How Do I Get People To Not Bring A Gift To My Baby’s First Birthday Party?
We are throwing my son a small first birthday party and I’m writing up the invites right now. I do not want people to feel obligated to bring him a gift. I just want people to come to share in his special day.
I thought of writing in the invite:
“Please only spoil me with your time and attention.”
My husband thinks that writing this will not deter people from bringing a gift. Does anyone have any other ideas?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Rather than a gift we are asking everyone to attend and play at XXX’s first birthday. Your time and attention is the most precious gift xxx could recieve.
I think people do need the no-gift thing spelt out otherwise they feel they are being unkind not to bring anything.
Not exactly sure why you specifically DON’T want people to bring gifts, but if you want them to know that they don’t HAVE to bring gifts, then I think what you were going to write sounds good. But people will probably still bring gifts (maybe not everyone) only because thats generally what you do on birthdays etc. so they may think “well I know she said we don’t have to, but I really want to bring him/her a gift”, so don’t be stressed if some people do bring gifts. I do thinks its nice that you don’t want to make people feel obligated to bring gifts though.=)
“No gifts please” really isn’t proper etiquette, but I don’t think the average person is actually offended. If they bring a gift anyway, accept it and don’t stress out.
Actually, you are asking people to break a long standing custom when you ask them not to bring a gift (remember the Three Wise Men ?), so I wouldn’t push that issue very much if I were you.
No mention of gifts at all is proper etiquette, in all situations.
Another suggestion is “Please do not bring gifts, spending time with you is let alone enough.”
Write in “best wishes only” – that’s usually the clearest message