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HOw do I manage all the presents my 6 year old will be getting for birthday

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  • fernliebee
    fernliebee Posts: 1,803 Forumite
    This is ridiculous! I am shocked, hence my post may be a little incoherent! :D

    If you have a big party you get lots of presents, if you don't want them have a small party. It's like saying I want a big party but don't want any mess. It's part and parcel (excuse pun) of a big party.

    Personally it's not that I would be offended as such, but I wouldn't be buying any vouchers as I think it is ridiculously controlling, and feel that you should just let your 6 yr old enjoy their day for what it is!

    When we were younger when it was our b'days and xmas we would have to have a clear out before hand of any toys we didn't play with and things we were too big for, to make room for any new gifts we got.

    I think it's a bit mean to take his new things away from him, but after a few weeks you will probably see what things he really plays with and things he has forgotten about or not interested in and maybe donate some of those to charity. Personally I would just wait the 6 months until xmas and let him have them until then, then have a major clearout before xmas and so on.
  • bonty44
    bonty44 Posts: 439 Forumite
    HappySad, can you get round this problem by asking people to bring a plate of food instead?
  • Zazen999
    Zazen999 Posts: 6,183 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    bonty44 wrote: »
    HappySad, can you get round this problem by asking people to bring a plate of food instead?

    Dear little lad aged 6.

    You know you had 30 people coming to your party and were expecting pressies, well - you're not getting any presents now. All the guests are bringing food.

    Happy Birthday
  • aliasojo
    aliasojo Posts: 23,053 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Zazen999 wrote: »
    Dear little lad aged 6.

    You know you had 30 people coming to your party and were expecting pressies, well - you're not getting any presents now. All the guests are bringing food.

    Happy Birthday

    :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


    This is getting ridiculous now. If my daughter got an invite to a birthday party from a school friend with a request for particular presents / charitable donation / plates of food, the invite would go straight in the bin and my daughter and I would have an educational chat about what's socially appropriate and what's not.
    Herman - MP for all! :)
  • bonty44
    bonty44 Posts: 439 Forumite
    Sorry, but I don't think any child needs 30 presents. OP is also concerned about it; this was just a suggestion.

    Worked fine for my two; their best friends brought presents, the rest of the children brough a plate of food, and great fun was had by all.

    Mind you, there were only 10 people, no way would i have 30 in my house all at once!!
  • Janepig
    Janepig Posts: 16,780 Forumite
    pipkin71 wrote: »
    I did wonder mrcow.

    Perhaps culture was the wrong word to use :confused:

    Most people I know buy newborn baby clothes in 6 - 9 month age ect, and it isn't a cultural thing, just that people realise not much use would be made out of newborn sizes.

    I must say that whenever I had clothes as presents as a child, and this has carried through to my two, the vast majority of them have been in sizes for them to "grow in to", never too small, or exactly fitting.

    Jxx
    And it looks like we made it once again
    Yes it looks like we made it to the end
  • HappySad
    HappySad Posts: 2,033 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    My son is not interested in the present.. He interested in who to invite and what will be happening at the party.
    “…the ‘insatiability doctrine – we spend money we don’t have, on things we don’t need, to make impressions that don’t last, on people we don’t care about.” Professor Tim Jackson

    “The best things in life is not things"
  • Reds-on-Sea
    Reds-on-Sea Posts: 428 Forumite
    aliasojo wrote: »
    :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


    This is getting ridiculous now. If my daughter got an invite to a birthday party from a school friend with a request for particular presents / charitable donation / plates of food, the invite would go straight in the bin and my daughter and I would have an educational chat about what's socially appropriate and what's not.

    bit uptight....?

    I take it you throw your daughter's christmas list in the bin then? :p

    happysad - I'm with you. You don't want people to waste their money buying presents just for the sake of it (probably duplicates) for a child who will probably won't even play with them. You're thinking of your guests as well as your son - as I would be.

    Yes, your son is 6 and some may argue that you're "taking away his presents" by telling people not to bring gifts - but equally, you are bringing up your young man to value his friends and to have a good time without being preoccupied with receiving lots of gifts.

    My partner, friends and family ALL agree not to buy presents for the sake of it. what's the point? they'd be wasting their money and I'd end up with something I don't want. Nobody wins! We each let the others know what we want, and failing that we get vouchers. (I get a LOT of vouchers - it's great!)

    Wedding lists (although I can see people's point about them being a bit weird) are the best way of getting something you KNOW the couple will use, and also you avoid duplicates. you don't HAVE to buy something from the list, but you save yourself and the recipients money & embarrassment by sticking to it.

    This is a 6yr old's party !!!!!!, if there are parents out there who would stop their child coming to a party because the invite said "vouchers please" geez, then I'd give up on the whole present idea anyway, and say friends & family presents only, everyone else don't bother (though there would probably be parents who would be offended by this from the sounds of it!)

    Hopefully, people would see it as a guide - not an order, and those parents who might not have a stash of 1/2 price goodies in their cupboard, and are stuck for ideas have their problem solved.

    my opinion? tell people not to bother with pressies, I haven't got kids (yet) but I can imagine it's quite a relief when you don't have to shell out for pressies for the 25th party so far that year!
  • Mely
    Mely Posts: 4,121 Forumite
    HappySad wrote: »
    So for example in my culture to buy clothes for a child that is exactly for their age is offensive because that child would only get a limit amount of time to wear that item. So many culture purchase clothes for other friends/family children at least a year ahead and many times more years ahead so that the child gets more wear out of it. I am awear that this culture purchase clothes for children without thinking how much wear they would have but this how things is done in this country.

    Last year we had 20 present & I kept them aside and he opened one every few months throughout the year. I know that this culture is about giving present without knowing wether the person would make use of it but from my background we look at making the most of what presents are given which is why I am looking to recycle etc.

    I know that many want to give but from my culture I want to ensure that the giving is relavent and not a wasted present.

    In my culture we say what we want and ask what the other person wants. We can not afford to spend money of things that are not wanted/needed. Also as I am now a greener person I see it as complete waste to purchase things that people don't really want just to clutter their house.

    As you are living in the U.K, it looks like you need to get used to our culture, and realise what is rude and what isnt! Certain things might be acceptable in your culture, when its not acceptable here. Asking for vouchers for a childs party is unacceptable and rude. If you cant cope with the amount of presents then why invite so many children?Your child is only 6 after all.
  • Mely
    Mely Posts: 4,121 Forumite
    aliasojo wrote: »
    Your points about your culture are valid but you have to understand that you are inviting people who are not of your culture, and you have to accept they will do things according to their own thoughts and not yours.

    Whilst I accept there are differences in cultures, the fact remains that the majority of people believe it to be very rude for the recipient to voice an opinion about gifts in advance of receiving them....unless they are specifically asked.

    Even asking for a donation to charity, (especially a specified amount) is also rude imo.

    You say you are being put off inviting people because of the thought of managing too many presents but in the first post you said you wanted your son to get presents as he liked opening them. It's obvious from all your posts that you only want presents that suit you and that is the problem. It might make sense to you but this will without doubt be seen as selfish and rude by some of the parents of the invited children.

    I get the impression that you will do your own thing anyway regardless of the advice given here, so good luck and I hope your son enjoys his day.

    I completely agree :T
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