WDYT of this re: 1st Bday gifts

IrishCoffee7 · May 2011

Conall's grandma likes to go all-out. The kid will need NOTHING and I hate having a house cluttered with extra stuff he doesn't need/use. I had planned on putting "your presence, not your presents, is requested." (is that even grammatically correct?).

But reading these posts makes me realize that might not work. What if I asked people to bring a small book or toy to be donated to a local shelter or childrens' charity instead? Something like, "Conall has already been spoiled by his grandparents...so in lieu of gifts please bring a book or small toy to be donated to <fill in charity name here>.

WDYT?

HappyDaze12 · May 2011

heckysue:

Conall's grandma likes to go all-out. The kid will need NOTHING and I hate having a house cluttered with extra stuff he doesn't need/use. I had planned on putting "your presence, not your presents, is requested." (is that even grammatically correct?).

But reading these posts makes me realize that might not work. What if I asked people to bring a small book or toy to be donated to a local shelter or childrens' charity instead? Something like, "Conall has already been spoiled by his grandparents...so in lieu of gifts please bring a book or small toy to be donated to <fill in charity name here>.

WDYT?

I think that's a good idea. Some people will probably still bring Conall gifts but there's not much you can do about that.

One thing though, I would change the word "spoiled" to "blessed by generous grandparents" or something like that.

SimoneSays22 · May 2011

I'm sorry, this isn't really directed at your OP, but what is with the 1st bday gift hate lately?

As a guest to a 1st bday party, half the fun is watching the little kid rip apart the paper and open a gift. I will donate a book to charity on my own time if I want to. I really don't like to be told to donate. Sorry.

I'm a b!tch and would probably still bring little C a gift to open. Because I don't follow rules. LOL.

DreadLoc · May 2011

I don't see a problem with it, but I can see people feeling like they need to bring two gifts. One for the birthday boy, another for donation.

People can be weird about stuff like that and feel they still HAVE to bring him something.

zrb1212 · May 2011

I went to a 1st Birthday party last week and the invite just said "instead of gifts, please bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to our local food pantry." It was a great idea as there are so many families in need right now. Most people brought multiple food items and I only saw maybe 1 or 2 people bring the birthday girl a gift.

nikki368 · May 2011

I would end up bringing two gifts. It's Conall's birthday party, so he should get something. I would also bring a charity gift because, well, it's going to charity.

tmac1022 · May 2011

At my nephews first birthday on the invitation they asked for us to bring a book as a gift, I don't remember the wording. It worked out well, no one was upset or offended by being "told" what to bring, as far as I know everyone thought it was a good idea. I like the idea so much that DH and I have discussed doing the same thing for G's birthday this year.

stylez6 · May 2011

Why don't you just donate his unused/excess toys and things to charity yourself? If it's cluttering up your house, it's yours to do with it what you will.

LCB34 · May 2011

nikki368:

I would end up bringing two gifts. It's Conall's birthday party, so he should get something. I would also bring a charity gift because, well, it's going to charity.

I would do this as well.

LittleGus · May 2011

PB1980:
Oh, I like "your presence, not your presents, is requested." I like that a lot.

I like that too. But yes people will still get him gifts. The way I see it (and I'm not trying to hate) is if I was going to have a big party for DD with my friends, I wouldn't want them to have to bring a gift because they all have their own children to spend money on. Grandparents are different

SimoneSays22 · May 2011

LittleGus:
PB1980:
Oh, I like "your presence, not your presents, is requested." I like that a lot.

I like that too. But yes people will still get him gifts. The way I see it (and I'm not trying to hate) is if I was going to have a big party for DD with my friends, I wouldn't want them to have to bring a gift because they all have their own children to spend money on. Grandparents are different

Aw, who wouldn't want to spend money on little cutie Noelle???

I love spending money on my friend's kids. And no, we don't have tons of money, haha.

So yeah, I want to come to a birthday party and buy the kid some stuff.

emilydholmes1 · May 2011

stylez6:
Why don't you just donate his unused/excess toys and things to charity yourself? If it's cluttering up your house, it's yours to do with it what you will.

Yes

LittleGus · May 2011

SimoneSays22:
LittleGus:
PB1980:
Oh, I like "your presence, not your presents, is requested." I like that a lot.

I like that too. But yes people will still get him gifts. The way I see it (and I'm not trying to hate) is if I was going to have a big party for DD with my friends, I wouldn't want them to have to bring a gift because they all have their own children to spend money on. Grandparents are different

Aw, who wouldn't want to spend money on little cutie Noelle???
I love spending money on my friend's kids. And no, we don't have tons of money, haha.
So yeah, I want to come to a birthday party and buy the kid some stuff.

Right? She's so unusually.... juuuuuuust kidding. (that will never get old to me)

rlyttle · May 2011

You could always do a theme like books, diapers, t-shirts, movies......oh movies!! That's a good idea! I might use that. I would LOVE to have a much of Disney movies for DS!!

Kitiara5512 · May 2011

I would totally bring an item for donation depending on what was requested, and then either a book or a small toy or just a gift card for bru or target or a bookstore for the kid. I dont want a kid thinking his birthday is all about presents, so as he gets older, I will probably do a charitable cause, and encourage C to think that is so cool, for my birthday I get to do nice stuff for others and that makes me feel good. For his first couple of b-days, its just going to be family and a couple of close friends, so I dont think that will overdo the presents for him. I also wont be issuing invites, its more a phone call to say we are having dinner in a couple of weeks for his b-day and would like to have family there.

nikki368 · May 2011

heckysue:

stylez6:
Why don't you just donate his unused/excess toys and things to charity yourself? If it's cluttering up your house, it's yours to do with it what you will.
I guess I just feel like it's wrong somehow to take a gift someone put thought in to for my son and just donate it without him using it.
I don't want to "tell" people what to buy. I guess we're just in a position where he doesn't need anything and we're comfortably able to buy both needs and wants for him ourselves...which makes me feel gift-grabby having people buy him gifts when I really just want to see them and enjoy their company.

I think people love picking out the gift, watching the child open it, and seeing the reaction. After that, they really could care less what you do with it. I don't think anyone is going to give you a follow-up call to find out the current status of their gift. If you get rid of it, they will never know.

emilydholmes1 · May 2011

nikki368:
heckysue:

stylez6:
Why don't you just donate his unused/excess toys and things to charity yourself? If it's cluttering up your house, it's yours to do with it what you will.
I guess I just feel like it's wrong somehow to take a gift someone put thought in to for my son and just donate it without him using it.
I don't want to "tell" people what to buy. I guess we're just in a position where he doesn't need anything and we're comfortably able to buy both needs and wants for him ourselves...which makes me feel gift-grabby having people buy him gifts when I really just want to see them and enjoy their company.

I think people love picking out the gift, watching the child open it, and seeing the reaction. After that, they really could care less what you do with it. I don't think anyone is going to give you a follow-up call to find out the current status of their gift. If you get rid of it, they will never know.

You can always donate stuff he has already played with that isn't new or outgrown instead of the new gifts. I kinda agree with you there Hecky. I don't want someone to give us a gift for Eli and then come over only to find out we gave it away. Even if it is for a good cause. Growing up before Christmas, we always had to go through our closets and playrooms and select toys we could give to charity.

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