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Mon 1 Oct, 2007 02:09 pm
Sozobe on another thread brought up something that I thought worth posting separately as this is a question I am having. Is there an appropriate way to have a kid's birthday party without getting lots of presents?
My youngest just had a birthday party. Fortunately since she is so new to her class and young enough, I had a party with just close family and one friend. The presents were manageable. My older daughter wants all her friends at her party and since you cannot leave anyone out, sometimes the presents get to be too much. Then there is Christmas shortly after and she loads up again. Last year, she even had some presents that were left in their original boxes for many months.
Is there a polite way to say, no gifts please? Or what I thought was even better, in lieu of gifts, donate to Children's Hospital or allow your child to pick a charity - teaches them something as well. Also, as far as gift bags, I would like to donate to a charity and give them maybe a little candy with a note that says a donation has been made to so-and-so charity (something kids could relate to).
It does go out of hand, doesn't it?
We were invited to a kids birthday party once where every child had to
bring a clay pot (specified in the invitation) in lieu of a gift. Later on,
all kids painted the pots, decorated them, got some candy put in them,
and took the painted pots home again. Everyone had a nice memory
of the birthday, some candies and a flower pot that always can be used
again.
That sounds nice...
I liked boomer's seed party.
I think the number of invitees has a lot to do with it, doesn't it? Sozlet's had as many guests as the years she is celebrating since she was 2, (as in, 2 guests at her 2nd b'day party, 3 at her 3rd, etc.,) and this is the first year it'll be a bunch. 6 guests to 11 guests -- and 6 presents to 11 presents -- is a big jump. (We're inviting 11, but they may not all show up. 6 guests last year.)
She doesn't actually get that many Christmas presents, though -- pretty much just from us and from 2 sets of grandparents -- and we don't get her a lot of stuff throughout the year (I've bought her two Webkinz at about $8 each, they were both a big deal), and I feel weird putting the utter kibosh on once-a-year loot. Loot is fun.
Think I can tell every OTHER guest that they can give her a present? No?
Actually I think I'm kinda-sorta getting around this. The party is going to be right around Thanksgiving and I asked around first to see if people will be in town. Three invitees won't, and so we're planning on having a super-informal auxiliary get-together for those girls. Super-informal = no gifts. So if say 8 people are actually able to come to the party, and then the other 3 come to the super-informal un-party, then that's 3 less gifts but 11 people's worth of celebrating.
I like that idea! You could always bring a couple of backup pots too, if a child doesn't bring one.
I wonder if any parents give bad reactions to anything like that.
Are you familiar with Heifer International, Linkat? Kids love supporting it. It's a great program and kids who want to provide gifts can buy a chicken or guinea pig other animal through Heifer. I know of a number of kids who had 'Heifer' birthday parties and they were well received.
The animals are provided to developing communities and training is given to the local folks in how to care for the animals so that the community is nourished.
I believe they have party announcements you can use that explains their program and includes a request to consider an animal donation in lieu of a toy as a gift.
http://www.heifer.org/
I like your question.
Shows me I am not the only one with thoughts like that...
Been to a birthday party for a two year old recently.
The present's pile was way bigger than the child.
Theme was Happy Feet, and since we thought she would get every thing in existence from the stores, I designed and made her a Haapy Feet pillow. (in the end none of the other presents had anything to do with the movie!)
Lots of work and not cheap, either, but her mother told me, that apart from a doll's buggy this is the only thing she ever uses.
So that made me happy (feet).
Sorry, that was a little off topic.
I told the family, if anybody got our son (14 months) more than one present for christmas this year, christmas 2008 will be cancelled.
A friend's son had way over 25(!!!) presents for his second christmas.
I think that is absolutely crazy.
I will keep watching this thread since I am sure I will have the birthday party problem in two to three years also.
Old rags (for bedding) animal food, cleaning supplies and kitty litter are all welcome at your local animal shelters--and animal shelters appeal to kids.
JPB wrote:Are you familiar with Heifer International, Linkat? Kids love supporting it. It's a great program and kids who want to provide gifts can buy a chicken or guinea pig other animal through Heifer. I know of a number of kids who had 'Heifer' birthday parties and they were well received.
The animals are provided to developing communities and training is given to the local folks in how to care for the animals so that the community is nourished.
I believe they have party announcements you can use that explains their program and includes a request to consider an animal donation in lieu of a toy as a gift.
http://www.heifer.org/
That sounds awesome!
I'll have to check it out. Thanks alot.
For anyone interested, I just received the holiday gift catalog from St. Jude Children's Hospital. We donate to them every year and this is their first catalog.
If you are buying cards or other things and want a portion to go to a good cause, try them - the prices seem reasonable to me as well.
http://shop.stjude.org/GiftCatalog/index.do
Thanks for that link, will have a look at it...
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