WIBU to split birthday party presents?

[Xuli]

DD is sharing her party with a classmate, all great. However there could be over 30 children coming (community centre style, therefore very flexible with numbers). I don't really want her to get 30+ presents, that's just a hell of a lot and we're not having a big party so that we can get loads of presents.

Classmate and DD are good friends and most of the attendees will be friends of both of them, so not easy to say DD invited X so only by a present for her, Classmate invited Y so only buy for her etc.

One mum suggested (as she does this for her twins) that attendees who want to buy a present buy one that could work for either child and then at the end of the party we divide the presents between the two birthday girls.

Is that a silly suggestions, or could that work?

When my children were little I would happily have bought two presents to avoid attending two parties.

I might ask DD if there's some charity she might like - she loves the idea of adopting animals and similar. Then I could at least ask the mums I know better if they'd rather give money towards that, and then not worry about the rest of the gifts.

Though I'm worried about looking like some sort of smug middle class wanker asking for charity presents! What a minefield...

No no don't do charity gifts rather than presents ostentatiously annoying.
One party bag per attendee only needed.

Definitely only one party bag! Two party bags from one party would be ridiculous.

Honestly, I think it takes away the full meaning and makes it sterile and a bit grabby.
People buy a gift for someone with consideration and thought. It’s a very personal “from me to you with thought and best wishes” experience.
That’s not what a gift is about.
The children will not know who the gift is from to thank them.

I had one joint party when I was at primary school. My best friend's birthday was about three weeks before mine and we had campaigned for a joint part for years. It was the best party ever. I have no idea what happened about presents or party bags, but I do know we both had a bigger party that year than we'd ever been allowed before and we both loved it. So I really think that so long as the children involved are happy about the idea, joint parties are a good thing!

All taken on board and I won't mention it to the other mum