S/O Birthday Gifts

Drea926

We are planning on having a small/medium sized party here at the house. It will only be for a couple of hours, we'll serve lunch, cake and booze for the adults. I figured we'd open the gifts because I always thought people liked to see their gift acknowledged, but then I've heard it isn't the thing to do anymore. Will I look super tacky or is this one of those "do want you want" things? 

babywisher

It's a do what you want. And kind of a what's the norm for your area. We will be opening gifts because here people like to see their gifts acknowledged like you said.

DublinMama

We'll be opening gifts. Most people will be coming from 3+ hours away, and knowing them, I think they would want us to open them then. I also am not sure exactly what we would if we didn't open gifts, because most of the kids that will be there are under 2, so there aren't a lot of kid based activities that would work.

Drea926

DublinMama said:

We'll be opening gifts. Most people will be coming from 3+ hours away, and knowing them, I think they would want us to open them then. I also am not sure exactly what we would if we didn't open gifts, because most of the kids that will be there are under 2, so there aren't a lot of kid based activities that would work.

This was my thinking exactly. 

holly321

In my area, sometimes you open, sometimesy you don't. We chose to. The guests don't have to pay attention if they don't wish to.

kleigh926

We'll be opening gifts at DD's birthday party. It never even occurred to me until I read it on here that some people don't do that. I don't think I've ever been at a kid birthday party where the presents weren't opened.

Drea926

Thanks for the feedback gals. I think we'll end up doing gifts. My brother and SIL are the only ones I know IRL that don't do it...and I always thought it was odd...

theimpossibleastronaut

I already commented on Parenting, but we'll be opening gifts.

MalRiggs

We open gifts, except last year my DS has a party at skating rink and we ran out of time. (kids and adults were having a ball skating and completely lost track of time). Even then I felt bad for not doing it

tamarar5

My friend through her dds a joint party in Feb and didn't open gifts. But theirs was purely logistic reasons. They invited 45 kids mostly ages 5/6 with several 2. Two dds shedding wrapping paper sounded like a nightmare. By taking the gifts home they were able to controller how fast opening happened and were able to track who gave what for thank you notes later.

downtown80

We opened gifts at DD's first birthday, and I plan to do the same for DS. Although I will be honest....I really don't want DS to receive any presents! We have more than enough from DD and from everything they both got fr Christmas.

I think that one of the key things is to know your guests. Some adults don't care, some do. Some kids get very jealous around presents, and don't understand why the presents aren't for them and cause a scene. (I think this is for very young kids that don't quite understand the concept of birthdays, and for parents who cannot control their behavior.)

draeray

We will be opening gifts as well. My cousin didn't at her son's first birthday and I was a little annoyed that I didn't get to see the child open his present or his reaction.