Giving a doll as a gift

My mother is technically the one who is buying me my first doll. We've had an unbelievable series of long-winded problems in the past year or so that could rival the plot of a soap show. I don't want to go into the details - because it's not a very positive story, but the overall conclusion is that we have been forced to sell our house to a company who will allow us to rent it back, which means we've got a lot of money left over for things we've been wanting to do, and it seems like my mother wants to treat me whilst she can afford to. I still feel guilty about it - mainly because I feel like a spoilt brat, but she's insisting, and I think I'd feel even worse if I declined her offer.

My family is pretty close-knit. There's only a few of us, and we all live rather close together. I've noticed that if something catches somebody's eye around Christmas, and it's out of one person's price range, then they all chip together so that they can afford it. I would never dream of asking for a doll as a gift from just one person, but if, for instance, my relatives all chipped in to purchase one, or just chipped in just to raise a little money that could go towards buying one, I wouldn't object.

 

Dont feel like a spoilt brat! Youre not at all, your mum just knows you want one and she wants to treat you after a hard year it seems. I think its really nice of her ^^

 

I was just now teasing a friend, thinking he'd laugh at me for asking, but showed him a doll...asked him to buy her for me....he did...now I am floored, but paying him back.

 

My friend and her fiance' bought me a body for my Haruka and a head for my b-day! I was so happy!
I am heavily hinting to my boyfriend about getting me another doll... but he doesn't appreciate them!

 

I would ask my immediate family to pool my X-mas/Birthday/Grade money for a doll. But I would not ask my friends or distant relatives.

I saved up for my first boy, a CP El, and love him dearly. After that I was saving for a Mini Fée Shiwoo but ended up buying a Breakaway head as an impule buy with those savings. Ever since I've not been able to successfully save more than $20 for that MNF so I'll be asking my father for him for my birthday or Christmas instead of the normal cash I recieve from him.

I have asked my mom before sort of... jokingly I suppose, to buy me a doll, because I know she never would.

For me it isn't a big weight on my concious or anything because I'd much rather have a doll or a body or doll clothes or accessories or SOMETHING doll-related for my birthday and Christmas presents than the many smaller things my parents usually get me. I've expressed to them before that I'd even be willing to forfeit my birthday AND Christmas presents from both sides of my family for one doll, but I don't think they feel comfortable supporting my hobby and getting me such a large and expensive gift. They'd be more inclined to buy me an expensive camera than a doll.

I shan't give up hope in asking though. I always ask politely in appropriate situations and present well thought out arguments for my case, but I never push so my parents don't mind my asking even if the answer is still "no".

Wow.. that was kind of... unorganized. XD

 

I wouldn't feel bad asking my parents for a doll as a gift. They got me a $600 synthesizer last year, and they tend to give expensive gifts. But that's because we're fairly financially well off, if that wasn't the case, then I'd probably feel pretty bad asking for one.

As for friends, like most of you said, I wouldn't ask for a doll from them, but I would ask for dollie things, such as a wig, a pair of eyes, etc. Unless it was a group gift, I'd feel reeeaaalllyyyy horrible if they got me one.

 

I would never ask for my dad to buy me a doll. It is way too much. An old friend of mine did offer to buy me a doll because he trashed my cell phone by accident, but I think the doll I wanted at the time was worth more than the phone. I'd rather pay for my own hobbies because it goes toward the bonding process for me, for example- I really bonded with my Nanuri because I went to a lot of trouble to pay for him. The money I used I'd been saving since last October and I had to do a difficult wire transfer because Luts wasn't allowing Paypal. It felt like I had really achieved something when he arrived safe and sound.

 

I'd never ask my parents to buy me a doll. My family isn't close, so that's out of the question as well. I think it's just too much... Also, for me, it feels much better and it's much nicer if I go and save/work for a doll, rather than getting it without much effort.

My parents said that for my birthday, if I don't ask for something, they'll probably give me some money for my doll-funds. So I'm happy with that. ^^

 

Wow that's amazing if a close friend gives you an elaborate gift, I hear people saying they'd feel bad, don't feel bad
they are just trying to do something special for you. Just let them know how much you appreciate them.

( but of course return the favor by going all out on the next gift you get them.. It will make them feel loved, thats what friends are for )

 

My parents actually offered to help me buy one but because the price tags are so high, i actually felt kinda guilty and turned 'em down. I'd feel better buying 'em myself. n_n;;; But what would be nice is if one of my dolls was a collective gift from...like...my ENTIRE family, lost cousins and all that. XD XD But yah, overall they're just a bit much to ask for.

~Kumi

 

My friend was actually going to buy me an Ice Blue DS Lite (about $200) for my birthday at Otakon. Both the videogame booths didn't have one, so I convinced him that I would rather have the money towards my doll (who was $240 at the con) instead of the DS Lite (Since I already have a regular DS).

