This might be something like 'We have everything we need and your attendance is the cherry on top! Please no gifts,'" she says. Whitmore adds that you could also say something like, "Your presence is our present" or "The gift of your company is the only gift needed."
No presents please, just your loving presence. Your good wishes are the only gifts that we wish to receive. As appreciated as your gifts may be, they are not needed as you will see. The presence of our family and friends will do, and make our day special too.
“Your presence at our wedding is enough of a gift, but should you wish to buy us something, we'd greatly appreciate a contribution towards our dream honeymoon/house deposit/renovation.” “Please do not feel obliged to buy us a gift, all that we are expecting is you.
a gift of money in a card would really make our day! We would prefer your presence rather than your presents! As we are so lucky to have a home together, we have decided not to request wedding gifts.
Tell them you gave the gift a try, but didn't like it. Pretend as though this was as much a surprise to you as it is to them hearing it. Do your best to make light of the situation, but never seem as though you regret receiving a gift. A thoughtful but unwanted gift is always better than none at all.
"Dear Family, Thank you so much for wanting to give us gifts for this occasion! We truly appreciate the thought and effort you put into your gift we would love to accept, but we already have too many toys! Instead, we would love for you to think of an experience to give us rather than a toy that will take up space.
Myka Meier, founder of Beaumont Etiquette, has this to say: “It's absolutely OK to politely tell your friends and family if you prefer that you or your children do not receive gifts for a certain occasion, for whatever your reasoning may be.” But timing is important—ideally you would do this when someone asks for a ...
She says if the invitation says “no gifts” you are not obliged to bring a gift and should not feel badly about it, even if others do bring gifts.
Whether you have limited space in your home or simply don't need any more stuff, it's perfectly acceptable to decline gifts at your next event. But when that gathering is one where guests typically bring a present, like a wedding or a baby shower, you'll want to give everyone a heads-up about your no-gifts preference.
Generally, yes, it's rude to refuse a gift. However, there are some circumstances where it's totally ok to refuse. People have mentioned suitors who will not take no for an answer, or if the gift has strings attached, both good points. A general rule of thumb is, does it make you feel icky inside to accept.
First things first, acknowledge their thoughtfulness.
Instead of saying, “You didn't have to do that” say something like, “That was so thoughtful of you. Thank you for offering.” Then, you can decide how you want to handle the remainder of the conversation (accepting the gift or not) on a more positive note.
The 4 gift rule is very simple: you get each of your children something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. Depending on your kid's age, you might ask for their input on some or all of these gifts, or you might choose them all yourself.
Absolutely not. Gifts should be an expression of ones feelings to you. unlike with feelings there shouldn't be the social pressure to reciprocate or accept a gift. Though not accepting is more and more seen as tacky.
Over-giving is often a sign of codependency.
When we are codependent we take our sense of self from pleasing others. So we give too much in order to receive praise and attention that then gives us a feeling of esteem.
Tell them the truth about why you don't want to exchange gifts. The conversation might feel awkward, but honesty is always the solution unless it will purposefully hurt the other person. Let the other person know what prompted your decision.
To build and reinforce relationships
We often give gifts to re-confirm or establish our connection with others, which means that they're a reflection of both the giver and the receiver, as well as their unique relationship.