You Were Invited, Not Sponsored

People say gift-giving etiquette is becoming a “lost art.” Well, if it’s lost, head on down to the Lost & Found because apparently your common sense is in there with it.

There are some things in life I really thought we all just knew.

• Don’t wear white to somebody else’s wedding. 
• Don’t show up to Thanksgiving empty-handed and then leave with three containers of leftovers. 
• And if somebody invites you to a birthday party, wedding, or baby shower—you bring a gift.

I didn’t realize this needed its own public service announcement, but apparently... here we are.

If you accept an invitation to a celebration, GO BUY THE GIFT. Somebody thought enough of YOU to invite you. Your name made the list. They wanted you there. They planned the party, bought the food, ordered the cake, cleaned the house, decorated, made room for your butt at the table and spent their money so everybody could have a good time.

So… where’s their damn present?

You don’t just stroll in empty-handed, eat their food, drink their drinks, have a piece of cake—and possibly a second piece because “it was really good”—then holler, “Thanks for having me!” on your way out.

Thanks for having you?? You ate $23 worth of food and brought NOTHING. 🖕🏼 Who raised you?

And BABY SHOWERS. Lord help me with this one because the instructions are literally IN THE NAME "SHOWER". What exactly did you think we were showering her with? Compliments? Good vibes? Our sparkling personalities?

GIFTS, people. GIFTS. We are SHOWERING HER WITH GIFTS. That is the entire damn concept of throwing these types of parties!  Why do you think she made a registry? To give you something to scroll through and say, "Oh, that's cute."  It's there because babies apparently need approximately 900 things, including gadgets none of us knew existed before somebody got pregnant.

Graduation?  Bring a card with a gift card, cash - something to celebrate the kid surviving twelve years of school without completely losing their mind.

Housewarming? Bring something for the house. A candle. A plant. A bottle of whatever they like. Even a cute kitchen towel is better than showing up empty-handed and immediately asking where the bathroom is.

Weddings? Same deal. You’re celebrating two people starting a life together. Birthdays? You’re celebrating somebody because it’s THEIR day. Bring a gift.

And before somebody gets their panties in a wad, I’m not saying you need to spend a fortune. Nobody needs to take out a loan. Buy something from the registry. Get a gift card. Put $10-? bucks in a card. Wrap up a candle. Hell, bring them their favorite candy. It’s the thought. But there actually needs to BE a thought.

Would you clean your house, decorate, buy the food, order the cake, find and rent a venue, spend your money, plan everything and invite the people you care about—only to watch them parade through the door empty-handed like they accidentally wandered into a Costco sample aisle?

They thought enough of you to invite you, spend their time and money making the celebration happen, and make a place for you to be part of it.

Think enough of them to bring the damn gift. Because you were invited, not sponsored. 😂 They’re throwing the party. They shouldn’t have to sponsor your attendance, too.