Are you going to make the certificate enough for her to complete her bear? If not, I would think it tacky to either give her a portion of a gift or expect her parents to keep paying for the gift. Could be the "gift" that never stops costing LOL. Otherwise, I don't think it's tacky to give a gift of a fully dressed and accessorized bear.

I think it is a great idea!

I wouldn't call it tacky, but sometimes you can get too much of a 'good' thing. I'd give something else just because I'm not a fan of stuffed animals. You could always give cash and she could put it toward the clothes or something else.

My girls love gift certs to those kind of places. I have one in my purse if we can ever get up to Omaha to spend it.
They love their hand picked animals even at 10 and 12 years old. Getting a new outfit once in a blue moon makes them pretty darn happy.

I think it's great as long as you can avoid confusion as to what the certificate is for. Maybe specify that is it for an "extra" outfit or accessories on the card?

The amount I would normally spend on a present would buy a voice and one, maybe two accessories. She should be getting the bear and basic outfit as part of her birthday package, I would think. If not it should cover an outfit at least. I don't want to give her a complete bear, after all she is making one at her party, right?

I wouldn't want to give her cash at this age. 8 year olds don't want money that they have to put in the bank. I only thought gift certificate because I figured there will be things in the store she will want for her bear, but won't be allowed to get.

We just got the invitation today and the party is FRIDAY. Don't have very long to think about it, do I????

I think it would be a nice gift...particularly if it was specified for another outfit. It would be most appropriate too, if she opened her presents and the gift card 'after' the bear was built.

Are all of the children building basic bears? Is the hostess paying for all those bears? Just curious...

Build a Bear are even popular with a couple of my adult (?) friends.

Sue

Not tacky at all....my kids love Build-a-Bear...and a nice outfit for her animal would be just the thing....been there and seen it done :o)

I think that would be an excellent gift Dances and not tacky at all.I think you made it clear that all the party guests will be making their own bear,right???? So,I think a gift certificate for more outfits or whatever would be great! And if not a gift certificate for the bear place one to another place that has toys would be great.I think all 8 year olds like to shop with their own gift certificates.I know my 8 year old DGS loves it.

I think it would be very nice dances. I know my little nieces would love it! I say go for it! She can even use it that day!
Judy

Great idea, Dances. Next time I'm stumped for gift ideas I'm SOS-ing you! Just the right age for it, too.

I think that would be a great idea Dances...even if she gets to have an outfit for her bear it is always fun to pick out another...or some of those cute little shoes and purses for them.

My grandaughter loves them ...I bought her a couple sets of the clothes as a part of her Christmas presents.

Go for it ....a nice no stress shopping gift...

patti

When you go in that "store" they have numerous "gift cards" just for that purpose right on the counter at the cash registers. At Xmas they even offered some free if you bought a certain amount. The kids LOVE their own "Credit Card" to spend as they wish, and the cashier tells them how much they have left if they don't use it all right away. We were in the store last week and the clothes and accessories were not any higher than the real Barbie clothes were when we were younger. The bears start at 12 dollars and up. Beanie Babies and Webkins were not far behind those prices either. Good clean fun for kids from babes to teens, lol and some adults too.

I don't think it's a bad idea, but I would tend to lean towards something else. I would think her parents may already have everything thought out for her and her bear for that day... Providing more may just be pushing the limit with them or taking away from their gift for her.

And I know how those bears work and I know it's not the same thing, but if someone was having a party at McDonald's, would you consider them a McDonald's gift certificate?

Webkinz are really big around here in that age group; would she like one of those?

We have a "build a bear" place in Windsor? LOL You can buy voices for your bear? Where is it, I need to go check it out. LOL

Dances, I think it is a great idea even though I don't really know what it is all about. LOL

How come I never heard of this "build a bear" place. Sounds like a great store. I live such a sheltered life. LOL I need to hang around kids more often.

I want to build a bear now for my niece.

Anne

they have a website... www.buildabear and the rest ..it shows what it is all about

Two years ago i had a Little Mermaid party for my middle DD. She loved Little Mermaid and already owned alot of mermaid toys. Six of her friends gave her Little Mermaid presents as gifts that year since that was the parties theme. Some we already had and some things she recieved 2 of the same.
The gift card is not a bad idea since she can pick her own bear and accessories. I would think that the card would be used at a later time. Mom probably has the day already covered. Also the birthday girl can have another build a bear day.

