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Original poster

Baby's first birthday to ask for no boxed gifts?

284 replies

sarak20 · 16/08/2026 08:44

Is this reasonable or no. For some context: I have bought all the toys I would like my baby to play with and don't want others gifting toys that I have no space to store. Is it appropriate to ask for no boxed gifts? Thanks

OP posts:
Heronwatcher · 16/08/2026 09:01

sarak20 · 16/08/2026 08:54

Thanks for all your replies. This is what my sister in law has asked everyone to do. She has put on the invites "no boxed gifts". She is expecting everyone to give £50 and above. I have four kids it isn't exactly easy for me to dish out £100 to her. I would have much preferred to buy my own gifts. What would you do in this situation?

Talk to your brother. Personally I’d give a John Lewis/ Amazon/ M&S voucher for however much you normally spend on presents (which for me would be about £15) and then maybe a nice cardigan or hat set. I’d explain to DB that you don’t spend £50 on birthday presents as a family.

Or you could offer to take your niece out to a soft play with some/ all of your own kids one weekend morning over the winter.

Asking for no big gifts is a bit fun sponge but I can understand it if people have strong views on plastic/ live somewhere small. Expecting over £50 is completely batshit and grabby though. Best to draw a line in the sand now IMO.

Ioaf · 16/08/2026 09:01

She's going to get a shock as the child gets older. One year olds get given a lot of clothes and things anyway but between 3 and 8 she's going to get plenty of toys whether she likes it or not. School friends aren't going to give money. The toys get bigger too.

Duchoftheterrace · 16/08/2026 09:01

Bloody rude. 'No gifts thank you' would be polite, this is just grabby.

Itssomethingelse · 16/08/2026 09:01

DaisyChain505 · 16/08/2026 08:56

She can fuck right off with her entitlement of saying how much the gifts should cost. I wouldn’t spend £50 on a grown adult relative for their birthday let alone a bloody one year old.

I understand saying that they have plenty of toys so there’s no need for more unnecessary plastic crap but she could offer a list of alternatives like books, creative play, clothes etc.

Agree. your sister is beyond grabby. Just put £10 /£20 in a card. When did people become so disgustingly grabby? The more we give into people like that the worse it will get.

Bacarditropicalfizz · 16/08/2026 09:01

sarak20 · 16/08/2026 08:54

Thanks for all your replies. This is what my sister in law has asked everyone to do. She has put on the invites "no boxed gifts". She is expecting everyone to give £50 and above. I have four kids it isn't exactly easy for me to dish out £100 to her. I would have much preferred to buy my own gifts. What would you do in this situation?

Just give her the cash for whatever you would have spent on a gift then. Only what you can afford, a sister should understand and if she doesn’t then she can sod off!

Gifts aren’t gifts if they’re unwanted, they’re annoying.

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 16/08/2026 09:00

That’s a euphemism i haven’t heard before.

Original poster
sarak20 · 16/08/2026 08:59

This is my first niece. I had planned to get her a lot of personalised keepsakes. But now I've been thrown with "no boxed gifts" and she does keep hinting she only wants cash as she's bought her child absolutely everything he needs

OP posts:
TheSmallAssassin · 16/08/2026 08:58

By some clothes or a book. Neither of those come in a box 😁

NervousSheepy · 16/08/2026 08:57

sarak20 · 16/08/2026 08:54

Thanks for all your replies. This is what my sister in law has asked everyone to do. She has put on the invites "no boxed gifts". She is expecting everyone to give £50 and above. I have four kids it isn't exactly easy for me to dish out £100 to her. I would have much preferred to buy my own gifts. What would you do in this situation?

Obviously I type too slowly, just ignore her, it is a ridiculous request and not a requirement.

Slightyamusedandsilly · 16/08/2026 08:56

TrunkElliot · 16/08/2026 08:55

I’d buy a book.

