what no pressies??

[bloom73]

Had daughter's lush 8th birthday party in the park ystd, no to pressies no to party bags, yes to fun, swings, hammocks, tree climbing, berry picking, jelly, ice creams and cake!

Instead of pressies we passed round a hat & collected fifty quid for birthday girl to spend in oxfam over the coming weeks. She's happy to be helping towards the Nepal earthquake thro' oxfam, and not to be creating more environmental impacts - trad' parties can breed waste (making new toys= more resources used & more pollution) ,when they should be about bringing friends together and having fun.

We're off to spend some of the donations with a couple of her pals after school =more fun than a pile of uneeded/chosen toys (tho granted some pressies can be cool, but lots don't get used).

We did buy her some pressies by the way - she loves her new trapeze swing & bike!

I'll step down from my soap box now please share this idea to reduce the impacts of lots and lots of kids birthdays Imagine the good that could be done and the damage to our lovely world avoided!! thanks CPx

[MegMogandOwlToo]

Ok great, thanks.

[Emochild]

Each to their own

[TopCivilServant]

Smuggy smug smug?

[PeterParkerSays]

How do you know that her friends wouldn't have bought 2nd hand presents from Oxfam? You could have given them that option rather than have to put in a reasonable amount of money to save face in front of the rest of the party guests.

[DorisLessingsCat]

Judgy much?

[NerrSnerr]

I'd hate to have to cough up money at a party, too much pressure when money is tight.

[DidILeaveTheGasOn]

Trad? Is that a thing now? Can i say things like, 'wow, trad, much?' Or do I need to be a pinch younger to get away with that?

[Ejzuudjej]

How worthy. I wonder if your daughter really feels the same way...

[GoblinLittleOwl]

Well, aren't you just wonderful.

[ShirleySmears]

Any party where guests are told what they need to do WRT presents is naff. Sorry

And how is giving the child cash to spend on herself not a present?

[HeiressesGiltnor]

Ugh.

[Looseleaf]

I don't like the idea of collecting money as think 'no presents' sit's much more comfortably. But it sounds a really lovely pm

[RigglinJigglin]

[BeautifulBatman]

A whip round at a kids bday party? Honestly?

Also, I hope the trapeze and bike she was given by you was 2nd hand, otherwise not only are you a patronising smug git, but a hypocritical one too.

[Chillyegg]

You gathered a collection!?

You're making your daughter buy her presents from oxfam?

Ive heard it all now
Please take one of these im afraid thats ridiculous

[SomewhereIBelong]

mine have a couple of friends round, make their own pizza, eat cake, play a bit and go home. We like to leave presents - or not - up to the guests.

sitting in a shelter in the park in the sleet and biting wind would not be much fun for DD14 in December...

[Sparklingbrook]

Team 'Trad parties' here i am afraid.

[ShirleySmears]

If I was asked to donate cash for present to be bought at Oxfam, I'd feel obliged to give £5 (maybe £10). If I bought a gift in the charity shop I could do it for £1, so your system's pretty grabby OP.

Also, what Batman said.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

you are very funny OP.

[Viviennemary]

I think it's absolutely dreadful to pass round a hat after a party. How embarassing. If you want to donate to Oxfam then do it. Don't expect other folk to make donations for you. Everything done on the cheap in a park and then charging for it.

[Tapasfairy]

Your forcing people to donate to oxfam, how much do oxfam spend on advertising? How much do they pay to chuggers? How much did the pen cost that they sent to me with a begging letter last week?

Good lord your sucking the fun out of your child's birthday. Birthdays are once a year...they are fun.

[Heels99]

No to presents? Apart from a swing, a bike and £50 worth of tat from oxfam. Fail to see how that helps the environment. 'Trad parties breed waste'

Fgs. I am cringing on your behalf.

[PatriciaHolm]

But she did get presents - money. Which you are going to make her spend in a particular shop.

[Jasonandyawegunorts]

I would have spent the £50 in pounbdland, at least then the workers in Sweatshops just outside of norwich will have not worked in vein!

[FenellaFellorick]

so basically you asked for cash for your daughter's birthday? And feel that's ok because you've told her that she has to spend it in a second hand shop?

That's very worthy of you but did you consider other people before deciding to ask for money? Some people find it very rude to be asked for cash, even if you tell them how worthy you are going to be with it. What if people couldn't afford to give cash? Did they know a hat was going to be passed round? Some people buy cheaply or bogof to have a stock of gifts for birthdays because they can't put money into a hat. Some people also have serious objections to oxfam and other lasrge charities and the way they work and might not want to contribute to that.