Christmas presents for nieces and nephews: how to get it right
Ask the parents before you buy, with a specific question. If you cannot, choose by age something that does not depend on their tastes or on what they already have, such as a board game, a book or craft materials, and ask for a gift receipt.
You see your niece or nephew a few times a year, they have grown since last time and you do not know whether they are still into dinosaurs or have moved on to something else. That is the normal situation for aunts, uncles and godparents, and it can be solved.
First, ask
Asking does not spoil the child’s surprise, only yours. And it takes a problem off the parents’ hands: the duplicate present, or the bulky thing that does not fit.
The open question ‘what shall I get them?’ usually gets a ‘whatever you like’. These work better:
- ‘Is there anything on the letter that nobody has taken yet?’
- ‘Which board games do you already have at home?’
- ‘What are they reading at the moment?’
- ‘Is there anything you would rather I did not give them?’
The last one matters. Some families do not want any more soft toys, toys that make sounds or things with a screen, and it is better to know beforehand.
If you cannot ask: safe choices by age
| Age | Usually a hit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5 | Picture books, modelling clay, puzzles, a simple cooperative game | They get used even if the child already has similar ones |
| 6 to 8 | Card games, the first books of a series, craft kits | They do not depend on a particular character |
| 9 to 12 | Family board games, logic puzzles, comics, drawing materials | They do not come across as babyish, and they use them with friends too |
To narrow it down, look at the page for their age: for example gifts for 4-year-olds, for 7-year-olds or for 10-year-olds. In all gifts you can search by age and budget.
What to avoid when you have no information
- Characters and licences. They change from one school year to the next, and nothing is more dated than last year’s series.
- Expansion sets. They are only any use if the child already has the base game or collection.
- Clothes. Size and taste are two gambles at once.
- Anything very big. A play kitchen or a racing track takes up space you have not cleared with the people who live in the house.
- Anything that makes noise. You leave after lunch. The parents stay.
Why board games and books are a good choice
A second, different board game always adds something, whereas a second identical doll is one too many. The same goes for books, unless you choose the year’s bestselling title, which is exactly the one they already have. Choose a slightly less well-known one for the same age.
Look in board games and books. If they are the kind who cannot keep their hands still, arts and crafts and building also work without knowing their tastes, as long as you respect the age on the box.
A gift receipt, always
It is what turns a miss into a simple exchange. On Amazon you can mark the order as a gift so that it includes a receipt without the price. Give it to the parents separately, not inside the parcel, and tell them plainly to exchange it if it is a duplicate. Before buying, check the returns window shown on the product page, because it changes at Christmas.
How much to spend
There is no rule and we have not found any reliable figure. The sensible thing is to talk to the other aunts and uncles so that you are all on the same lines, and to spend the same on each sibling. If you want a small present that looks good, see Reyes (Three Kings, 6 January) presents for under €20.
If there are several siblings
One shared present for all of them works out better than three small ones: fewer parcels and something of better quality. In gifts for siblings to share we explain what works when there are several years between them.
