'No Gifts, Please' Party: What To Do If You're Invited

LOADING ERROR LOADING Last year, I received an invitation to a kid’s birthday party that said, “please, no gifts.” As an aspiring minimalist and the parent of a toddler who has way too many toys, I wanted to respect the family’s wishes — but I also didn’t want to show up empty-handed. And drastically reduces the need to write thank you notes to every child at the event.” Parents who decide to forgo gifts for their kid may do so to be considerate of guests who are struggling financially, said etiquette expert Diane Gottsman, founder of The Protocol School of Texas, before adding, “Or they simply may feel as if their child does not need one more thing to crowd the closet.” RUSS ROHDE via Getty Images Here's how etiquette experts handle this common conundrum. Gottsman emphasized that “the most appropriate gesture would be not to bring a gift since the host requested it specifically on the invitation.” However, if the guest is determined to gift something, they should either send the present in advance or hand it to the host parents inconspicuously, she said. Just don’t do it in front of guests who are doing what was requested of them.” To that end, Gottsman also said that if you are hosting a no-presents party, you should not have a gift table on display, nor should your child open anything in front of friends and family.