Party AND Gift???

[vsimeone]

I'm not sure what the etiquette is on this: My DH and two of his brothers are throwing a 50th wedding anniversary party for their parents.

If you pay for the party do you still need to give a gift?

Thanks for your help!

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

I would say no to a gift, BUT maybe you could have some pictures of them nicely framed/enlarged, etc. to display during the party that they could keep?

 

[Darcy03231]

I did the party and a gift. I did a money tree with 50 $1 bills.

 

[Ashlander]

I think yes a gift - but maybe it can be a group gift. I do like the picture frame idea. You could also make them a photo book with memories over the years.

 

[A10560]

I am hosting a 30th birthday party for my dh this weekend. I have told everyone to not bring any kind of food or drink. We are suppling it all. While I do not expect everyone to bring a grown man a gift, I do think that it is proper to at least bring him something small. I feel like if I asked them to bring a dish then that would be their contribution. I know some side dishes can become as pricey as a gift.

 

[powellrj]

when we did my parents a few years ago, my DB and I got together and got them a digital picture frame and had it up and running at the party. This was several years ago when they were a new item and people were intrigued by it. The problem is, they never use it anymore because my DM says its too complicated for her.

 

[reagan75]

I like the picture idea. I mean, after being married 50 years what REALLY could they need?

 

[bootleg89]

I personally feel that if I was to throw my mom a party she wouldn't expect a present, but I think this really depends on the person you are throwing the party for. My DH's family still expects gifts even if you spend lots of money to throw the party. We spent almost $300 for FIL 60th b-day and he still expected a gift. We got him a $40 bottle of liquor. When SIL got married we had her bachellorette party in Vegas and we had to pay our way and then we still took her to chip n dale and paid for her and her drinks. Then we came home and still had to pitchin for both the bridal shower and the bachlor party another $150 plus buy a bridal shower gift.
Had these events happened in my family I know my family would not expect a gift on top of money spent for the party.
I think only you know them well enough to know whether or not they would expect a gift on top of that. If not then just give them a nice card and write that you hope they enjoyed the party that you all worked so hard on.
Good luck.

 

[MissBritt]

For my MIL's 60th (which DH and I threw), we skipped the gift, but did hire a friend to take photos throughout the party, which we developed and put into an album for her.

 

[horseshowmom]

I think that all of the 50th anniversary parties I've been too have requested no gifts. I do think that the party itself is enough, but I would probably do one of the three things that have been mentioned so far - framed picture, digital picture frame, or (my favorite) the picture book with pictures from throughout the years. You can often get excellent deals on those, and everybody I've given them to has loved them (and everybody else around them when they opened the gift also really liked them)!

 

[mom2alix]

When my mom and uncles had a fiftieth anniversary party for my grandparents, the gift they got was a quilt with blocks made of photos of them through the years and it made a great party decoration too. I don't think I'd ever seen some of the photos of my grandparents on their honeymoon until they put them on the quilt. It was really neat to see pictures of them from when they got married through the years with a young family, then with grandchildren, etc.

I don't know who my aunt had make the one they did, but I found this picture example online.....
http://quiltingbeez.com/photoquilts.html

You might be able to find someone local who makes these.

 

[soccerchick]

When I throw or help throw a party like that, my gift is usually to take lots and lots of pictures at the event itself and give a small gift album afterwards.

 

[mom2alix]

Sorry, weird double post

 

[nena]

DH and I just gave my cousin and his fiance $400 to help with their wedding. That is their gift for the bridal shower and wedding!! I dont think they are expecting a gift after that. and if they are sorry, my budget doesnt allow it.

 

[Luv2Scrap]

I would also include a gift, but it would probably be something non-monetary. I an usually the resident photographer, and I do scrapbooking and paper-crafting, so it would probably be something along those lines, so they could have some memories from the party.

 

[allison443]

When SIL got married we had her bachellorette party in Vegas and we had to pay our way and then we still took her to chip n dale and paid for her and her drinks.

Wow, she's really disney-obsessed, isn't she?

 

[Sandi]

We did a 40th anniversary party for my parents about 10 years ago (50th coming up in October and haven't made plans yet). Anyway, my siblings and I got together to pay for the party (I think my parents even chipped in because they ended up inviting so many people), but we all also got them small gifts. I bought a beige tablecloth for their dining room table and we put it out for all the guests at the party to sign with Sharpies. I had embroidered their names, wedding date, and other stuff in the middle. It was very personal and it's kind of fun to see the tablecloth now.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I would probably give a gift, but one that's less a monetary thing. I like the suggestions you've received so far, like a photo album or quilt, etc. Another possibility might be gifts of your time--if there are chores or anything that are getting difficult for them to do, perhaps your family could take a day or weekend and go over and be their "house elves".

Another suggestion--if there is a sporting event or orchestra or something that they enjoy regularly, you could give them tickets, or again, a coupon for a family outing to whatever it is they enjoy.

 

[SnowWhite2]

We hosted a buffet dinner at a country club for my parents 50th for about 60 people and then we gave them a Disney cruise to come with us during our 7 day Christmas cruise. It was also my mom's 70th birthday gift also since her bday is Christmas eve.

 

[CarolAnnB]

When we threw a 75th b'day party for the in-laws, my SIL asked all the invited guests ahead of time to write a message or special memory and she incorporated those all into a scrapbook with pictures from the party as well as old family pictures.