No gifts, please – just cash. It’s not exactly the most polite instruction to give in advance of a gift-giving occasion, but some parents say it’s exactly what they need to make kids’ birthday parties more manageable.
It’s called the fiver birthday party trend – and it’s not as greedy as you might think. Actually, the idea is supposed to be just the opposite.
Instead of expecting all your kid’s friends to bring a $20 or so gift, you ask for $5 cash instead. The birthday boy or girl gets to save up for something he or she really wants, and it’s easier on the budget for all the other parents.
When TODAY reported on the trend in post updated in early 2019, author Amy McCready recommended careful wording in the birthday invitation.
Explain that you’re trying to help your child focus on his celebration with friends and first ask parents to bring “no gifts” at all. Then write, “For those who feel uncomfortable with that, we ask you consider NO MORE THAN a $5 gift card or cash that he can put towards something special he’s saving for,” McCready suggested in the article.
Naturally, though, not all parents are on board with the idea. A recent post about the fiver birthday party trend on the Facebook page Be a Fun Mum had parents divided.
“This is so rude!” one mom commented. “A) asking for money is tacky, B) if you can’t be bothered to pick out a gift, don’t go to the party and C) the lesson it teaches kids is a poor one. Parents should be involving their children in picking out a gift for their friend. They need to learn to think of others and be involved in the process of giving! Awful and lazy if you ask me.”
Plenty of other parents agreed it was tacky, while others embraced the concept as a clever money-saver. “It’s a great idea,” one parent responded. “Cuts down on landfill and excessive toys.”
If you’re looking to save few fivers yourself, be sure to check out our tips for other budget-friendly birthday planning ideas for your child’s next party, too.
What do you think about the fiver trend? Would you try it? Tell us in the comments.
This post was originally published in 2019 and is updated regularly.
