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

The OP OPdidn't accept presents because she wanted to be in charge. And stung her pals for £50 so she could get a halo for helping Oxfam. Never mind it was somebody else's money.

OP obviously feels that the party is aspirational and/or inspirational - and that we would be grateful for her tips.
I expect to see it appearing in a lifestyle blog soon.

Waaaaaaah! This is just horrible. I know it's a wind-up, but my cringe reflex won't believe me and my arse will not unclench.

My 8yo would love nothing more for his birthday than £50 to spend in a charity shop...said no mother EVER! ,

Am I the only one thinking the OP passed the hat around and people thought it was a collection directly for a cash donation to Oxfam, rather than for her DD to go and buy presents with? I mean yes it will end up in the same place, but still

Perhaps she'll buy a few years worth of mothers day presents for you, OP, out of her charity shop splurge

Yes I wonder if op does the same on her own birthdays. House must look like a car boot sale with all that charity shop tat.

I can't wait for the Christmas thread.

To be fair, you can getvsome nice stuff in charity shops.

I've amnwearing a White Stuff top that I got from the British Heart Foundation for £4!

I'd like to go against the grain here and say that sounds much preferable to a lot of modern day kids parties. I went to one the other day in a small dark hall that was covered in tacky plastic and the kids entertainer installed a boom box and yelled down the mic for two hours instructing the kids to do boring predictable kids games whilst playing 'let it go' at full volume on a loop. It was fucking awful. The parents had spent hundreds of pounds and I personally spent over £15 out of obligation on a generic plastic present, card, wrapping paper etc which was probably missed under the mountain of plastic crap presents slung on the pile.
Me and my daughter would have much preferred to muck about in some woods and only have had to sling in a fiver for it.
I'm astonished at how much abuse the op is getting on here for just writing about her kids party. Cut her some slack!

Please tell me your DD is called something hippyish, like Taramasalata or something along those lines.

In all honesty Op, you sound very smug and quite contradictory. Did your DD actually request this for her birthday, or are you trying to set a standard for her? I can't imagine any 8 year old I know wanting to do this.

Ps Oh yes and I might add the birthday 'princess' by the end of the party was an overwhelmed, overstimulated, crying ungrateful mess. The parents looked mortified it was embarrassing.

Eurgh I have a wanky friend like this on FB always so fecking smug.

I don't get what idea we're sharing? Lots of people have gatherings in the park/ woods to celebrate a birthday. You still had jelly, ice-cream and cake... could've gone for healthier ideas as an alternative? What's new? No presents isn't that unusual, but you didn't do that, you asked for money.

For real?

It'd be a nice sentiment if you didn't feel the need to come and crow about it to a bunch of strangers.

What a pretentious load of bollocks.

Oh I do so love mumsnet.

party sounds fun but passing round a hat not so much. maybe instead you should have said in your invitations that in lieu presents a donation to the nepal tragedy is something they might like to consider and maybe buying the bike etc second hand.

How is it "no pressies" when you passed round a hat ??

Pray tell.

ODFOD

OH dear

Did you play Pass the Parcel with sticks wrapped in reusable nappies?