https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Jul 2026 22:26:37 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2805118 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 09:56:21 +0000 nana87 2805118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Exactly what other people said--thank them, but don't open them at the party and kind of tuck them away. We're in NYC and it's the norm to have "no gift" parties in our daycare circle, I think bc we all live in apts with limited space, and no one ever opens gifts during the party. We're having our girls' bday party at an indoor place next month and the staff will just keep the gifts hidden til we're leaving (this is the 3rd time we're having a party there, so that's what they did before...) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2805102 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 08:09:31 +0000 Adira 2805102@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: We're having it at an indoor playground and the staff usually collects gifts and delivers them to the party room at the end, so I'll just be sure to instruct them to keep any gifts hidden and just give them to us after! Thanks!</p> <p>@Mrs. Cereal: @Bluemasonjar: I wish I had thought to do something like that! Next time!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2805101 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 08:06:20 +0000 PinkElephant 2805101@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@honeybear: @alphagam84: As these ladies said, please hide the gifts! I posted on this topic around this time last year, wondering if I'd majorly screwed up....my then four year old daughter felt so awful when (as instructed) we didn't bring a gift, only a handmade card...and showed up to see at least half the other guests bringing gifts!</p> <p>@Mrs. Cereal: This is a really good idea - I thing giving people something to bring other than a gift helps them feel ok NOT bringing a gift. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2805096 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 23:47:00 +0000 Bluemasonjar 2805096@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with setting any gifts aside/out of sight and opening after the party.</p> <p> For my son’s 2nd birthday we requested no gifts but said we would be collecting items for the children’s hospital he had recently been discharged from. Some people still brought gifts for DS and I chose to donate them. I wrote a nice thank you note to everyone that attended and acknowledged each donation or gift. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2804967 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 12:22:43 +0000 Mrs. Cereal 2804967@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also wanted to avoid this, but I know people are often inclined to bring gifts anyway, so I put a little blurb on the invitation that we are not expecting gifts, but we would happily accept donations of dog or cat food for the local shelter. Parents seemed to like this, and we had probably half of the kids who attended bring a gift (of food). I actually had a couple parents text me and say how great they thought this idea was. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2804965 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 11:56:29 +0000 Adira 2804965@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsRoo: @honeybear: @Lahela017: @alphagam84: @bhbee: Thanks ladies!</p> <p>@looch: Yep, I am planning on favors, so thanks for that. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2804964 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 11:52:28 +0000 looch 2804964@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Are you doing favors at the end? If so, I think you’re fine without doing a thank you card.</p> <p>I just make sure that my son hands one to everyone and tells them thank you for coming. Then, we open gifts later and I usually send a text message that we got it and love it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2804959 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 10:48:37 +0000 alphagam84 2804959@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep, just put the gift aside and open after the party. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2804955 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 09:49:38 +0000 bhbee 2804955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That’s what we did - put them under a table. I think you’ll always get at least a few gifts no matter what you say. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2804954 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 09:48:50 +0000 Lahela017 2804954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep, I agree. I think your plan is exactly how you should handle it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2804952 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 09:38:21 +0000 honeybear 2804952@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, that's fine. I'd make sure you put the gifts away out of sight immediately so that guests who follow your instructions don't feel bad for doing so. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2804951 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 09:37:06 +0000 MrsRoo 2804951@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can’t say whether or not it’s proper etiquette, but this is exactly what we did for my girls birthday party last year. Anyone who brought a gift, we put to the side (we obviously didn’t set up a gift table) and opened it at home after the party. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-gifts-etiquette#post-2804948 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 09:10:33 +0000 Adira 2804948@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What's the etiquette for the host if they specified "no gifts" on the invite and someone brings one anyway?</p> <p>We're hosting a birthday party for Xander in a few weeks and we specified on the invite that he didn't need any gifts. One of the RSVPs asked what he wanted, and I reiterated that he didn't need anything and we weren't expecting any gifts, but she just said "I'll ask (son's name) what Xander wants." So I'm pretty sure they are planning on bringing a gift anyway.</p> <p>My plan is to just not open the gifts at the party since most people won't have brought gifts. And then just send a thank you note after to the gift-givers (actually, planning on sending a thank you note to everyone, but will include wording thanking gift-givers for their gift). Does that sound like the proper etiquette? </p>