Birthday party Invite says "No Toys Please"

[DjdBrit]

We have a friend who always puts "no gifts" on her kids invitations. She makes a gift to childrens hospital each year. This year I figured I could add to it since she didn't want more stuff in her house.
I kind of wonder how fair this is to kids who bring gifts for their friends. So I will go against it and buy something small.

If you don't want to buys toys how about a gift card to Barnes and Noble or whatever book store is in your neighbourhood. Either that or for the local Ice Cream shop. I have started doing Friendlys Cards for birthday party favours. I have 3 kids and buying them all ice cream is starting to get pricey...

 

[bonita_babe232]

My youngest got that one Christmas played with it once got it all over the place and it "mysteriously" disappeared.

Sounds like the play dough my DS got maybe they took of together to toyland

 

[Juliet25]

That is tacky. Guests should not be dictated to. I'm cool with "no gifts, please," but specifying what you don't want to receive is just rude.

 

[mommy-on-the-move]

It's not as tacky as my SIL who actually told us which toy ranges to buy her sons gift from.... yes, you read that right- she actually told us what brand/range of toys to buy for their 4 year old from. This is the same woman who buys my dyspraxic son button up PJs for his birthday and bought my 11 year old daughter a denim skirt which measures just 7 inches from waist band to hem!!!!

Needless to say we bought him finger paints and play-dough as she just bought a new beige couch and carpet.

 

[PEANUT1]

I'd bring a book too....Even if the invitation said "no gifts", I would bring a small gift. Sorry but parents can't tell me if I am allowed to bring something. Part of the fun of bringing my child to a birthday party is having them help pick out a gift that the child will like.

 

[PEANUT1]

It's not as tacky as my SIL who actually told us which toy ranges to buy her sons gift from.... yes, you read that right- she actually told us what brand/range of toys to buy for their 4 year old from. This is the same woman who buys my dyspraxic son button up PJs for his birthday and bought my 11 year old daughter a denim skirt which measures just 7 inches from waist band to hem!!!!

Needless to say we bought him finger paints and play-dough as she just bought a new beige couch and carpet.

off topic but what kind of bleep bleep would buy a beige couch and carpet when you have a 4 year old. I feel for that kid....he probably can't play in his own house.

 

[mommy-on-the-move]

he's not allowed messy play or noisy play or "rough" play and if we go to the park with all 10 kids he spends most his time being called back ro her to have shirt/hair straightened or hands wiped.

 

[rparmfamily]

I'm leaving in 30 mins to go to a "donations only" 6th birthday party. She wants us to being donations for the Ronald McDonald house instead of presents for her 6 yr old son.

DH thinks it's stupid and a little mean...I honestly don't care. I know her personally so I know her kids have plenty!

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

I know I personally hated birthdays when I was younger, but we only invited neighborhood friends. I am 15 now but when I was 4-6, I remember from watching home movies that I got either barbies or .. DISNEY ACTION FIGURES..!

I once got a Pocohontas set, hunch back of notre dame cake, etc.



ANYWAYS ..

I think it is slightly rude to tell people what they can or can't bring when, after all, they are the people paying for the gift.

 

[Kenenitz]

It's like weddings when people make it really clear they only want money.

We got a wedding invite from a girl I had worked with and inside the wedding invite there was a card for her travel agency. It had her name and everything on it, with a line reading something like "please make wedding donations to...( the name of travel agency) Wedding donations??? lol Ruder yet was that the lowest gift giving option was $250! We threw it in the trash

 

[PrincessTiffany]

It's not as tacky as my SIL who actually told us which toy ranges to buy her sons gift from.... yes, you read that right- she actually told us what brand/range of toys to buy for their 4 year old from. This is the same woman who buys my dyspraxic son button up PJs for his birthday and bought my 11 year old daughter a denim skirt which measures just 7 inches from waist band to hem!!!!

Needless to say we bought him finger paints and play-dough as she just bought a new beige couch and carpet.

I just laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair! lol!

OT, but, our 12 year old daughter is dyspraxic. She was very excited this week when I came across an article about Daniel Ratcliffe, the boy from Harry Potter (like you don't know who Daniel Ratclife is, your British! duh) and he talks about his Dyspraxia. She's a huge Harry Potter fan and also likes acting, so she was very interested in the article. I'm sure you have probably already seen it, but if not, PM me and I will send you the link.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

We got a wedding invite from a girl I had worked with and inside the wedding invite there was a card for her travel agency. It had her name and everything on it, with a line reading something like "please make wedding donations to...( the name of travel agency) Wedding donations??? lol Ruder yet was that the lowest gift giving option was $250! We threw it in the trash

My mouth is literally hanging open after reading your post! That's beyond tacky, that's unbelievable. Putting your travel agent's card in your wedding invitation and asking for specific "donations?" Now, I've heard it all.

