1St Birthday Gift.........

I dont have twins but my two are 10 months apart. They usually get the same gift. I have tried getting one, one thing and the other something different but they end up wanting the same. I have a boy and a girl so when possible i get different colors. For One yr olds... they love boxes and bows. LOL sad but true. Enjoy them they grow so fast! ~N.

What about a keepsake piece of jewelry. My daughter will be one in April, I may buy her a small gold cross or small ring, she can't wear it now but she will always have it. A small locket pendant may be nice too. You can buy them the same or one a ring and one a pendant or something.

definitly get them there own gifts. I would say always think of them as two indivuals....because they are. my best friend has idenical twins raised them on her own . They are two very different ladies now ...35 years old. How exciting is that! What a job having twins! My hat goes off to you...E. George a resident of Topanga for 36 years.....

what i would suggest is that if you want to get them the same gift like a doll. try to get the same one but a different color like if one like pink and the other likes blue. but if you want to keep the gift the same maybe get it embordered with their names. oh or maybe get activity toys that they can both play on. i have twin nefews that will be 1 so i know how you feel. i hope this helps you!

I know that most people would say "treat them as individuals" I would disagree. I am an identical twin... and to me that IS my identity. Why try to foster a separation between them? Being with my sister and looking like her was important to me.
After 36 years of being her twin we still look alike. Yes, we have our own tastes now... but as kids we wanted to be alike.

As kids we had the same toys but one would be a different color. Even with dolls, one of us always had one that was a different ethnic heritage. That taught us to appreciate that we are all the same and different at the same time. Just like twins, they look alike, but are different.
Let them direct you when they are ready... but for now I say enjoy having twins.

Well I can say from experience (I am an identical twin) that at this age is really does not matter whether they get the same gift or one to share or even their own gift. Later as they start to understand their birthday try to make it special, maybe a small cake for each of them. As they grow up friends and families will combine them or send them the same gift but mom will have made it special.

It is a little more effort but worth it.

I have boy/girl twins who will be celebrating their first birthday also in May. Being new at this also, what I did for Christmas was to buy them one big gift that they share (i.e. a ball pit) and then one seperate toy each. It's tough at this age (or maybe any age when it comes to twins) for anything to be their own.

Hopefully there are other moms out there with better/more useful advice.

B.

Hi V.!

I scanned quickly through the replies first, I like the idea of getting different special gifts for them, maybe little charm bracelets or something that you can showcase in their one-year old pictures, and then like another wonderful suggestion said, start them college funds. If you want to avoid the toy explosion that often begins to come from relatives and friends as the girls get older, gently remind relatives (and friends) that the girls and you will appreciate donations to the funds. =)

If they have different interest, like TV shows, toys, etc. get each of them what they are intersted in and then they can go back and forth with the other toy and learn to share their "own" items with each other. On my sons first bday, he received a toy made by the company "Parents" it was one of those toys where you took a toy hammer and push a ball through the hole to fall down the maze, it is called the Parent Mirror Pound a Ball and they carry it at Target. It also teaches great cooridnation! My son LOVED this toy and played with it everyday for a good 6 months. The balls are different colors and that helped teach him his colrs too! THe same company makes those great stacking toys/cups which are so great with a one year olds development. Since they are sweet baby girls, you can also get the cute "my first baby" doll. This is so cute, it does not have anything that can come off for choking reasons and there is nothing painted on it, the dolls are VERY soft and cuddly and they have a cloth set of bottles, etc. I think you can find all of them at Target!

If they are walking and you have a place to play outside a lot, the push walkers are great, I have tried all of them and the least expensive Fisher Price one with the toys on the front of t is my favorite because it is the sturdiest. THese don't have the ability to go slow though so they have to be stable enough on their feet to not push it too far out in front of them and fall.

Good luck, enjoy their first birthday, it is such a precious time. I know it gets tiring hearing everyone tell you that time goes so fast, but it truly does. My oldest will be 10 this year then I have a 7 almost 8 year old, 4 almost 5 year old and my son just turned 2 in February! I can't believe how right my Mom was when she told me how time flies! Have fun and take every moment in and don't sweat the small stuff! They are only this age once and it is such a GREAT age!!

