Birthday presents

[boo64]

My ds will be two soonish and has so many toys it's crazy and he hardly ever plays with them (many were presents and hand me downs)

Would it be rude to ask guests to his birthday party to get vouchers or put money towards something bigger? We might invite quite a lot of people and we'd just end up with 30 presents of say £10 each, which just seems silly!

ANy views?

Firstly, I would question if you need to invite 30 guests to a 2 year old's birthday.....

If you do, whilst I know sometimes, once children are at school, several guests club together to buy a larger present, I'm not sure it would go down well for a younger child - people enjoy buying presents for them and the child likes opening them....

With family, I tend to ask them to get clothes or something specific I know my child would like, with friends, unless you know them well it might seem a little rude to specify vouchers or money. On the odd occasions my children have had large numbers at a party (not until they are at school in this household!) if I have felt they have got too many presents (or duplicates or things they wouldn't play with) I have put them away to be "recycled" for another party or given to a charity shop.

i think its rude - why not tell them not to bring anything if he has too much stuff - just come and enjoy the party?

i think it may be seen as a bit forward.
if money is tight for me, i shop round and buy a lovely looking but cheaper pressie, maybe £4-5, but as i bought it in the sale, it should have cost say £8-9 iyswim.
if it had to give a voucher or money, i would feel obliged to spend more like £10 and may begrudge it if i couldn't really afford it.
sorry, thats maybe not what you want to hear

sorry, I agree it would be rude. If you don;t want 30 small presents then tell people not to buy anything

That's a good point Devonshire - in fact it is happening to me with some birthdays coming up where due to the ages of the children a voucher really is the most suitable thing, but as you say, it means spending a bit more than I normally would....

Totally agree that 30 guests is a lot for a 2nd birthday but we have thought about it and decided this year is a family party too - we hardly ever have any parties so it is just a big bbq for all our friends and to celebrate ds's birthday we will have a cake etc. There might be 10 or so children - we have to invite the friends who invite us to their kids parties.

p.s. I wanted the truth so appreciate honesty. I just hate all these toys going to waste. Would it be ok to ask people to make a small donation to a children's charity or is that unfair on ds?!

I think when you invite people to a party you just have to accept whatever they bring. You can always donate some old toys to charity

really know where you're comimg from. i think a jolly note on the invite saying too many toys so no prezzies please! is fine, why not a discrete charity box at the party.also could say bring a bottle of what you like to drink - far more useful!my friends all asked me this year and i said books - far less space consuming. i
i felt sick at the sacks full of ppresents my 3 got as their birthdays are near xmas too. so i've already agreed with the adoringgrandparents that they'll pay for the party next year instead and xmas is bikes - so they'll stay outdoors - now it's just the 5 great aunts and 6 great uncles and so on to deal with. i know i'm ungracious, but i can't bear it!

unfair on ds - umm well if he was older i would say yes, but you could explain it, but tbh at 2yo as long as he gets some pressies then i don't think it is unfair.
bring a bottle is a good idea.
Hope you all have a lovely party