Any parent should be happy with books, surely? And if it's one they don't like, quietly charity shopped.

islingtontrial · 16/08/2026 08:56

I think people love to buy for babies and young children so it’s a bit mean to deny them that. I would find ‘no boxed gifts’ very rude and grabby. Just say you don’t need anything for the baby then those who want to can give you money.

DaisyChain505 · 16/08/2026 08:56

She can fuck right off with her entitlement of saying how much the gifts should cost. I wouldn’t spend £50 on a grown adult relative for their birthday let alone a bloody one year old.

I understand saying that they have plenty of toys so there’s no need for more unnecessary plastic crap but she could offer a list of alternatives like books, creative play, clothes etc.

NervousSheepy · 16/08/2026 08:56

I think yabu, givers get to choose the gifts they give. You can suggest things and just give away anything you don't want. Why does everyone seem so determined to control everyone and everything these days.

Raptors · 16/08/2026 08:56

sarak20 · 16/08/2026 08:54

Thanks for all your replies. This is what my sister in law has asked everyone to do. She has put on the invites "no boxed gifts". She is expecting everyone to give £50 and above. I have four kids it isn't exactly easy for me to dish out £100 to her. I would have much preferred to buy my own gifts. What would you do in this situation?

I would buy the baby a book and ignore your sisters ridiculous request. £50 + is madness to spend on a 1 year old.

McSpoot · 16/08/2026 08:56

Not another stupid reverse.

Randomchat · 16/08/2026 08:56

How much were you planning to give? Just give that amount of cash and a token book or t-shirt or something. And don't put it in a box.

TrunkElliot · 16/08/2026 08:55

I’d buy a book.

Original poster
sarak20 · 16/08/2026 08:54

Thanks for all your replies. This is what my sister in law has asked everyone to do. She has put on the invites "no boxed gifts". She is expecting everyone to give £50 and above. I have four kids it isn't exactly easy for me to dish out £100 to her. I would have much preferred to buy my own gifts. What would you do in this situation?

OP posts:
RitaFires · 16/08/2026 08:53

I wouldn't understand no boxed gifts and probably buy you something that comes in a bag. It's better to direct people to what you do want rather than try to direct them away from what you don't, especially when the directions are ambiguous.

KarcherK5 · 16/08/2026 08:49

I think a lot of people don’t know the phrase “no boxed gifts” - when I first saw it on a wedding invitation I was baffled and thought they had some kind of issue with recycling cardboard 😅.

Open a savings account for the kid and just tell anybody who’d like to give a gift that you’d love it if they could add whatever they would have spent to the account so that it can grow for your kid’s future needs.

AImportantMermaid · 16/08/2026 08:49

Does no boxed gifts mean cash? No, I don’t think you can say that. Just keep the ones that are duplicates and regift them or ask for books.

mindutopia · 16/08/2026 08:49

If this is family, I think it’s fine to say no toys please as you don’t have the space. Books and clothes as an alternative. Or money for savings account.

I think if this is wider friends, though I appreciate you won’t really have nursery friends yet at this age, you’ll probably still get gifts anyway.

CurlsLDN · 16/08/2026 08:49

I’m not sure what no boxed gifts means? I’m not being facetious, just sharing the thoughts I would have if told this

  • are gifts in bags ok?
  • do you mean no big things in boxes, so cuddly toys, bath toys, clothes are ok?
  • are books ok?
  • or is it a code for cash only?

whichever it is, a gift is really the generous choice of the giver. Personally I find a directive like that rather affronting, but wouldn’t mind if my friend spoke to me and said ‘just to let you know we’re fully stocked with lots of toys. You don’t need to give a gift at all, but if you were thinking of giving something please don’t give toys’

ChickenBananaBanana · 16/08/2026 08:49

No boxed gifts sounds like pony up some cash. I'd think it was pretty rude tbh

ShetlandishMum · 16/08/2026 08:49

Your child turns 1. Let people enjoy buying a gift.