I don't know who better qualified to ask this of . .

My kids are turning 8 and we are actually doing birthday parties for the first time. Long story . . but many reasons why it just didn't happen before from weather, number of kids, expense, the house we lived in, etc.

We've planned a joint party for my sons because they are in the same class and share many friends. Any suggestions for how to do invitations? I really don't want people to think that they need gifts for both of them. That's a big expense for people in this economy and the party itself is all they really want. I really want people to not feel obligated to show up with gifts for both, but I don't know how to do it politely.

Any thoughts?

Jill, with Claire, Jack and Nicholas, 1/22/01

We always do a "no gifts" party. We have asked that if the guests feel like they have to bring something, that it be a donation to a charity. One year we did school supplies for a children's home, one year we did canned food for a food bank, one year we did books for the children's home, etc. My kids do NOT miss the presents. Like yours, they are much more interested in just having a fun time with their friends. In this economy, donating to a charity would be an exceptional idea! Also, with the donation idea, no one has to wonder if they should buy one big present or three separate presents. It really solves the problem!

LCN
21 year old college senior
14 year old bbg triplets--teenagers!

We also have always done "no gift" parties.
Some people will still bring gifts so be prepared. We chose to say thank you and put them aside to open after the party. I don't want anyone else to feel bad for not bringing anything.

One way to make it simple is to not sende "birthday" invitations.
Just send out " X Y and Z are having a party and hope you'll join in the fun."

If you do send out invites, we always write at the bottom
"We ask the only present be your presence."

Good Luck.


Judie and Victor
lucky parents to
Frankie 3/95
Maggie 7/96
Rose 7/96
Elizabeth 7/96

Thanks so much! Great responses. I love the charity idea and the "only present is your presence." Now I just need to decide which to do

Jill, with Claire, Jack and Nicholas, 1/22/01

We did this last year - not only combined our sons but added another child from their class -invited the whole Kindergarten to Pump It Up. We had "no gifts" on the invite. People were great - they did get a couple of $5 gift cards to Cold Stone and some homemade cards but it went well and the kids didn't miss the gifts at all!

Good luck and have fun!

Marie

We finally did an "invite kids" birthday party last September for their ninth birthday. My boys are in three different classes. I was able to talk to the teachers and they allowed me to sneak 5 kids in each class an invitation.(the school has an everyone or noone rule) There was no way I could have invited 90 kids! Anyways, I wrote on the invitations for each boy...
-Triplet's Ninth Birthday Party...
-You are invited as Alex's guest.
This actually worked. Some of the moms did not even realize it was for triplets so if they said they felt bad or something I mentioned thats why I did it so they did not feel obligated. If the boys had had other parties with kids before, I might have done the "no gifts."
This worked well for us. Good Luck with the party!

Jill
(29wk triplets)
Julia(8-22-96)
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