My daughter and her friends are doing something I think is absolutely awesome. Their little kid birthday party invitations say "Just come and join the fun - no presents please. Micah will be getting plenty of new things from his family."

When she first told me this I thought - yeah, right! Figured people would show up with presents anyway, but ... mostly not. Between parents and grandparents there were enough gifts to be fun at my grandson's recent three-year-old birthday party, but the emphasis was on playing at the park they used, feeding the ducks on the lake, tossing the frisbies she had for favors... just running around and having fun.

Instead of spending big bucks she rented the pavilion - $25. Bought the frisbies - $1 each for 20 or so. Had fruit (I provided that) a donut cake - wait for the picture - it was SOOO cute - and little pigs in a blanket. Juice boxes and water bottles in a cooler. Baggies of bread for each child to feed the ducks. A few ballons and some plastic tablecloths and they were done.

I hope this trend continues. I remember sacking up some of my kids' toys to bring out later in the year. It was just too much stuff!

What a great idea!! Sounds like a whole lot of fun!! The cake is so cute!!

now that's an adorable idea!! Wish I could do that for my daughters 3rd! Her birthday is in December though!

that is great. my grandkids want money!!!

Jan, I love the idea and the pics! What a darling little boy and the cake is too cute!
I was thinking about something too. We all complain about how materialistic everyone is but look at what kids start out with??? People seem to go overboard with little ones.
Learned behavior, maybe???
Thanks for the great post! :D:D

We live in S. Texas - his birthday is in February and you can see the short sleeves and shorts. I'm not sure if she had a backup plan - there'd been an ice storm two weeks earlier and there can always be rain, but ... this time it worked.

I'm also trying to keep to a tradition of having "adventures" instead of giving big gifts. Don't know how long it will last, but for #3 we went to Build a Bear. I took lots of pictures and made them into a little book for him. We made the monkey the week before his birthday then gave it to him at the party. I'm thinking fishing trips, etc for future birthdays. I know this may not work as well when they get older, but am hoping that "your birthday adventure will be next weekend" or whatever will just be what we do together.

The monkey was less than $40 - got an online coupon before we went. That's cash, but not what I hear others spending on their precious ones.

That is a great way to spend your birthday.

When my kids got old enough to want a party (didn't do parties until school age, just family.) we had kids bring canned goods for the local food pantry. The catch was they had to wrap them creatively!!! Many, many odd and wonderful wrapped cans and boxes. Fun.:)

My grandkids are older now so can't really get by with no presents but my daughter just went for an home party for the boy that just turned 11 with friends from the neighborhood and a couple he knew from his last school. They had a blast. Had a cake and individual ice cream cups. Birthday parties had gotten to out of hand in my own opinion.

mltquilt

My kids are all grown now... but the birthday child got to pick the " the resturant" for his birthday meal ( most do a little song and dance and a brownie or cupcake with a candle in it--FREE) with your meal.). They we would have a " silly or fun day" with friends for actual " party".....I'd serve cupcakes/fruit/cookies, punch etc ( light fair party wise) then we would do something at the house, more of a play day... even when the kids got older this was their favorite... once year ( summer of course) I bought cheap cans of shaving cream and we chased each other around the yard sraying each other... adults included... a good hose down and a change of cloths ( parents wer told in advance) and there was plenty of giggles to go around.. seems we did this one for the boys about their 16th or 17th Bday ( I know they had just started shaving )
Fun can be had with costing an arm and a leg....

I just ran into a picture of my youngest son's birthday, pre-party. At each birthday party kids were allowed 3 or 4 friends, and got to choose whatever they wanted for the party. And had to "help" make the cake. The picture showed big sister, 13, and son, 4, decorating the cake. At that moment son wanted the cake inside to be colored, so poured on some food coloring, which made the cake look like it was bruised from a beating!!! Plenty of frosting hid that, thankfully. And he wanted snails for lunch..too much nature TV about then. But after collecting his snails from the high school's hedges, he named them and then refused to eat them, so back we went to school and released Jimmy and John and Pete and George and Ralph (named after big sister's husband). Then I got snails in cans that came with lovely shells... Son was the only one who ate more than one snail, but all finished the hot dogs I had "just in case".
Those were the innocent days, now green stuff is all that is wanted after the single digit ages.

for winter parties, snow men, forts. spray bottles wit food coloring. making snow men near a nursing home for residents to enjoy.
collecting food for ,your local food bank Ice skating outside, barbecue outside, hot choc.,,,have parents join too.

What a great idea! Thank you for sharing his party with us :D:D:D

What a great idea! Thank you for sharing his party with us :D:D:D

We do the "no gifts please" thing too, and also put a note on the invite that we will gladly accept can goods or winter coats or blankets or dog/kitty items to donate on behalf of all the kids. We pick a different charity for each birthday. We have been able to make great donations every year, and my daughter loves being able to walk in the centers to present them with the items. Puts a smile on her face and ours.

No gift parties are quite the thing in my area. Food pantry donations, dog shelters, gift cards for different shelters to use...it is a wonderful thing!!

Emerald - your area is pretty much the area I'm talking about. My daughter lives in Sugar Land. How awesome that this is a wider spread idea than I'd thought!

Maybe we'll have a generation of people who think fun is doing, giving, and playing rather than just being the center of attention and getting.

