- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
February 2012 Moms
mintea
member
More on 1st birthdays... gifts? favors?
mintea
member
We're having a small-ish birthday party for DD, mostly family and a few friends. Two questions:
1. I've noticed the trend in my peer group of saying "no presents please" or "please donate to a charity of your choice in lieu of gifts." I've seen that for everything from a wedding to an engagement party to kids birthday parties (of all sorts of ages). What do you think of this? I think it would be hard on an older kid but a 1 year-old wouldn't know the difference. I just don't know how guests would react to it. Whenever I am invited to a "no presents" event I feel almost like the host is being snobbish... but at the same time I admit DD doesn't need anything.
2. Do you give favors to adult guests at a 1st birthday party?
DD #1: 2012; MMC: 2014; DD #2: 2015; It's a boy! 3/31/2018
This discussion has been closed.
Re: More on 1st birthdays... gifts? favors?
I am not doing favors for Emilys party, we are having it at a local pizza place, we are supplying each kid with some tokens to play the games and adults with pitchers of beer.
I think the idea of donating to a charity is awesome, I dont know how many people actually donate or not. I let everyone know that the double presents we received for Christmas will be going to a local daycare for homeless kids. Everyone seemed fine with that. I would have done it even if they werent fine because after a gift is given it is for the receiver to do with as they please, IMO. Emily really doesnt need 4 of the same toy anyway.
We are doing a candy bar. It's easy and everyone likes candy! I think it would be difficult to find a favor appropriate for a 1 year old and a 7 year old. Plus that play with that stuff for a few weeks and it's in the garbage. Seems wasteful to me.
In regards to donating to charity. I like the idea in theory. But I personally feel like you're telling a guest to your party what to do with their money. And I personally don't like that. I'm very charitable but I like to donate to charities where I know where my money is going. I think if a guest called you and asked what your child needed or wanted for their bday then you could mention the charity because they asked.
Just my two cents though.
I was at a 1st birthday party about a month ago, and they did favors for the kids. I'm not sure what was in the other bags, but DS's bag had a couple of crayons and a few pieces of candy. We'll probably do something similar.
1. I haven't been invited to any parties/showers with no gifts. So not real help with that. Although Cordelia doesn't need a thing either!
2. I don't think you have to do any favors. I do make them for the kids though
I just like to make them/hand them out.
I personally think the "no presents" or "please donate" is tacky! I think it insinuates that I was going to do something to begin with...not that I wouldn't be do something for the child, but for you to assume that I am rubs me the wrong way. And if it's not a kids birthday, and that is on the invitation, oh it grates on my nerves even more. But that's just me! But I'm also the person that has a hard time giving someone a "list" when it's asked for...I feel like I'm telling you what you should do, and feel "let down" in some sense when I've put time into making the list and the person doesn't do anything from the list. Why bother? But those are just my own internal issues with it all, lol!
Favors for adults? I'd say no.
We are letting our guests do whatever they'd like present wise. She got a LOT of toys for christmas that we are about to explode in our apartment! BUT - I know it makes people really happy in our family to get her cute toys (heck - I like getting cute toys for kids who aren't mine!)
We are, however, giving our guests the option of bringing something to represent 2012 for a time capsule for her. DH got the idea from the fact that twinkies are a thing of the past. If you don't want gifts - you could have something fun like that. That way - guests could do something as simple as bringing a twinkie to the party!
As for favors - we are not doing this. Even the kids at her party will all be her age - within a few months in age. So I'm not worried. In future years though - kids only.
TTC #2 since 10/2013
BFP #1 (4.14.14) ~ CP (4.18.14)
BFP #2 (6.27.14) ~ EDD 3.7.15
2. I'm making a mini smash cake for L and will make cake balls with the excess cake so it won't go to waste. We'll have little bags if folks would like to take a few home as a favor, but nothing super formal.
We hadn't requesting anything specific as far as gifts go, but a lot of my family has mentioned they would be contributing to his college savings if it was okay with me since he got so many toys for Christmas. I haven't really thought much of it.
We're having his birthday party at a local ice cream shop and doing an open ice cream bar for all of the guests. We'll pick up the tab at the end of the day. That way they can pick out what ever kind of ice cream they would like to go with their cake. I don't think we'll do much beyond that for favors.