Have you ever been invited to a party and the host asks that you do not bring a gift? It may be a birthday party, anniversary, or some other occasion where gifts are expected and normally given. But for whatever reason the host prefers to not receive any gifts from you. Do you bring a gift anyway, because you think it is the right thing to do?
You may feel the need to give a gift because you believe it is appropriate for the occasion. You do not want to come across as rude or cheap. Plus, what if other guests brought a gift and you did not. You may even feel weird just showing up empty handed. You may also assume that the host is just being polite and really did not mean it when they said, no gifts. You would be wrong.
If the host specifically goes out of their way to say no gifts, you should oblige. It is rude to disregard the wishes of your host. It can be perceived as disrespectful for you to take your own feelings into consideration and not care about your host. It is inconsiderate to ignore your host’s feelings.
Your host may simply want the pleasure of your company. Your presence alone is a gift. At a certain point in our lives, most of us don’t need more stuff. Accumulating more stuff just adds clutter. Your host may not have room or space in their home. The strong possibility exists that your well-intentioned gift will end up in storage or at the next garage sale. Another factor to consider is that your gift is something the host does not like, want, or appreciate. You have now put them in the awkward position of faking gratitude.
The next time you are invited to an event, and the host states that gifts are not necessary, believe them. The very least you can do is to send a note after the event to express thanks for the invitation. There was a time that a handwritten note was considered the most polite, but today, an email or text will do.
