When it comes to kids’ birthday parties, you’d think there are countless ways to celebrate. However, one particular parent is flipping the script entirely.
She’s opting for a party format that, well, isn’t really a party at all—but she still expects gifts.
“They’re trying out online parties.”
A perplexed guest shared her experience on an advice forum:
“I got an invite from the mother of one of my children’s friends on Facebook about their upcoming birthdays. My kids have attended parties before, and they’ve also come to ours,” she said.
Upon opening the invitation, she was hoping for the usual details: the date, time, location, theme, and RSVP. Instead, what she found was surprising.
“They say they’re trying out an online party. Basically, you order a gift and send it to this address,” the mother explained.
“Is this a new thing that kids are doing now?” she wondered.
The invitation included suggested gifts. “It’s a list of items kids might like, or you can just Venmo her some money,” she added.
This approach may seem like an easy way for parents to avoid the post-party mess, but she found it a bit odd.
“Doesn’t this seem strange to me?” she reflected.
She thought it would be fine if it were just family being invited.
“Is it normal to just send out invitations simply to request gifts from classmates? I’m not sure. Is this a new birthday celebration trend I missed?” she questioned.
“She found a way to ensure everyone gives her a present.”
In her post, she insists that there’s no misunderstanding; the intention was clear.
“The little girl wanted a weekend getaway at a hotel instead of a traditional party, so she created a system for getting gifts,” the mother stated.
Comments on the post reflected a mix of opinions about this new trend.
The most popular reply read, “That’s just rude… I’d ignore it completely.”
A humorous addition said, “Sorry, our dog’s birthday party is the same day.”
Just when she thought it couldn’t get any stranger, the mother discovered something else.
“I was scrolling through Facebook and saw her copy and paste her invitation for all her friends to see!” she revealed.
“So, we’re not the only ones being asked for gifts at her birthday party. It’s on her friends list,” she remarked.
It’s not really a party, more like a wish list situation—because the requests never seem to end!
