When did this etiquette change at kids parties?

[SantaOnFanta]

I remember as a child in the 1980's it was the thing at the end of the party to sit in a circle and the child opened everyone's presents and said thank you.

Now no presents get opened at parties and you rarely hear a thank you afterwards.

At what point did this all change?

Born in the 70s, we opened gifts as they were handed over and said thank you then, in front of the parent dropping off.

Once everyone arrived games would start.

Not something I remember in the 70s.
However, thank yous were always written then by me and in the 2020s by my DC no blanket text message or just a verbal thank you. If people have taken the time, thought and money to buy a present the least you can do is write a short thank you note. It’s also a life skill for your DC to be able to write a thank you note/address an envelope. Might be considered ‘old fashioned’ but for me it’s good manners pure and simple.

Surely saying thanks at the time should be enough? I don't believe in bullying children into writing thank you letters.

Born in the 60's and this was never a thing.

It’s not bullying if you have always done it - DC know no different so it’s not an issue. Before they could write they drew a thank you picture. It works for us. 😀

We never did the present opening . Parties
fend to last 2 hours and present opening takes ages

i dont get the lack of thanks. DD went to a party a few weeks ago. The mum texted that very evening to say thanks for
the present, she loves it. Perfect!

the next day, she went to another party. No word of thanks. I don’t want a hand written note. I don’t want a printed card with a photo of your kid.

just a text

It's better to not open them in front of everyone so that if someone didn't spend a lot or wasn't able to bring a gift there is no awkwardness. I think it is normal to say thank you when being handed the gift.

Didn't they do that at the party in toy story? Is it an American thing?

We use to get the kids in a group and the end of the party take a funny photo. Print a load of at photo counter in Tesco the next day and write a thanks for the present and thankyou for comming on the back....

Take to school on the Monday .... Bosh done

OP I was a parent then and yes I remember it happening. Parties were smaller and gifts were thoughtful but not too expensive and the children enjoyed ‘ the opening of the gifts’ then it was party bags and home time. We were in the north of Scotland then so maybe it was a local tradition. They had a lot of traditions in that area including always having ‘ a piece’ ready at Halloween. A song, a poem or several jokes and they lined up said it then the sweets/ toffee apples/ satsumas were given out.
Great times😄

Also an 80's child, we didn't do that.
Mostly because sometimes there would be doubles of the same present, which could cause embarrassment or some gifts are better/bigger/more expensive than others, sometimes people can't afford presents.

Born in the fifties, grew up in the sixties, had a child in the eighties and a dgd in 2011 and I've never seen that, ever.

Reading the responses, i think people assume that the kid saying thanks as the gift is handed over is sufficient

Its not. When the child is little and cannot write yet, you say thanks for them.

I think texting is sufficient but make it a little
Personal

Yes you are right, they did do it in the Toy Story film!

It's a horrible thing to do. Especially for the kids who brought the same gift,or the one whose parent could only afford Poundland or nothing. Mine cared more about playing with friends than any gift they got. And their last party invited about fifty kids to a disco. We were grateful not to get gifts tbh!

I have seen this done at American birthday parties.

It wasn't a thing in the 60s/70s. It was by no means certain people would give you gifts - not in my social circle anyway. We always had to thank people, either on the day or if aunties/uncles/grandparents had sent gifts, by ringing them (or sending little thank you notes before we had a phone). I made sure my kids said thank you in the 80s and 90s. No thank you is just rude.

@We always open the gifts at the party. The kids are always excited to see the birthday child's gifts. Depending on what it is often played with before they leave.

My kids open presents at their parties although they are quite unusual in that. It's not an enforced activity, they are always keen to open them and most kids are keen to see them open what they chose for them, some prefer to just get on with their own thing.

It must be an American thing.
I’m a 70’s child, eldest of 5 & I had lots of friends back then but we never stayed around to see the birthday child open their presents.
On the odd occasion my mum was working or running late to collect me i would staying with party family until later on then I would sit with my friend, watch them open their presents, help them right a list of what they got from who then we’d play together until my mum came to get me.

I was born in 85 and this was definitely a thing at most of the parties I went to. I can't say I enjoyed it much as to this day I don't like opening presents in front of other people nor do I enjoy watching them open what I've bought for them. I remember at one party when I was about 9 my Mum had bought something for the party girl that the others deemed too babyish and there was lots of sniggering. I felt shit about that and still remember it to this day.

Born 1980, I remember doing this after games and sweets and then all the kids would get a party bag to take home with small cheap plastic toys and a slice of the cake in the party bag afterwards :) lots of pass the parcel games etc too

Glad other people actually remember this happening at parties and it wasn't something I had imagined!

How about it’s been 40 years that it All changed ?