The challenge of buying birthday gifts for other kids

There are lots of birthday parties happening around here. You know, your child makes a new buddy in school and gets invited to their party. You don't really know this new friend, their likes or dislikes, so you kind of end up buying something just to buy something (which kinda rubs me the wrong way). It's a real challenge to come up with a gift that is durable, yet doesn't cost too much (because, hello? we can't afford to spend $20 on a gift for each of these parties!) and doesn't have too much packaging, etc. It seems to get harder and harder as these kids get older and have more sophisticated tastes.

I'm trying to change my mindset about it. Rather than worry about what a child might like, I'm trying to think of things that I would be happy to see my child receive as a gift, assuming that most parents are as overwhelmed with their children's 'stuff' as I am. (This is precisely the reason we have no-gift birthday parties!) Last school year my go-to gift was making those book kits, which were a hit and I felt great about giving. I don't always have time to make something like that, however. At Fred Meyer, of all places, I found this nice pad of recycled-content drawing paper and these woodless colored pencils, which are artist-grade.

Quality art supplies for $9 total. I had to pry them from my daughter's hands. (I see Stubby Pencil has 100% recycled content sketch pads for $7.50.) I think books are always good, too. I recently bought a kindergarten boy some early reader Star Wars books. He probably can't read them right now, but he'll enjoy looking at the pictures, as my son would.

While I have no problem giving my kids second-hand toys and clothing as gifts, I still am not comfortable doing that for other children. Why is that? I guess I just don't know many of them and worry about what their parents might think. Why is that? (You see, I'm saving loads of money by being my own psychotherapist.)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on giving second-hand toys or books as gifts. Do you do it? Do you have any good ideas for new, quality, low-waste gifts that cost under, say, $12?