Here's a great post about the new "trend" of charging kids to attend birthday parties.
https://thestir.cafemom.com/big_kid/156185/charging_kids_to_come_to
To everyone considering diaper showers, bring a card instead of a book showers, raffles of any kind, birthday pools (where the expectant Mom keeps half the money) etc etc.... Just don't. The same arguments described in the blog apply to baby showers too.
Re: Charging Guests
while horribly tacky - I also wish people wouldn't GO. That will keep people from doing this stuff. "Oh- I tried to charge my guests and no one came???".
Instead, they are saying "Oh- people came and had no problem with it! Everyone had a great time!".
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
You're so right. I probably wouldn't go to something like this, but I'm also a person who refuses to go to Jack and Jill wedding showers where you have to buy a "ticket." I'm from the Midwest and find this abhorrent, but apparently they're all the rage in New England. WTF?
I was invited to a potluck birthday party for a 3 year old recently. I was assigned to bring the cake. Um... no! I didn't go. I RSVP'd no in advance, so hopefully they got a cake some other way.
BFP 3/29/2014 2u2 Let's do this!
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
Literally I've been invited to 4 of these in the past two years and people act like I'M the crazy one because I don't think their wedding shower is worthy of an entrance fee and a gift. For one of these, I was only invited to the fundraiser party, the actual wedding was only for their 50 closest friends and family! And multiple people told me I was being rude. I need new New England friends, apparently.
I really don't get some people.
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
I think you need new NE friends. I live near Boston, and have never heard of such a thing. I would be shocked, horrified, and offended if I was asked to purchase a ticket, or asked to attend a gift-giving event but not considered good enough for the wedding. /smh
I second this ^^^. What the what!?
oh dear lord...
I don't think the parents wanted to purchase anything. The party was at their house, so that seemed like the extent of their contributions.
BFP 3/29/2014 2u2 Let's do this!
WHAT!?!
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
no no no no no not a Southern thing at all. I have never heard of it and have only been to weddings down here.
Also a Southerner and have never heard of this.
Can someone please explain what the Jack and Jill thing is or what that means?
Oh my, that sounds like a whole bunch of tacky.... I also hate anything where I'm expected to play a game and donate winnings. Just ask for a donation and skip the act.
I am Midwest transplant into New England as well. I think its more of a certain "class" of people who like these. None of my friends would ever do this. We decline all of these when invited.
full time stepmom to SS1 and SS2 since 2010
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New RE appt 8/14/12
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Team PINK!!
What an awful thing! If you can't afford to throw your kid a party, don't. It's not up to your kid's friends' parents to host your bash.
Just as concerning to me was the one commenter who dubbed it rude for a guest not to bring a gift, considering she spent money on them for food and entertainment. Again, it is not your guests' responsibility to help you break even on a party you chose to throw for your kid. That's right on up there with expecting wedding guests to give a gift of the same monetary value as their dinner at the reception. SMH. I just don't get it.