survey of how much is spent on average in Spain, so be wary of anyone who gives you an ‘official’ figure. The amounts in the table are the ones that keep coming up in parents’ groups and in the consumer press, nothing more.
If everyone brings their own
Between €10 and €20 there are good presents from well-known brands: card games, books from a series, small building sets, craft kits. You do not need more, and spending much more than the rest makes the other families uncomfortable.
If you do not know the child, avoid characters and football teams. A card game or a logic puzzle appeals to almost everyone.
If you have a kitty
- Set the amount once for the whole school year, so there are no comparisons between birthdays.
- Ask the birthday child’s family what they would love, or whether they would prefer something specific.
- Whoever does the buying should share the receipt: it avoids misunderstandings and can be used for an exchange.
- Anyone who cannot or does not want to take part should not have to explain why.
A gift receipt, always
With so many guests it is easy for something to be duplicated. On Amazon you can mark the order as a gift so that it includes a receipt without the price, and most products can be returned within 30 days.
And if your child cannot go to the party
There is no obligation to give a present if they are not going. If the two are close friends, a small gift of under €10 handed over at school is enough.
