No-present parties?

[igglepiggle599]

We've had a few party invites (kids are pre-school-aged) that say things like 'no need to bring a present' or 'presents not needed'. We had one of these before and took it at face value, but when we turned up almost everyone had brought an elaborately wrapped present that went on a present table! It was pretty embarrassing - luckily I'd taken a kids' book along just in case (not wrapped - I've no idea why I didn't; I was probably going for casual...). What's the etiquette around this; do you just completely disregard the invitation and bring a present anyway?

Money in a card.

Job done

When we’ve had no-presents request it’s usually been a nominal
cash present £10 for a bigger gift that everyone could contribute to rather than dozens of random ones. Never been to a true no present party

Everyone else brought one, though (a proper wrapped present). 😐Pretty sure I made a mistake, but I find it surprising that I'm the only one who completely pretended the 'no need to bring a present' on the invite just didn't exist.

Buy a fancy looking present gift bag and some posh tissue paper. Buy a toy, game or book that your own child would like.

Put it in the gift bag to be given to the birthday child just in case there’s another situation with everyone bringing presents and then if there isn’t, this can be brought to every no-present party until the end of the year and then if all of these turn out not to need presents, keep the toy and give it to your child.

Ugh yeh hate this request as it’s nonsense and everyone brings one anyway

I also think how much kids LOVE presents

I think because so many people do whole class parties they panic over the idea of 30 presents.
Personally I think a lot of children would be happy with much smaller parties so naturally they get less presents but still the fun of getting a present.

I dont hate it for whole class parties, as there might be families generally struggling financially who then won’t feel guilty not bringing one or giving a token gift. Also when people say this they might be short of space to store lots of gifts. Op surely you don’t need to feel bad for following the request and if the party hosts judge you then they need to get a grip!

DD had a friend whose parents always said ‘no presents’. I think they didn’t want their house filling up with plastic tat. I always bought their DD a book token.

Perhaps some - if not all -gave an Amazon or other gift card inside the birthday card?