 

[Vijoge]

"NO Toys"? I don't find it tacky or rude at all. I'd probably just give cash. He can put it in his college fund or buy twinkies and gumballs-it's up to him and his parents. I don't like to shop anyway!

 

[lntsmom]

I say it means your presence is his present!!!!!!!!!!!! Just walk in and say we're here, where's the food and cake!

You know what's odd...over the years both my boys have had guests show up without card or gift. I've always felt bad for those kids because I figured the parents were either in dire financial straits or were so stoned that they had no concept. With some of the families, it could have been both.

But, when it gets to people dictating what they want for gifts, I would have to agree with you!

Once I worked in a school where one of the paras posted his wedding invitation on the bulletin board in the staff room to save the cost of printing and mailing individual ones to the staff. The invitation noted that the bride and groom prefered cash in place of gifts. (???)

I thought that took the cake until last year when one of the staff where I currently work got engaged and the shower invite told me where to send my check!!! It seems her mom was hosting the shower and mommy wanted to pool everyone else's money and do the shopping herself.

In both cases I declined the invitation (to be fleeced!)!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Once I worked in a school where one of the paras posted his wedding invitation on the bulletin board in the staff room to save the cost of printing and mailing individual ones to the staff. The invitation noted that the bride and groom prefered cash in place of gifts. (???)

I thought that took the cake until last year when one of the staff where I currently work got engaged and the shower invite told me where to send my check!!! It seems her mom was hosting the shower and mommy wanted to pool everyone else's money and do the shopping herself.

In both cases I declined the invitation (to be fleeced!)!

I don't blame you, I would have declined too. How can people not see (or not care) how distasteful and insulting that is?

 

[natnelliesmom]

I think the mother may just be trying to make the gift ideas easier! I have a harder time choosing toys for other children than a t-shirt, books or art supplies! I always go with Play-doh, or paints, or a craft kit for kids we don't know that well.
Toys are so tough to choose. You never know if a boy likes cars, super heroes, military toys, dinosaurs etc. Some parents don't like cartoon characters or commercialized toys. Girls are even tougher- not all little girls do the princess thing! Do they like Barbies, dolls, Polly Pocket, Littlest Pet shop, Dora??? It's all too confusing!
Go with a gift card to Borders Books, or just stick to art supplies. All kids like to make projects and these are usable things that disappear after you are done! We've given jewelry kits, soap making kits, illustrate your own book kits etc. Beach towels and paint your own pillowcases are cool too. Parents are always happy to get these. Games are always a good choice, as are gift cards to a local museum or tickets to a local children's theatre.
I like it when parents say no toys please! I never give them anyway!
-Sarah

 

[natnelliesmom]

I was just going to say that. Moon sand is HORRIBLE to clean up...just the worst.

Have you ever tried to get that stuff out of a berber carpet??? A nightmare to say the least! It sticks to every strand and doesn't vacuum out. Water does nothing as it's wax coated! I ended up tossing the rug.
That was a $300 lesson in why we use Moon Sand outdoors!
I donated the rest of the sand to my DDs preschool! Let them clean it up!
-Sarah

 

[wdwmom0f3]

My best friend is finally having her daughters b'day party, 6 months LATE. Her daughter went to school telling all of her friends to bring her money and nothing else. The only reason they are having a party is so that she can get money for games for her Wii that she will be getting for Christmas. I found that rude, but what do ya say?

I just wonder what she will do when in a few months her B'day will roll around again.

By the way, I would take the "no toy's" to mean they want money too.

 

[dijid]

I'm leaving in 30 mins to go to a "donations only" 6th birthday party. She wants us to being donations for the Ronald McDonald house instead of presents for her 6 yr old son.

DH thinks it's stupid and a little mean...I honestly don't care. I know her personally so I know her kids have plenty!

It's not stupid and it's not mean. We did this for my then 8yo's b-day party. We volunteer (cook meals) at least once a year there. RMH was a saving grace for my BIL and his family when his niece (my DD's favorite cousin) was born prematurely in a city hours from home. We know other families that have been aided by RMH. Perhaps the family of the b-day girl has also been personally touched by RMH. Not stupid at all.

 

[pixie3]

"No gifts" would be okay - but "no toys" is going too far. 50% of the time people will talk to the parents to find out what the child is into, at that point the parent could say "You know, we have so many toys already. He really could use some new books, a batman blanket, maybe a board game, but he'll be fine with just about anything really."