Kid Parties: Gift or No Gift?
- Thread starter Peacock76
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Unless the invite said "no gift", I would never, ever dream of sending my child without a gift! That's like (but worse) than going to a dinner party without a bottle of wine or something like that.
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boyzrus
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DS #1 was invited to a party that said no gifts and I was like yippee! Then we get there and people brought gifts anyway! Luckily it was in the backyard, so I could slink away quietly.
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Yes, absolutely. I also will give gifts even if they couldnt go to the party.
In December I took my niece (2nd grade) to a birthday party at the park district skating rink. My SIL gave me $10 for admission and skate rentals and no gift. She said that since the kids have to pay for their own rental and admission she was not giving a gift. I felt awkward when I got there but when the mother did not even rent out the party room and served cupcakes in the lobby I did not feel that bad. I guess if you have to pay for your activity, no gift is needed.
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A few parties over this last year have asked for food pantry donations to the school's pantry instead of gifts and that's the only time I didn't send an extra present. But I make sure to really load up a good bag of groceries from the stockpile.
I felt bad the first time but I know the Mom of the boy who kind of started this and she said he really wanted to do it. I guess it was pretty cool for him, they pulled up to the food pantry with a big van of stuff and brought it in.....weirdly enough I had one parent tell me she didn't like the idea.:9:
I felt bad the first time but I know the Mom of the boy who kind of started this and she said he really wanted to do it. I guess it was pretty cool for him, they pulled up to the food pantry with a big van of stuff and brought it in.....weirdly enough I had one parent tell me she didn't like the idea.:9:
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I meant that if you invite people to a birthday and then have them pay their way in your not really hosting a party, you're just kind of meeting people at the skating rink :lol: I prob would bring a present because I wouldn't want my kid embarrassed but I think that's pretty rude of the host
My sister (and my nephew) wanted to do this, except it would be for the local animal shelter. My sister wanted to have a birthday party for my nephew so that family/friends that are here could attend. Most family/friends have never been to a birthday party for my nephew since they live out of state. They would not have had room to bring home presents. My nephew was ok with this since he has so much already and he loves animals.
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That's how our friends felt too, they already have a lot. The invited a ton of kids at a big basketball gym they rented to run around, like maybe 50-60.....that would have been an obscene number of presents for him and it was something he wanted to do. I thought it was great.
This is interesting because I had new DD8's bday party yesterday. It was her & 5 other girls. 3/5 brought gifts. I thought it was a little odd! Not a big deal, she has too much stuff as it is, but I've always sent a gift.
We had humane society party once. It was fun, kids enjoyed the tour & playing with the puppies & kittens. They love the donations & kids feel good about donating. Win win!
We had humane society party once. It was fun, kids enjoyed the tour & playing with the puppies & kittens. They love the donations & kids feel good about donating. Win win!
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Did you send out invites, or was it just come on over type of thing. Maybe that would explain it...cant think of anything else to explain. Well except triffling parents
Oh, and I always bring a present, but if a kid doesn't I don't mind. My oldest has only invited his two close friends the last several years and we do an activity/dinner/sleepover. One of them did not bring a present a couple years in a row. His parents had just gone through a divorce. The following year his dad's house was foreclosed, and he lost his job in the same week.
So, you never know the family situation.
So, you never know the family situation.
the only time we did not send a gift was when it was on the invite. The mom of twins asked me to spread the news to everyone that if they brought a gift her kids were not even going to see it--it would be donated--so please no gifts. She said they had no room for anything and the boys already had enough things
We obliged--but I was surprised by how many kids still brought things. If she does the same thing this year--I might ask her if I could send a gift card to the scout shop so her kids could pick out something for scouting--but I would give her the gift ahead of time so no one felt bad.
We obliged--but I was surprised by how many kids still brought things. If she does the same thing this year--I might ask her if I could send a gift card to the scout shop so her kids could pick out something for scouting--but I would give her the gift ahead of time so no one felt bad.
I can't imagine going anywhere empty handed :faint:
Unless there was some compelling reason (like on the invite, but that would still not sit well with me). I take something every time we go anywhere. Probably to excess though, when we were at his brother's house every day for 4 days when his other siblings were in town we took a different "hostess" gift each day. Even the days we were really just meeting there to go out. Hell I don't go next door to check on our neighbor and "chat" (check if she's alive) without something in hand.
Unless there was some compelling reason (like on the invite, but that would still not sit well with me). I take something every time we go anywhere. Probably to excess though, when we were at his brother's house every day for 4 days when his other siblings were in town we took a different "hostess" gift each day. Even the days we were really just meeting there to go out. Hell I don't go next door to check on our neighbor and "chat" (check if she's alive) without something in hand.
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My dd5 was just invited to her first 'official' bday party. The invite said they were having a "my little pony exchange". Each girl will bring a pony and they will swap, go home with a different pony as well as a goody bag. Thought it was a cute idea (party is also at a horse farm)
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hsmomof6
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The pony exchange sounds like a really fun idea.
It seems especially odd that not just one, but two kids didn't bring a gift. Maybe there was some kind of mess up in communication.
I can't imagine sending my child to a birthday party without a present. However, I am always sad if I think someone doesn't come to a party because they can't afford a gift. I doubt that was the case at all with your dd's party, but your poll made me think about how that can happen. I always felt like I just wanted the kids to come regardless of whether they brought anything. It's the people that make the party special.
