“No gifts, please. Your presence is the only gift we need.”
You’ve probably seen this wording on kids’ birthday party invitations?maybe you’ve even written it yourself. No-gift parties are a trend that continues to grow. Some parents do it because they worry about their kids becoming too materialistic; others just can’t stand the piles of unused toys in their home.

But no-gift parties can be problematic. For one thing, some people insist on bringing something?they feel weird or rude if they don’t?which creates awkwardness for those who do follow the no-rule gift. What’s more, you might have a problem getting your kid on board. After all, after attending dozens of parties with a gift in hand, it’s reasonable that your kid will expect presents at her own shin-dig. Which is why we’re loving this new birthday party idea: the fiver birthday party.

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17 genius DIY birthday party ideas

The invitation for a fiver party will say something along the lines of, “Zoe is having a fiver party! She is saving for a [big-ticket item here] so if you choose to bring a gift, please make it a $5 bill in a card.” Similarly, some Canadian kids are having “tw...