to find this so incredibly rude and I couldn't do it?

[CrapBag]

Ok, maybe a slight exaggeration but I do feel that way.

I was talking to someone about joint birthday parties (for siblings whose birthdays are close together) recently. Our eldest children have recently started school. She asked if I was going to put my younger childs name on the invites that would go out to the school friends. I said of course not as they would be invited as the school friends guest, not the younger sibling.

My friend said I should as they might bring an extra present for the younger child.

I laughed incredulously and she said that she did it last year and she will do it again next year. I laughed and said "that is so rude, I'm not doing that and neither would I take a present if I received an invite like this".

Its not just me is it? This is rude right?

We went to a joint party for 2 brothers recently, but both my boys were invited (1 in each birthday child's class) so the invite was to both mine from both boys, which is fine and obviously we got a present from each child, but as far as I am aware the ones that were only in one of the boy's classes got an invite from just that child.

What a mad thing to be grabby about too! Anything that restricts the amount of junk arriving in this house is a good thing - no way would I go out of my way to deviously attract any more!

I would like to know if it's a joint party, so I could bring a present for both children.

I would feel a bit rude turning up with only one present, tbh.

I always buy presents for both birthday children, even if we have only been invited by one. I will probably only give a small present to the other birthday child, but I like to give something.

I have twins. We sent 3 types of invites:

Janet invites you to Janet & John's party
John invites you to Janet & John's party
Janet & John invite you to their party.

The 3 rd type only go to the kids who know them both well (usually old friends from before they were at school).

I'm mostly looking for ways to politely reduce the number of presents - we had 50 last year as we had 25 children an they all brough two presents.

I would always want to know it was a joint party so we had a present for each kids (though I'd take something very small if I didn't know the child at all). We always take two presents (one from each twin) so a joint party means we troop in with a stack!

Fakebook. Did you have to pay the entry fee to soft play, plus food for the invited child? That's not normal for a party
And you're feeling guilty about not bringing two presents? Don't!