One can hope, right?

What a delightful idea, the pictures are wonderful and I am so glad you shared them. I hope there is a trend back to simple celebrations like " the good old days"!

What a great idea, thanks for sharing.

Great idea! I just love the pictures, never thought of a donut cake!

What a wonderful party idea--Thanks for sharing the ideas and the party!

We have a no gift party for my DGD. She will be 8 this year. We rent a series of sites at a nearby park and set up a badminton net, the kids bring their bikes, the site is off the main path and has a circular road in the center. Some of the high school kids from my class come and anyone can invite whomever they wish. We usually give balls,frisbees,or bubbles as favors. She has a great time.

What a wonderful idea. Focus should be more on having fun and not expensive presents.

My youngest DD did that for Junebug's 1st b-day and items were donated to a local women's center for single moms. Everyone brought a covered dish and the cake was homemade with single cupcakes. All the items were donated in Junebug's name as her gift to those less fortunate!!! Lots of great ideas and I think the donut cake is priceless!!!

Kathi in PA

How gorgeous are these photos, what a wonderful idea. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Just want to let you know that you've made my day.

I have been to children's birthday parties and have gone home completely heart sick seeing the expensive gifts that are given.

Cute idea! The cake and fruit look yummy

what agreat idea wouldn't it be nice if everybody thought like that. by the way the pic of the 2 boys is pricless. i don't know y but i love the pics of people walking away. that was one of my favorites at my daughter wedding.....bride and groom just walking away !!!

What a good idea. In this economy and with the number of parties kids get invited to it makes sense not to have the guests brings gifts.

When my great nieces and nephen were born my neice statered her kids party where instead of gifts we donated to St Jude in the childs name. Some kids with large extended families just get way to many toy.
At Christmas we let each child buy a gift for a child in need.
It helps to get the kids started early on shareing giveing.

That's what my cousin and his gf did for their daughter, so maybe it is a trend. I LOVE the donut cake. Great idea!

Stephanie

Love your party ideas. Being a grandma now I encourage our kids & grandkids to plan a fun party. Cake, snacks or beverages and a day at the park is beats expensive gifts anytime in my book. I want to be remembered as a fun grandma who plays at the park, has pj parties with cousins, makes cookies with the kids and find realy cool parks to play at.

My kids are grown-youngest 30- & I too feel all the parties & proms etc have gotten out of hand. I think the birthday party that Jan Tx describes above is the way they should be!! It sure looks like they had a lot of fun, are happy, had plenty to eat & what a great idea with the doughnuts! I would have been happy attending that party;).
I also love the idea of bringing canned goods as a party donation! I don't know how things have/had gotten so out of hand, but I'm glad to see some people can still throw a fun party without going nuts!!!
Maybe these ideas should be sent to some mags. in their "HINTS" section so others can see how to do a great party without going overboard.

My kids are grown-youngest 30- & I too feel all the parties & proms etc have gotten out of hand. I think the birthday party that Jan Tx describes above is the way they should be!! It sure looks like they had a lot of fun, are happy, had plenty to eat & what a great idea with the doughnuts! I would have been happy attending that party;).
I also love the idea of bringing canned goods as a party donation! I don't know how things have/had gotten so out of hand, but I'm glad to see some people can still throw a fun party without going nuts!!!
Maybe these ideas should be sent to some mags. in their "HINTS" section so others can see how to do a great party without going overboard.

Wow! Reading through everyone's ideas for FUN PARTIES is great! And how it should be IMHO.
Please excuse double post.

We always did that for my son't birthday parties. We used to invite a lot of kids and I always thought it didnt' seem right for a kid to get 20 presents, and we didn't want anyone to stay away because of the present issue. We also just wanted the party to be about having fun.
But we have never had another person do it.

Boy, that sounds like a wonderful idea ! Wish that was done around here. HMMMM, have to mention that to DL.

All great ideas, ladies. Birthday parties have become a "keeping up with the Jones's" thing to see who can have the biggest, most expensive bash. I know of one couple who even rented a limo so their daughter (age 8)and her friends could ride to an expensive restaurant to eat. Of course, they had to wear expensive formal clothing that evening. I just about gagged over that. Let the kids be kids and quit trying to make them grow up too soon.

what a great idea!!! It looks like you had a great day!!!

PERFECT birthday party for all ages :-D

The best party I ever did was for my daughter when she was 12. What do 12 year old girls want? They want to be free of Mom & Dad and they want to shop. I figured out what it would cost to do the big party thing and divided it by the number of party goers, worked out to $20.00 each. I called my sister to see if she would hang out with me and we went to the mall. I gave each party guest the $20.00 (told them they had to get dinner out of that), Sis and I found a table in the mall, made sure that DD had a cell phone and let them go. They browsed, met other kids, saw and were seen, got a big piece of pizza and a drink for under 4 bucks. Sis and I had a nice dinner and chat at the table in the mall and were close by if needed. Afterwards we went home and the girls did the popcorn and movie thing and slept over. It was great.

This is the most sensible idea I've heard in a long time. I've always thought it crazy anyway to have a huge party for any kid under 5 as they won't remember it anyway. It's fun to have a family party with a cake but kids nowadays have too many toys already...don't I sound old?