No presents at kids birthday.

simongurnick · 13-09-2019 4:30pm #1

I have twins just turned 9 and we are having a party for them at a local community centre. They want to invite the whole class so possibly 25 kids. I dont want 50 toys coming home or making people buy two presents. Whats a good way to put that in the invite without coming across as a dick?

brevity · 13-09-2019 4:31pm

Donation box for local charity?

Zenify · 13-09-2019 4:32pm

We want your Presence not your Presents. I heard it before and really liked it.

Vinnie222 · 13-09-2019 4:33pm

In our school its 10 euros or whatever you can afford in a card

TheValeyard · 13-09-2019 4:33pm

'no gift required, kids are already spoiled brats'

Or just accept the toys and gift them to a charity. Gotta be a place that would gladly take brand new toys, especially with Christmas three months away.

NTC · 13-09-2019 4:34pm

At my children's school, the parents put down 'no present", and that is taken to mean a €5 instead of the present.

I really like to donation box idea, at 9 they would understand the good of something like that.

lawred2 · 13-09-2019 4:36pm

"Your presence is all the fun A & B want..."

jam_mac_jam · 13-09-2019 4:37pm

You won't seem like a dick. People will like it. Kids have way too much now and you end up spending a fortune on parties through the year.

xabi · 13-09-2019 4:38pm

5 Euro party, that seems to be the done thing here.

TheValeyard · 13-09-2019 4:39pm

Zenify wrote: »

We want your Presence not your Presents. I heard it before and really liked it.

I dunno. I keep picturing this.

_Brian · 13-09-2019 4:39pm

“Cash only no gifts” on the invitation. Maybe stick on an iban number for ease of transfer.

Tomw86 · 13-09-2019 4:42pm

A parent did it last year - A would prefer money in a card as they have their eyes on something in particular.

I appreciated it as it removed the hassle.

Any parents who complain just cut their kid next year - easy!

TheValeyard · 13-09-2019 4:52pm

Tomw86 wrote: »

A parent did it last year - A would prefer money in a card as they have their eyes on something in particular.

I appreciated it as it removed the hassle.

Any parents who complain just cut their kid next year - easy!

I'm not sure, kids talk these days and violence seems abit of an overreaction

mr_edge_to_you · 13-09-2019 5:26pm

My son was at a party recently - brother and sister. When we RSVPed there was simply a text message back saying

"That's great, Xxxx will be delighted Yyyy can make it. We've agreed with the kids that there would be no presents. The party is their present".

Fr_Dougal · 13-09-2019 5:27pm

€10 Entry Fee

SEPT 23 1989 · 13-09-2019 5:31pm

No presents

Great party alright

endacl · 13-09-2019 5:33pm

‘No presents. Bring a bottle and a bird.’

Job done.

jimmycrackcorm · 13-09-2019 5:33pm

_Brian wrote: »

“Cash only no gifts” on the invitation. Maybe stick on an iban number for ease of transfer.

Luddite. Heya my phone number for Revolut transfers

freshpopcorn · 13-09-2019 5:34pm

Mod Note Moved from After Hours to Parenting please follow local guidelines!

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 13-09-2019 5:35pm

Tomw86 wrote: »

A parent did it last year - A would prefer money in a card as they have their eyes on something in particular.

I appreciated it as it removed the hassle.

Any parents who complain just cut their kid next year - easy!

OP, don’t do this!

Gregor Samsa · 13-09-2019 5:52pm

In our school (a Gaelscoil) pretty much everyone does “Carta Cúig” - a card with a fiver in it. It’s just written on the invite. Easy to afford, and better in every way than the token presents you’d get otherwise.

You could say no presents on the invite, but a lot of people won’t heed it because they’ll feel bad for the kid. Kids really like getting a stack of fivers.

the14thwarrior · 13-09-2019 6:01pm

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

In our school (a Gaelscoil) pretty much everyone does “Carta Cúig” - a card with a fiver in it. It’s just written on the invite. Easy to afford, and better in every way than the token presents you’d get otherwise.

You could say no presents on the invite, but a lot of people won’t heed it because they’ll feel bad for the kid. Kids really like getting a stack of fivers.

no matter how mainstream it becomes or is trying to become, it's still rude to put something like that on an invite. the whole idea is come to a party. if you want to bring a gift, bring one.

asking people for a fiver, is asking for a present. no matter how you dress it up. and thats rude

Milly33 · 13-09-2019 6:13pm

So not looking forward to this time coming around, between this and the gifts for teachers! Just put on the invite no presents at all end, it really annoys me how people do not respect your choice with stuff like this. You end up with a pile of crap you do not want

lazygal · 13-09-2019 6:14pm

We do the fiver in a card thing in our school. A couple of parents complain every time the group invites go out but 90% appreciate not having to buy crap. We'd spend more than a fiver getting anything for their buddies.

byhookorbycrook · 13-09-2019 6:15pm

If you ask for "no presents" people get confused and some buy because they feel they should and then the others feel badly. The €5 card is good if you can get all the other parents on board, you can always donate it to a charity.

Grumpypants · 13-09-2019 6:16pm

I really like the fiver in a card Idea. Then a day out at Smyths and they can pick what they want.

Springfields · 13-09-2019 6:19pm

Yep "fiver fever" is what happens here. You would feel bad turning up to a party with nothing ..and a fiver wont break the bank ..

lazygal · 13-09-2019 6:19pm

Grumpypants wrote: »

I really like the fiver in a card Idea. Then a day out at Smyths and they can pick what they want.

Yeah I'm converted . At first I was all "how very dare you ask for cash" but now I appreciate not having to think of anything for a child I don't know. Everyone in the class tends to be invited to joint parties in our school and the fiver thing reduces the hassle immensely.

lazygal · 13-09-2019 6:20pm

Grumpypants wrote: »

I really like the fiver in a card Idea. Then a day out at Smyths and they can pick what they want.

Yeah I'm converted . At first I was all "how very dare you ask for cash" but now I appreciate not having to think of anything for a child I don't know. Everyone in the class tends to be invited to joint parties in our school and the fiver thing reduces the hassle immensely.

Treppen · 13-09-2019 6:25pm

Tomw86 wrote: »

A parent did it last year - A would prefer money in a card as they have their eyes on something in particular.

I appreciated it as it removed the hassle.

Any parents who complain just cut their kid next year - easy!

The Cobra Kai dojo of parenting.

I like it :pac:

byhookorbycrook · 13-09-2019 6:26pm

Milly33 wrote: »

So not looking forward to this time coming around, between this and the gifts for teachers!

No need to buy teachers a present, we don't expect it. Write a sincere thank you note , if you feel it's warranted.

No presents at kids birthday.

Comments