2. No invitation.
The first is to protect the planet and reduce the amount of paper waste. I don’t know how many wedding invitations I received from my friends. Don’t tell them, but I actually threw them out the moment I saved the date on my phone.
My invitation looks like a text, an email, or a phone call (for seniors). You can present all the information in that format and not spend a cent on the invitation.
Listen to this glorious mess where Holly and Andrew talk about whether or not they should ditch the sympathy invitation.
3. No party favors.
Thank you to all the guests who came to my child’s birthday party. They have taken the time to celebrate this wonderful occasion, and we obviously want to thank them.
But does showing my gratitude mean giving them bags filled with random plastic junk they may or may not like?
Whether it’s a yo-yo or an eraser, they are tossed into the hodgepodge when the child gets home. A huge chunk of plastic called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is already floating in the ocean. I would rather not contribute to it.
Additionally, I want to teach my kids that birthdays are about spending quality time with the people you care about, not about material rewards.
4. No entertainment.
clown? magician? A petting zoo? A bouncy castle? face painting?
I didn’t pay for any of them.
Your baby is new to everything, so there is no need to entertain. They are constantly learning and fascinated by the world.
