"No presents party" - would you still bring one?

[Eurydice84]

DD (4yo) got an invitation to one of her classmates' birthday party. The invitation specifies: no presents please. Would you still bring one? I have never gone to children's parties without a small gift, not sure what the reason is?

No gift. A fiver in card if you wish.

I think it's a brilliant idea. From just family alone, we get way more gifts than we need for our girls. I'd find it incredibly wasteful having spent many gifts from friends at a party too!

Money in a card

think it’s sad though, a child staring at 20 presents at the end of their birthday once in their life is a moment of sheer joy!

No because I would want to do what they have asked and it is not about me

I would stick a fiver in a card

I think they've been perfectly clear that you shouldn't bring anything. What more could thay say to get you to understand they do not want a gift?

I would put money in a card

People and the planet have enough crap, I wish more people would do this, we have become so materialistic. Perhaps they also don't want to feel the need to reciprocate when ita your childs birthday. Just respect their wishes.

Agree! My DH has so much, and now we are even starting to get double ups. I'm going to suggest no Christmas presents this year and to spend a day out doing something fun instead

It’s sad for the child though if they see their friends getting presents and they don’t.

money in the card won’t necessarily go to the child. I get why parents say it but if they are young the child won’t understand.

No, if it's meant to help parents who can't afford it then all the rich parents putting a fiver in a card will mean those who can't afford it will put a tenner in just to avoid being seen as poor. I'd just send a card and respect Thier wishes.

It doesn’t help those who are poor. You could spend £1 on some sweets or something if short of money but putting cash in a card requires at least a fiver so out people under more pressure. Just let people choose themselves what to do.

No.

I really don’t understand why so many people evidently struggle to understand the concept of ‘no presents’ and that others are trying to resist the overwhelming tide of pointless, wasteful consumerist crap.

I agree with this.

The thing with cash in a card is sometimes the child will over enthusiasticly rip open the card and money falls out.....and is lost forever.
They have said "no gifts".
So they want No Gifts 🙄

No I wouldn't. It would be pretty rude to ignore that request.

If you feel a desperate need to gift then money in the card, but please respect their wishes!!
I say that as a parent who put on party invites that we didn't want presents but if desperate £1 in card was more than enough. For us it was partly because it was a joint party between 3 kids and we didn't want people to spend £30 odd quid covering separate gifts and also being close to Christmas our kids have plenty of toys/ new things at home, we really don't have space to store 20 new items anywhere!

And just to add most people did put £1 in the card, so added up DS was able to choose what to spend the money on himself, which was definitely better than if he hadn't said anything. He was 6 and so excited to see a pound coin fall out of some cards 😅

Also ignoring their wishes as well as pissing them off has the potential to piss off or upset those who did respect their wishes.
Oh god it said no presents but look x brought one did I get it wrong? Was I supposed to bring one any way? Do they now think badly of me? Is there some social etiquette I got wrong here? Should I nip to the cash machine and get a tenner? With they be talking about me? Arrrggghhh I need vodka.

Think of it as a no means no situation.

No - no presents means no presents ... why do people find it so hard to understand?

I have twins and for their third birthday party I was inviting kids from playgroup many of whose parents I'd never met. I decided on no presents out of politeness to these people who'd never met me or the children, and honestly they didn't need any more stuff.

Agree with this. Other people still bring presents even though it says not to. Then the people who did follow the instructions think 'oh god even though it said, should I have brought a present?' and feel bad

It's still a present. They said NO presents.

Good on them! its very simple. no sweets, no money, no present.

oh what lucky children- in fact just can the party and hold a lecture on climate change

Nope I would just do a card.