That was like a freak occurrence, though. I still can't believe he wanted to spend that much money on me. My next doll, though, I will be saving up for myself. I don't think I could just outright ask someone to spend that much money on me.

 

I felt terrible about my parents buying me my first doll, a 1/4 DZ Shoyu, a couple months ago, but since it is an early Christmas present, and since Dollzone dolls don't cost as much as regular dolls, I thought it was okay. And then one thing led to another, they allotted me money to spend in California on a vacation with a friend (I'd never been to Cali before O_O It was fun. x3), and then I got to the Volks store.... Hence my newest girl, Sane (Volks SD Mimi ). I don't think that it's too much to ask for if circumstances work in your favor,.... for instance, if it's the ONLY thing you're getting for Christmas or a couple of holidays combined, or if you pay for part of it, or if you've done things to save the person a lot of money. I'm thinking of starting to save for a doll for my best friend/little sister, but I have to see if she's really into it before I get her one (I don't want the poor thing to feel unloved, or accidentally get the wrong doll for her. O_O ) And then after that, for another friend, whom I KNOW wants a doll very badly because she always loves my dolls so much. X3

 

Interesting that I should stumble across this thread. I'm one of those people that picks up on the wants of her friends. One of my friends (Kei-chan) is very close to getting her first - a Dollmore Calvin. The other, who doesn't have a username here (to my knowledge) is getting a DZ Shoyo/DIM Odelia hybrid.

...Except that I've completely paid for it myself. Her face up is done (thanks to Wendy of Tragically Normal Aesthetics) and her head coming home, she is clothed thanks to pawpaw, I have just paid for her eyes today. I have commissioned coperita to make the wig in August, and then she'll be complete.

I would never ask my friends/parents to buy me a doll. And neither did she. I mentioned how much I wanted an El-SS, and she mentioned that she had wanted a doll, too. So I based the doll on my friend's OC Nachi:


Not only do I believe this doll will help improve my friend's art (not that it isn't good already as picture above proves!), but it's also helped me, as a first-time BJD buyer.

I have BJD-buying savvy, now! If she says she feels bad, I'll just tell her that it'll be a good experience for the both of us in the long run.

However, I do believe that asking/hinting at a doll as a gift from parents or friends is too much. If the friend takes it upon his/herself , then that's a different story. But I still think of those getting more than one gift doll and not paying their parents back as spoiled.

 

I don't think I could do it. I'm ridiculously bitter about a lot of the people on here who get 3+ dolls as presents from their parents. I mean, I see one, or two dolls as gifts as being okay. But when people get a lot of dolls from their parents as gifts, it just makes me think they're kind of spoiled. Especially when it's not even for christmas or a birthday or something, just for 'good grades' or being a 'hard worker' or something. I get good grades all year every year, and I never get very expensive presents. I have had to get a job to save for the things I want. I think it's a good way for me to learn about money, and saving. My mum has taken a year off work this year and it has been a real eye opener. We have to watch how much we spend on things like groceries and clothes, things that we didn't really think about before.

I'm sorry if I offended anyone, I know deep down I am just jealous that my family can't really afford this. I think a better option would be to ask for money instead of presents.

 

I just say to my friends/family that l would like spending money as a gift that way l could spent it on what l want. (l have dollfie fund )

 

I wouldn't ask anyone to buy me a dollfie as I'd feel too bad about it though I have asked my parents to help with part of the price of one as a birthday and christmas present as long as I still paid for it. And my Dad did get me my very first one though I didn't ask him to, he decided himself to do that one.

I also have given a friend a dollfie before and I'm very glad I did. I worked hard to get the money for him for her and even put aside one I had been planning to get to get her's. And some of our other friends helped as well. I think giving a dollfie to someone is one of the biggest gifts someone can do and at the time, she was having a really hard time in life and was depressed because despite being into BJDs for longer than the rest of her friends had, she still couldn't afford one herself. So I felt she deserved one more than I deserved to get a 2nd one.

 

I think the only way I would ask for a doll is either in parts (i.e. I would like a head instead of the whole thing) or if a group of people (like my entire family as opposed to just one member therein) wanted to get me a gift all together. Even then I would hesitate to ask for anything over $300.

 

D8 Last year I asked for money from my family to save up from my doll.

Too bad that didn't work so much. >:

Well, truth of the matter is, I'm supposed to get my Somi because of my grades. My dad bribed me with a doll to get better grades, but it's nearly the new school year and I'm still waiting for her.

So I think if it's your parents, it's ok. But not a friend or anything. D:

 

I wish I could ask for cash. xDD No one I know ever accepts that; they think it's too impersonal. I try to tell them it's for expensive things, but they don't listen. D: