Invited to a posh billionaire's summer party...

[seinfeld]

shall I bring anything?

Am at a total loss, I am invited to my client's summer party next month. He is truly posh and rich, lives in a mansion. Party starts after dinner but finger food will be served. It's a combination of his annual summer party and his brother's birthday party. I do know his brother a little bit not well. Am I expected to bring a card or something? The guest list is around 50 people.

I have a relative who is rich. No one ever bothers to give him anything because they think he has everything. He bloody loves it if my Mum buys him a box of chocolates.

A book to a party? I'd like it but not sure this is a normal thing?

The book is sent after with a thank you note. I think it’s a really good idea.

A few very wealthy families known to us. I would take a bottle of something and a card. Just because they have money doesn't mean they don't appreciate the thoughtfulness of someone bringing a gift.

Yeah. I like that idea too.

What would you usually bring? Honestly him being a billionaire (really? There aren’t too many of them around but many multi millionaires) doesn’t really change your manners. Getting extra special paper etc. for a thank you card seems weird.

A bottle of booze (someone once brought me a lovely local gin and if I’d been a billionaire, id have still loved it).

Bring whatever you want. Just don’t be awkward about it. Some flowers are always fine, even if the party is like a rave you just casually grab a pint glass and put them in and get on with the party.

I’d take something, even wealthy people eat biscuits etc. It’s not about the value of the gift but showing appreciation. I’d rather be seen as mildly amusing or gauche for doing something kind and thoughtful than seem rude or ungrateful.

I'd treat it the same as all my friends and bring a bottle of my favourite wine.

It's honestly the best there is 😂

Can you not ask his brother for tips?
No idea where you're based but maybe artisan, high quality chocolates if you've got a good place near you. I.e. Dark Sugars.

He is no more special than anyone! So forget the anxiety about what to bring for gods sake. Why does him having money mean your travel all over the place trying to find something super special???

A bottle if wine and NO card. Do people seriously give cards when you go to a party???

For context we are a lot wealthier than most of our social group. And host a lot. I don’t deserve ‘artisan chocolates’ when others would get milk tray. People sometimes try to bring something special because they think we expect it. But I find that embarrassing and it makes me feel like a bit of a dick, as if people think we expect expensive things.

If the Billionaire doesn’t appreciate the bottle of whatever you bring, he’s a wanker. So I wouldn’t worry either way. But he deserves no more than your average earning neighbour does.

Id just take a bottle of cheap champagne in a gift bag. They could drink it for breakfast or water the plants with it or something

Don't take alcohol- they will have a full cellar, a vintner etc.

Don't bother with flowers, they will have a florist.

Just go to the party.

There’s a whole thing in that Sasha Swires political
gossip memoir about I think Lebedev going to desperate lengths to try and buy local honey - so I think that’s the most billionaire-friendly suggestion so far!

Lovely idea but OP doesn’t know the person who’s birthday it is very well

I have certain friends who are very wealthy and I wouldn't dream of turning up with a cheap bottle of wine. Instead I would take something edible but more unusual, maybe artisan chocolates or some homemade chutney and it is always appreciated.

This is perhaps one of the most middle class threads I have ever read on here !

OP just go to the party, don’t take a gift.

if it’s a brilliant party then the next time you see the host tell them- that was a fantastic party, I really enjoyed xyz.

Take a gift or a bottle. I’d cringe if I didn’t take something.

if I felt compelled to take something I’d have a mooch in a local farm shop/independent bakery and take something that looked tasty. Something they don’t necessarily have easy access to or would come across ordinarily.

This is where being a maker of jams/home brew comes in handy - they might never use it but it’s a good gesture and shows thought.

I go to a fair number of these sorts of thing via DH’s job.

Bringing a gift would be a faux pas in this context. (Entirely different if the person is a personal friend. This is a client.)

Thank the host later on for the invitation. Don’t get drunk and spew in the ornamental grasses.

Some posh biscuits would be lovely. Even billionaires like biscuits. But alcohol will not be appreciated unless it’s expensive. I think they will really appreciate the thought as I bet lots of people don’t buy for them due to thinking they have too much money but everyone likes a little gift.

No, they don’t, honestly. DH is currently on a business trip and has been socialising at two bazillionaire investor’s houses, people he has a longterm relationship with. These people move around a lot between their houses. The guy whose house he was at when we spoke last night was at his Dublin house for two nights, then moving on to his Swiss base, and then onto his boat somewhere in the Mediterranean, and I don’t know where after that. He may not be back in Dublin for months, and biscuits would just be binned by staff.

Why can’t he eat biscuits on the two nights he is there? It’s the gesture that counts. Even if he does throw them away, at least he will appreciate it.

A dinner and I’d take something, a party I wouldn’t.
A thank you card afterwards, definitely.