The other day we received an invitation to a birthday party and on the invitation was a wish list. I know that you get a wedding registery but have never heard of a person having a birthday and stipulating what presents she would like to receive. I would like to know is this a normal practise? It just sounds a bit presumptious to me.
I have heard of the wedding registry thing, my mom told me about a wedding she was attending in another country...and on it was a list of what they wanted...and even where to buy it. I find that disgusting and very tasteless. So, my thoughts on someone with a birthday party with a wish list - my sentiment pretty much remains the same....just to a higher degree. I would say do not go to their party...go to another party and buy yourself a gift!
It does sound a bit selfish. The idea behind having a birthday party is to invite people you care about to share the celebration of the day you were born. Over the years, the sentiment has faded and now it's more about what they're going to get rather than the actual celebration of their birth. I would say get them something from the heart and go anyway. Better yet, make them something they cannot return to the store. There is a possibility that they will throw it away so, you can still decide to not go regardless and send a card cordially declining their invitation on the grounds that you just want to join them in celebrating their birth, not be told what to bring and where to get it. If i were their friend, my feelings would be hurt that they care more about the gifts they will receive rather than the good friends they have who will come celebrate with them.
It's the first I've heard of this, but I find it staggering, actually. Whenever we go to parties, we always take a gift for the host, whether it's a birthday party or just a get-together, and they usually say, 'Oh, you shouldn't have - we just wanted your company.' That's the right attitude to take, and I'd be inclined to decline the invitation and cross that person off your friends list.
Um, how old was this person? I can SORT OF understand if maybe it was a young child and the mom was just trying to help out fellow parents who she knew would be wondering what to get. It's tradition and an expectation that younger kids will have birthday parties with gifts exchanged. Even then, I would see it as weird to have a wish list and for anyone older than that? Unacceptable.
I'm glad you girls agree that its just not a done thing. She is more of an a neighbour aquaintance than a friend. I'm not sure why we were invited. Maybe its because she thought the noise that will be made won't bother us if we were invited or, she wanted more presents. Whatever the reason, we have decided to decline the invitation.
I think a wedding registry is just rude. You're forcing your guests to buy things for you and following through on a wish list? What the hell is that? In terms of a birthday party invitation wish list, this is also just plain rude, ignorant and inconsiderate. I concur, it does sound presumptuous. I would get something that is completely opposite on the wish list. I don't know if I'd confront the person or not, but I'd definitely reconsider my friendship with the person due to acts like this.
I've never heard of this birthday wishlist thing before. Are we talking about a kid here or a grown adult? Either way, there's something about this that rubs me the wrong way. It makes you feel like you're obligated to get something from the list instead of your own choosing. It's kind of selfish of the birthday person to make that list and it takes the cheer out of the event. If I were to receive an invite like that I'd seriously consider not going.
It does sound presumptuous to me. The goal of birthday parties is for the friends of the celebrator to celebrate this momentous day for their friend who is celebrating his/her birthday. I think that the gifts are slowly being the essence of birthdays and that shouldn't be. I suggest that you don't go to that birthday party and stay at your house instead. Relax and watch television instead so that you can save money and use it for better things.
I would have declined the invitation as well. An invitation with a gift list is just plain rude. The gift of freindship should be the only thing a person should request.
I agree. Although I have never heard of someone attaching a wish list, I can see why someone might do it for a young child. Then again, I wonder if that would be encouraging selfishness or greed? Either way, to the original poster, I would say you made the right decision.
No,I have never heard of such and I would ignore it if I gotten one. Why register for a birthday party or wedding? It makes no sense to me because suppose someone don't have that kind of money to spend, you will be left out in the cold. I would appreciate anything someone give me because it's the thought that counts without a price.
This is really strange and selfish. I have never heard of such a thing in my life. I just can't believe you know a person like this. I don't understand why they would be doing this because I am sure that all of the guests are probably very confused and thinking that this is just disrespectful. I personally wouldn't even go to this occasion because I would be offended that I was given a list of is acceptable to get a person because of the end of the day a gift should come from the heart and not from a list.
Wedding registries are normal and traditional in the United States because the bride and groom do not want to end up with 30 toasters and zero dishes. There's nothing tacky about a wedding registry, people have been doing that for decades. They do it at baby showers too ,so that the mom doesn't end up with 15 diaper bags and no car seat. The mom needs what she needs and there's nothing wrong with registering for it. Now a birthday registry is tacky and selfish and you definitely did the right thing by declining the invitation. A birthday is not about stuff but about being remembered and loved and spending time with family and friends.
LOL are people getting so selfish these days? Thank God I have never heard of this.. In fact in my country we have started printing on the invite presents not accepted.. only your presence is... I think that is the way we need top treat these events.. we want people to share in our joy.. not make them seem like santa .. I guess I would be reluctant to go to such a party..
Wow, a birthday wish list, really? That just sounds so... wrong. I get it when newlyweds ask for certain gifts (they actually need those), but what could someone need for their birthday? The gifts you get are supposed to be surprises!
I have never heard of this either. Depending on the situation I think I would find this presumptuous, but I would give whatever gift I wanted to, just as I do with wedding registries. I don't think people who are not children should tell you what they want to receive unless you ask them.
