Gift Giving Etiquette for Teen Agers!

Gift Giving Etiquette for Teen Agers!

More and more frequently we hear from parents, that they have made a celebration party for their child, be it birthday or graduation, and that most of the guests arrived without a gift for the child being honored. Those guests might have been teens, but where were the parents?  Were they not taught that one of the basic guest duties is to never arrive at a home where one has been invited, without a token of appreciation for the host/hostess?

This is one of those occasions, where we see that basic good manners and courtesy has gone by the wayside. It is the responsibility of the adults to remind their children of what is the correct thing to do. The adults still cover the expenses of their teens and so we can assume that it might be a way of not having to spend money on a gift, but what we are teaching by example is that it is the money aspect that takes precedence over the correct behavior.

We teach young children in our Etiquette Courses, that there are many ways to show appreciation that cost very little or no money at all, such as homemade cards, coupons to run errands or do chores, small bunch of fresh flowers. That being said, though, we must remember to show that appreciation, and arriving as a guest to a friend’s celebration, empty handed, simply shows a lack of respect

and appreciation for the honoree.  If they are friends enough, to be invited to celebrate, they must know each other well enough to know that person’s likes, hobbies etc. Let’s give some thought and time to finding a small something that will make the host feel appreciated, not just as a source of “party time fun” but as a human being.

So remember. Next time you drop your child off at a party, make sure that there is a gift bag going along for the ride. By the way, letting your teen tell you that his or her friends don’t want a gift, is not a valid excuse. Giving is better than receiving!