https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 06 Aug 2026 21:13:17 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1165176 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 07:34:55 +0000 Cole 1165176@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsF: I LOVE the balloon idea and I will probably steal that for the next time I am in that situation. </p> <p>I have always gone with a card and usually I bring a book, preferably with the receipt tucked in it. </p> <p>I was so embarrassed though, once the kids I watched were invited to a huge super impressive birthday party for their best friend and the parents somehow missed that it said no gifts on the invitation. The kids picked out something quite large for a gift (still wasn't super pricey but I forget what it was) and then something for the sister of the birthday girl. We showed up with this huge stack of presents and the parents all but refused them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1165132 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 07:03:44 +0000 JoJoGirl 1165132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Haha. We had a bday party this weekend for 3-year-old twins, the invite said no gifts. This particular couple also asked for no wedding gifts and I was the ONLY PERSON who didn't bring something so am forever traumatized (they're also extremely generous with gifts to us and our LO!) so I will never honor their request again ;) We decided to give them a gift certificate to a local activity instead of "stuff" - I think the request is mostly born out of a small condo and way too much crap that doesn't fit. </p> <p>So to answer your question, I guess 'it depends'. Everyone else brought gifts so I'm glad we gave them something! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1165052 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 05:14:47 +0000 lamariniere 1165052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No gifts. At some point when we throw a real birthday party for DS, I will ask for no gifts. I feel like we have so much already that we don't need anything else. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1165050 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 04:42:50 +0000 HLK208 1165050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would do a gift card still. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1165043 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 04:20:39 +0000 loveisstrange 1165043@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would do a giftcards or no gift. </p> <p>We're going to do no gifts for Cs second birthday because it's right before we move and we don't know if we're going to be able to transport gifts with us. There's probably a good reasons they requested it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1165041 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 04:08:22 +0000 Penny Lane 1165041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't bring one. if it was someone we were close to, I would maybe slip them a card and some cash/gift certificate </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1165034 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 03:19:10 +0000 Grace 1165034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would honor the request, but I'd also bring one and stash it in the car just in case everyone else brought a gift. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164990 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 00:54:30 +0000 T-Mom 1164990@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At our pre-school everyone does no gift and we honor it. In fact, if you don't say "no gift" on the invite, you will appear gift grabby! And we bring a card. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164737 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:51:33 +0000 wheres_c 1164737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Giftcard inside regular card </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164698 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:30:16 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1164698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No gift. Handmade or store bought card. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164694 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:28:13 +0000 luckypenny 1164694@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Maybe a small gift card in the birthday card? If you weren't sure.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164687 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:26:24 +0000 Silva 1164687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would only put that on an invite if I really didn't want gifts...so I wouldn't bring a gift! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164673 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:20:42 +0000 rachiecakes 1164673@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandy: that's what I would do, even a small $10 or $20 is good for a kid. maybe somewhere like Target so if they don't want toys but need diapers, it's an option. I feel weird eating someone's cake and enjoying their party without bringing anything... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164664 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:15:11 +0000 sandy 1164664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmmm...the only people who have put "no gifts please" on the invite were close friends of ours so I bought a card and included a gift card and just handed it to my mom friend as we were leaving so that it wasn't a big deal </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164647 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:02:17 +0000 Pancakes 1164647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Hilsy85 That's what I'm worried about. Plus she has two parties for two different classmates that weekend, and only one invitation says "no gift." So I feel bad bringing a gift for one kid but not the other. But...I also understand if the kid already has a lot of toys or if the parents don't have a lot of storage, that they might really not want anything. A book is a good idea.</p> <p>@MrsF I like the balloon idea, too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164642 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:00:10 +0000 immabeetoo 1164642@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't bring one. (and I'd be irritated at anyone who did haha!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164641 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 19:59:49 +0000 travelingnanny 1164641@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Honestly, I would bring something small. If it was an adult birthday I would bring wine/ beer, but for a kid I would bring a book. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164636 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 19:58:58 +0000 hilsy85 1164636@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So we were invited to a party where the invitation said one...I would usually bring a gift anyway, but I didn't this time. And other people brought gifts! So I would get something small like a book. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164635 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 19:58:49 +0000 MrsF 1164635@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just went to a first birthday party where the mom had requested no gifts. I didn't bring a present but I brought a helium "happy birthday" balloon with some cute animals on it. I think the birthday boy enjoyed that more than he would have a real present. It was a small party and it seemed like everyone honored the no gifts request.</p> <p>ETA: I made sure to ask a few friends ahead of time and nobody was bringing a gift. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164633 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 19:57:52 +0000 birdofafeather 1164633@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No gift! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-an-invitation-says-no-gifts#post-1164624 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 19:54:40 +0000 Pancakes 1164624@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>...do you honor that or bring one anyway? Now that DD is in preschool we suddenly have tons of birthday party invitations and I'm wondering how to handle "no gifts" requests. It's really fine not to bring a gift, right? </p>