Blessings to you and your family!!
Happy Birthday little girls!!

As a twin myself I can tell you that we liked to have similar gifts when we were young (maybe different colors etc). It will also avoid the "she got a better gift" fights from occuring. Your twins are really young, so that probably isn't a problem now!

I strongly identify as a twin appreciate that we are seen as a set, but around age 8 or so I wanted to be seen as an individual as well. As your twins get older and their individual personalities are more developed they'll appreciate individual gifts. That tells them you see them each as their own person. So I think it changes over time. Have fun! I wanted a set of twins since I love being one so much. :0)

Hi V.,
When our twin boys were 1, we got them these sit upon push carts, so they could either ride them around like Fred Flinstone, or they could push them like a wagon. They played with these indoors for many months. It really helped them to get their balance. They started walking at 14 months. Those carts were both of their favorite toys. I think when we purchased them they were slightly different in style. We never dressed them alike, and of course they are very different and unique children and we have always honored their differences and similarities, but when it came to toys, we found it was usually better getting them the same/or similar things over the early years - they usually wanted what the other one had when we didn't, and so when we did it saved on disagreements between them. (Not that you want to save them from figuring out how to handle disagreements, but peace is welcome with 2 determined and strong boys!) They are 12 now - so it has been awhile since we bought the carts - wouldn't have any idea what the brand was. Happy shopping!

Dear V.;
i am also a mother of twins my twins are now 26 but i have boy and a girl. My suggestion to you is to buy different gifts because even that they are twins you need to treat them as separate individuals.

Anna l.

Hello:
Congratulation on your twin girls.
I have boy-girl twins, so the "special" gift is not such a problem with me, but it's nice that they don't always get the same things over and over, remeber they are two completle different and unique children.
Something that I do since that very fist birthday is to buy two separete cakes, that way thae both get to blow their own candle. Like me children said that are going to share evrything even their birthday party. if they have thier own cake, that is thier own special candle.
Have fun, enjoy your wonderful journey with your babies

My daughter just turned 3 and I wish I got one sooner....She loves the playhouse that I got her. And since you have 2, it is a great gift they both can share, and then you can slowly purchase things for the inside like a kithchen set...etc. It will be something they will play with for years. It would be a fabulous gift for a 1st birthday. Any toys r us, amazon.com, and other retailers have many for all budgets.

Dear V., How well do your twins share? does one always want what the other has? If the answer is yes you may want to consider getting two of the same or similar toys/gifts,but if they share well you can get somthing special for each and they can share anyway.just remember that when they get a little older you will need to treat them as individuals or someone may end up feeling less than whole. congrats and good luck to you! A. C.

I too have twin girls and their birthday is in July. As we know they share all toys any way. My girls personalities are out and showing as one of them always takes her sisters toys. But being the 1st year I have a couple of thoughts. Get them something like bracelet, etc like was mention that they can use later. I also like the money idea since I can imagine they have tons of clothes and toys. But also get yourself something. You need to celebrate your first year of survival as well =) I know the work it takes so make sure you relax and enjoy.

They don't even know that it's their birthday, so it doesn't really matter what you get them as a gift. When my daughter turned 1, I made a video montage at www.onetruemedia.com where I put a series of pictures of her first year set to music. You can email it to family and friends and buy a DVD of it if you want to. It was really fun to make, and it makes me cry every single time I watch it. It will be a wonderful keepsake for her to watch when she's growing up. Enjoy your baby girls' birthday! :)

It can help with wanting to play with each other's toys. However, if they have different interests (one likes purple and one likes pink) then go with something a little different.

I would get them two different things so that you end up with a more varied selection of toys to play with. It seems like at this age they would rather play with the box and paper that the toy came in rather than the toy. So keep it simple and don't spend a lot of money.

Some of the best gifts my daughter received when she was 1 and we are still using today--she's 3:
a fold up little couch,a big plastic piggy bank with various size plastic coins to put in the slot,a toy with gears that spin around and plays music, chunky blocks. She also got a push toy that could convert to a little ride on car that we used until she got too big for the car.
Hope they have a great birthday.

