A child’s birthday party is not just about a cake, gifts and decoration. The event will be talked about for a couple of days in the school amongst friends. In order to make your child feel comfortable there are etiquettes to be followed in a birthday party.
Whom all should you invite?
It is not compulsory to invite the entire class of the child. If you are willing to spend more and think the entire class of your child must be invited, go ahead. Many families in the US follow a much simple rule called the “age plus one” invitee rule. If your child is 6 years old, the kids invited in the party should be at least seven. Some people invite only boys or only girls in the party. In a situation where you have given an invitation to maximum kids in the class, top it up by inviting every one.
Etiquette tips about gift opening at kids’ birthdays
Should you or should you not open gifts at the birthday party? There are a number of reasons you should and a number of reasons you shouldn’t open the gifts in the presence of the guests. Let’s jot down the pros first. It would give joy and satisfaction to the guests who brought the gifts, seeing the child opening the gifts they got. The child would learn to open gifts and accept them with gratitude. On the other hand, it could be boring for the other children to just watch the gifts being opened. Some of the gifts especially toys could be broken or lost by other kids in the party.
So, if you think that teaching you child the etiquettes of opening the gifts is more important. Follow a procedure to open the gifts in the presence of guests. Make everyone settle down first and tell the kids at the party that they will have their share of fun after opening the gifts. Your child should thank every guest individually for the gift they brought.
Should all gifts be accepted, even the very expensive ones?
Teach your child to appreciate all types of gifts with the same grace that he/she receives from the guests at the party. Refusing a gift because it is an expensive one is not the right conduct to follow. Just make sure the child thanks the guest who brought the expensive gift in person and explain to the child that the present is a special one.
Trying to equivocate the gifts by giving the children same kind of expensive gifts on their birthdays is sense less. You should choose a gift for them as per your pocket and not try to over spend just to match the present they had brought for your child.
Is it necessary to give a return gift?
As per the party etiquettes, it is not mandatory to give the children at the party a goody bag. It is more of a tradition that some people follow. It is completely your choice, think of how your child would feel if he/she receives a goody bag at a party. If you plan to give return gifts, they may not be items bought from the market. Homemade goodies like cakes, muffins, sweets can be given to the children. If you decide to buy, the gifts from the market make sure you take the opinion of your child. Your child definitely knows his/her friends more than you and can guide you what a friend may like more. There is no fixed amount on buying a return gift, it is completely your choice. A return gift is a token of appreciation for the children who were present on the day.
These are some simple tips and ideas to make your child’s birthday party a memory.
