https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:56:46 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2624956 Wed, 21 Sep 2016 14:15:31 +0000 alphagam84 2624956@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For my daughter's upcoming 1st bday party we're requesting no gifts and really hoping people abide by our request! She has enough stuff already and we don't have room! I don't bring a gift if it says no gift. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2624341 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 14:12:17 +0000 JerricaBenton 2624341@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've never ever seen this one any invitation for a child's party. I guess I'd bring a card with a gift card or a nice book. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2624335 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 14:07:27 +0000 Mama Bird 2624335@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd bring cash or a gift card. I've never seen anyone respect this request though. I wish they would... I can't get my own kids toys I know they would love, because certain people think every visit calls for bribing them with plastic junk, and now there's literally no room in the house and we have to hide new gifts from DS and regift them later. I don't feel right just throwing away the awfulness either. Some of it will go to our day care eventually. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2624284 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 13:13:42 +0000 KayKay 2624284@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If it were someone we knew really well (close friends of ours or LOs), I'd probably bring something small like a book or whatever. If it's just a standard "we invited the whole class" situation, I wouldn't bring anything. But clearly my love language is not gifts :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2624198 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 12:29:07 +0000 Ajsmommy 2624198@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We requested no gifts for DD's 2nd bday but almost every single person brought something. Thanks for adding to the chaos of toys... :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2624163 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 11:47:58 +0000 nana87 2624163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Saying "no gifts please" is super common among lo's daycare friends--I think because we're in NYC and no one has space, lol. People are usually good about sticking to it--at lo's last party, like 2 out of 15 families brought gifts anyways, but little things (she got a book and a stamp set). We invited friends from the suburbs who were really surprised by the no-gift line, but they didn't bring anything, just were like "really??" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2624133 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 11:10:17 +0000 psw27 2624133@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We wrote no gifts on the invite and added "if you insist, LO loves books!" So we got a lot of new books, which is great! But then some people brought gifts and toys and tons of stuff anyway! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2624101 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 10:45:44 +0000 snowjewelz 2624101@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd still bring a giftcard. I feel weird not bringing anything! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2623085 Sat, 17 Sep 2016 15:41:13 +0000 catomd00 2623085@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Usually a card and cash/gift card because no one ever listens when I say no gifts! Even though I mean no gifts/cards/etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2623081 Sat, 17 Sep 2016 15:29:50 +0000 daniellemybelle 2623081@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've found everyone else usually brings a gift if they say something like "no need to bring a gift" so I usually do but keep it small and not a toy - like the last birthday party like this, I got art supplies.</p> <p>For LO's birthday we are probably going to say "no gifts please" which I think is more straightforward and we may let guests know that they can bring a used book as a donation to LO's favorite library if they want. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622952 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 19:59:32 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 2622952@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh also we have some friends who always buy our children lotto cards since we are such sticklers for the "no gift" rule. We have quite a collection of funny old lotto cards for our LO to sort through! That's their way of doing a little something to mark the occasion. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622950 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 19:55:00 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 2622950@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've started writing "we respectfully request no gifts please" just to ensure people take it seriously! We typically make exceptions for aunts and grandparents and i tell our friends that he will open those gifts. Or we just wait until the party is over! So far everyone has respected our request except 1 person. For birthdays we do a ten dollar gift card or, if I'm feeling especially lazy, 10 dollars cash. And if it says no gift I always respect that because typically this is a friend who has also not brought a gift to parties that we throw, so I figure I am returning the favor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622881 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 16:57:17 +0000 Foodnerd81 2622881@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Before kids I would have felt weird not bringing something. Now I get it and respect it. Unless it's my nephew or something, I being nothing or maybe a bottle of wine for the parents- we all know mom deserves a present on her birth- anniversary! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622868 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 16:23:23 +0000 kiddosc 2622868@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, I don't bring a gift. We did this for E's third birthday and some people still brought things... then others felt bad for not bringing something. He's already spoiled, we really didn't need anything else and he was too young to know that birthdays come with gifts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622864 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 16:14:57 +0000 hummusgirl 2622864@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't bring anything, except maybe a homemade card if I remember. We're asking for no gifts and I hope people stick to it. They did last year and I was really appreciative. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622852 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 15:58:41 +0000 ShootingStar 2622852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If it was on the invite I wouldn't bring a gift, I'd just bring a card and I wouldn't feel bad if others did bring gifts. However, we do have friends that are very close and we get invited to a lot of mainly family parties plus us. We'll get told verbally, "Oh, don't bring a gift" but then it feels super weird to see the entire family brought them! So with them I've learned to bring gifts to a birthday event regardless of what they say. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622838 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 15:36:45 +0000 sandy 2622838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: Target is seriously the best! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622833 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 15:17:28 +0000 youboots 2622833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I bring a bottle of wine for the parents. Or a growler. Always well received. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622825 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 14:48:14 +0000 GoGoSnoGirl 2622825@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catlady: yep, for us, too. :bummed: For LO's 1st bday we just wanted people to come over &amp; hang out &amp; celebrate, but we still got tons of gifts. We really did mean "no gifts please", but it made me wonder if some people use the phrase to say they do want something? Like @sandy: does, I'd have preferred a gift card to actual stuff, but truly hoped to just have the get together sans stuff. :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622817 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 14:35:31 +0000 JenGirl 2622817@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Usually I honor someone's request and don't bring a gift. Going to a birthday party for my MIL tomorrow and FIL requested no gifts, just a funny card, so that's what we're doing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622794 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:48:48 +0000 winniebee 2622794@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandy: That's such a great idea. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622782 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:25:36 +0000 catlady 2622782@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I usually bring a card, if it's for a child. I do it so they still have something to open. </p> <p>As a parent who tries to tell people not to bring gifts, I really mean it when I ask for no gifts (my family just laughs at me and buys her like 10 gifts). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622780 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:25:24 +0000 sandy 2622780@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always get a card and put a gift card in there to Target. I get that a lot of people feel overwhelmed by all the toys and clutter and don't want to add to it so I try my best to respect that but I figure with a target card they can get clothes/shoes/books/school supplies/snacks/etc </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622778 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:22:04 +0000 winniebee 2622778@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It depends who the party is for. My son's best buddy just had a bday party last week and invite said this but we still brought a gift. My son gets mad when we don't bring a gift! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622777 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:21:34 +0000 sapphire 2622777@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Close family or friend or they brought a gift for my LO- I still bring a gift. Otherwise no, I skip it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622768 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:03:40 +0000 meredithNYC 2622768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope. I don't bring anything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622766 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:01:46 +0000 hilsy85 2622766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I usually still bring something small, like a book and stash it in my bag and see if other people brought gifts! I hate seeing this on the invitation...inevitably, some people don't listen and bring things, and then other people feel bad (this has happened to me, hence my bringing a secret gift!). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-need-to-bring-a-gift#post-2622765 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 12:56:37 +0000 Bao 2622765@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If this is stated on a birthday party invite, do you still bring something? Maybe something small? Or do you really bring nothing? </p>