I have twin boys who are almost 2. I would not get the same thing. Honestly, they don't realize they both have the same thing, they will still want what the other one has. My boys never get the same thing, that way they have twice as many choices of what to play with. It also teaches them that things are for sharing, which they are going to have to do their whole life, they are always going to be together. My boys have learned that their turn with the book, or whatever, comes when the other one puts it down. Now they actually will give things to one another and say thank you when they are finished playing with it so the other one has a turn.

Check out Pottery Barn Kids. They have some really nice books that you can have your childs name put into so they are actually part of the story.

Honestly, they're one, they won't know what you give them. That might be an issue later on, but now, just get them something you really want to get them and don't worry about whether it's the same or different. Give them a gift from your heart.

Even at their young age I am sure the are unique in their own little tiny ways.....I would definitely purchase different gifts for them. Goodness gracious though, there are far too many to decide between without knowing their little personalities.....I'd keep it simple, but something that would give them hours of amusement, learning games, mind-building toys, things of that nature. HOPE THEY HAVE A WONDERFUL 1ST BIRTHDAY! BEST WISHES!

Hi V,
you're going to think I'm nuts, but take the money that you would spend on a gift for them and get each of them a Series EE Savings bond. Chances are the girls will be having a party and getting lots of gifts from family and friends; there is no way they will ever remember this party or the gifts.

Take this opportunity to put something towards their future. When the bonds mature, THEY can chose what to put it towards; college, a car, maybe a down payment on a house.

You can get bonds (bring cash if not a member) from RaboBank in Paso (in the Vons shopping center).

Good luck!

Hello V.,

Although, I don't have twins, just a suggestion on 1st birthday gifts.

For my son's 1st birthday (now 2 1/2) we purchased him a swing set. At first it was just the swing that interested him, then he started to realize that he could climb and slide.

Now, he plays out there while I make dinner and gets all that energy out before dinner and bath time routine. Best investment my husband and I could of made. Oh, besides the bounce house we purchased for him for this past christmas.

I always have a boy that is tired!
M.

My suggestion is to remember that they will have no recollection of this birthday except for through pictures. I, personally am practical, and would get one fun gift for them whatever it is they like. However, because of the twin issue, you might want to get two toys...one for each child that they personally like and a duplicate for the other...then one toy that the other child would personally like and duplicate it.

I would suggest, if you haven't already, using this birthday to start a college fund or savings account for each of them. As they won't remember the birthday gift, they will appreciate the advanced planning for their savings account.

Of course, gotta have the fun cake to dive into. Albertsons has tiny first birthday cakes (might even be free?!)...get one for each for photos.

How fun!!! Lots of pictures. :)

Being a twin myself , and having my children close together. I found the best thing to do is get them the exact same thing. This way they won't fight or want the other ones present.
Just a word of experience.
N.
Old Person with lots of wrinkles from kids !!!!

Chances are that they'll both play with whatever you get them, right? I recommend staying away from plastic as much as possible. Playsilks are always fun. You can get them in smaller sizes for dancing around with and for dress-up, and larger canopy sizes for making a fort for them to hide-out in or draping across a doorway for puppet shows...

http://www.MotherSunshine.net

At this age it would be fine to buy them the same things. It may even stop some future rivalry over toys and such. Later when they are older you may want to start buying gifts to fit their personalities. Overall, fostering the feelings of being special lies in their individuality rather then their "twin-ness". Additionally this will give you a basis for teaching them to share and appreciate their own gifts, both tangible and inherent.

Hi V.,
I think you should get different gifts for your twins--they will be associated with each other by everyone else, so you need to give them the space to be individuals, on their own. If one has a toy and the other likes it a lot, of course get the same thing, but don't just automatically get two of everything!
Just my two cents' worth!
V.
PS: Just read the other responses--the one about savings bonds is right on the mark! My daughter ended up with several hundred dollars in savings bonds for her first birthday.