When my daughters were invited to birthday parties, I always went with the sexist stereotypical gifts. If it was a girl's party, she got a Barbie and for a boy's party, it was toy cars or a Tonka truck.

I think my daughters also received the "bead assortment", which is supposed to be used to make jewelry, etc. However, I think, like the one Christmas fruitcake that makes the rounds, there really is only one box of beads that gets regifted over and over again.