Since when did you listen to DH?
LOL

Good idea.
Go for it.

Lori

Sounds like a good idea. The parents obviously like BaB and consider it a good place for the party. The birthday girl can either get an extra outfit or build a second bear another day. A gift cert sounds perfect for her!

I think it's a great idea, Dances, I know I would have loved something like when I was a kid. Heck, I still like things like that- things that have lots of changeable parts just give me a thrill. And I think the parents might be flattered that you are reinforcing their ideas, too.

I hope all the kids have a ball. Tell DD that her bear needs a PINK BOA, OK? lolol

I too think it's a fine idea. Especially since you know the birthday girl probably won't be able to afford to accessorize it much on her own.

Cherryfizz - there is one on Howard (across from where Arby's and Wendy's are). There is also one in Devonshire mall now (although for the life of me I can't remember what section it was in. I think the area near the Bay). There might even be one at Tecumseh Mall by now.

I think I'd want to be extra sure that her parents or grandparents weren't planning to add on an extra or two. Bcs it wouldn't surprise me if they were going to.

W/ presents for my kids' friends, I like to treat it as an educational growth experience for MY kid. I make my kid think about their friend, and what they are like, and what they like to do, etc., and then come up w/ a present idea.

My ILs are horrible present-givers, they just have no confidence, and no ideas, and very rigid ideas of what a "gift" can be. I want my kids to learn how to have fun BUYING presents, and I want them to learn how to come up w/ present ideas. So I'd probably be following my DD's lead, no matter how great my idea seemed to me.

I have a 6 yr old daughter who thinks that would be an awesome idea! No one else would feel left out because one expects the bday girl to get spoiled. Kids can NEVER get enough outfits for their critters...believe me!

Thanks for the encouragement everyone LOL!

Talley Sue, DD's idea was to buy a dress for the B-day girls bear. My only worry was, what if it is a BOY bear LOL?

Actually, she rarely has gift ideas for her friends. She likes whatever I get - although I always ask for her input and give her veto power. If she had her way, all of her friends would get hamsters ;)

well, if your DD gets a gift certificate for the dress, then she's covered if he needs a shirt and pants, right?

Though, doesn't the bday girl get to pick which sex her bear is? Maybe DD knows her friend well enough to know. Or she can "sneak around' and quiz her friend and find out, and then she can go pick out a dress of some sort ahead of time.

Does the BaB wear a standard doll-dress size?

Tally Sue, The fun of going to Build a bear is not just picking out a flat lifeless body of a pet and filling it with a heart, a voice and spongy guts. It's wondering through the cornucopia of outfits, wigs, glasses, Hawaiian grass skirts, belts, shoes, stockings and accessories. Kids LOVE that part. My girls would rather have the fun of wondering around the store to find that just perfect outfit any day. Having someone else pick it out is a nice gesture but it takes all the fun of looking at all the cute little outfits that children relate too.

I'll admit it, I like to wonder around the store looking at the cute little outfits, and the wigs, and the shoes. lol, its the kid in me.

I think it's a great idea, Dances. Hope your DD has as good a time as the birthday girl does!!

(Ya Ya - who's thinking that a gift certificate would be a great birthday present for two GDs.)

Don't have specific advice, though the ideas presented sound fine to me.

But, in line with that Toni NE said ...

... let's be sure to never kill the kid in us!

Actually, at my age, we may be accused of it being second childhood.

ole joyful

AND! We want pictures and an update, please. I want to go dress a bear in a grass skirt now. Ya think Necci needs to go Hawaiian? I'm thinking she does!

Necci would look so cool in a hula skirt Flamingo.

So yesterday I go to the BAB store to get that certificate. And guess who I see? A line of familiar parents doing the SAME THING. So I guess it WAS a good idea ROFL!

So instead DD and I quizzed the girl when we saw her at Brownies, then I went shopping while she was there. Got her a Hannah Montanna game.

I'll have to take a picture of whatever animal DD ends up with.

Thanks Dances. I was at Devonshire last week and didn't see one but then I wasn't really looking. I see they have a new tea store though - Teaopia that I want to check out.

Cute picture Toni of the real and fake animals. LOL

Anne