Have you ever received a gift-giving guideline that was a bit… too much? Well, one mom certainly did, and she wasn’t happy about it.
Shay, a 37-year-old mother, took to TikTok to vent her frustration about the over-the-top expectations some parents are setting for kids’ birthday parties.
The Gift-Giving Drama
Shay had RSVP’d yes to a birthday party for her three-year-old, but days before the event, she got a text from the host mom that left her shocked.
The message outlined very specific rules for what gifts were considered appropriate for the party—no colorful, noisy, or plastic toys.
It even went as far as urging parents to avoid any items with plastic packaging.
The mom explained that if parents couldn’t stick to these guidelines, they could just give a handmade card, but not a store-bought one, since that would also contribute to waste.
Naturally, Shay found the request overbearing. “This is getting extreme,” she commented in her TikTok video, expressing that she wasn’t sure if she wanted to go to the party at all.
She ultimately decided against attending, feeling uncomfortable with the last-minute and very specific gift rules.
A Divided Opinion
Many people on social media were quick to weigh in on Shay’s post.
Some were stunned by the rigid expectations. “At that point, the mom should just say ‘no gifts please,'” one person suggested.
Others pointed out that the gift guidelines seemed like they were pushing for wooden Montessori toys, or even that the mom was trying to create a “no waste” environment, which didn’t sit well with everyone.
One user even argued, “Kids need color in their lives—what’s wrong with colorful toys?”
However, there were also parents who understood where the host mom was coming from.
One shared that they had similar rules for their child’s birthday, preferring natural, non-plastic toys and even saying they would rather not receive gifts at all than get something noisy or bright.
The Build-A-Bear Incident
This gift drama wasn’t the only story stirring up outrage online. Earlier in the week, a Reddit post went viral after it was shared on TikTok.
The post told the story of a birthday party at Build-A-Bear that took an unexpected twist.
The birthday girl’s parents invited her friends to build their own bears, only to later ask the kids to hand over their creations for the birthday girl to keep as mementos.
The children, along with their parents, were left feeling confused and shocked.
One TikTok user shared the details of the viral Reddit post.
The original story, posted by an aunt who attended the party with her niece, revealed that the birthday girl’s mom paid for everything at Build-A-Bear, and the kids were initially excited to make their bears.
But after taking a group photo, the mom casually asked all the kids to give their bears to the birthday girl, so she could “remember” them.
As you can imagine, this didn’t sit well with the guests, and many felt it was unfair that they’d built a bear only for it to be taken away.
What’s Next for Birthday Etiquette?
With both of these stories, it’s clear that some parents are pushing the boundaries of birthday party etiquette.
Whether it’s rigid gift rules or surprising requests like taking away the bears, these incidents have made people rethink the expectations surrounding kids’ celebrations.
What’s your take—do these guidelines go too far, or are they just part of a trend toward more thoughtful, eco-conscious celebrations?
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