What are your thoughts?
Seeing as how my kids already have too much sh!t, and we are living in limited space, and we'll be moving out relatively soon (end of summer/early fall), AND I love donating and helping others when I can and am trying to instill this in my children...::takes deep breath::
I was thinking of making DD2's party a charity party, for which the guests bring a donation for the charity I end up choosing rather than doing gifts for DD2. It first occurred to me a year ago when I wanted to do that with DD1's last birthday party and it was vehemently vetoed by my mother, who insisted it was cruel and unfair to deprive DD1 of presents. But the idea came to me again in the form of an invitation from one of DD1's classmates, which stated, at the end, "No need to bring a present - your presence is a present enough!" and yet again when I ran across *this article*.
There are a few charities, like milk + bookies, that make it so that guests can bring an item instead of a monetary donation, as I know lots of people are uncomfortable with giving up their dollars for what must feel like a pretty arbitrary reason to them. And besides, I know that there will be guests who will stubbornly bring gifts for DD2 anyway. Mom, for instance.
Still, I personally love this idea. What do you guys think?
ETA: the ** are for mobile, that's a link, y'all!

// I love you too. //
Re: Charity Birthday Party?
Not a bad idea. I have seen some people do a gift for a gift type thing. For every gift that you get on your birthday, Christmas, whatever an old toy goes to a homeless shelter, or a young mothers home.
Another thing I am going to do, probably next year or the year after is a Book worm party. Ask for good editions of classic books. Ones she can't read right now but will be able to in a few years. Huck Finn, David Copperfield, Alice in Wonderland, etc. Books that she can keep forever.
And true no matter how much you say no gifts there will always be someone who brings one. And that's ok too. If you are doing this to show your LO's that it is better to give than receive then let them know that your family and friends love them so much that they want them to have fun things to make them smile, because it makes your family happy to see your LO's happy, and then let them pick out an old toy or clothes to donate and go with you to drop it off.
I think it's cool and different.
TB - I love the book party idea! DS is such a bookworm might have to do this one year.
Chiming in late on this one, but I pretty much ditto every point that Kimbus made.
That said, as a guest, I would definitely be more comfortable with the wording Mama Ha suggested. It gives guests the option to participate, but doesn't force them to do so.