Present or no present?

What about a treat later ? Something they would enjoy participating in rather than receiving? Sometimes time spent on someone is appreciated more than a gift. I could not think what to get my husband for his birthday last year, he kept saying "dont worry about me I have all I need", so I made a special card for him and inside I put an Invitation to an Andre Rieu concert for a couple of months hence. He loved it, said it was something to look forward to and we had a great night. But does not need to be an expensive "treat", revisiting somewhere that meant something to them??

Same here. I think it'd be a bit insulting to someone's intelligence to take a present when they'd specifically asked you not to.

do as the message says, just a card and nothing more.

granjura Same here. At 65 I said, no more, nothing. Except for DGC, they love birthdays.

Personally, if I wrote 'no present' on the card- I'd mean it. I'v got to the stage, at only 65- when I just do not want anymore 'stuff' - especially stuff I do not choose.

The idea of taking a cake and share a cuppa to say thank you for the invite is so much nicer than buying unwanted more 'stuff'.

We were invited to our neighbours 90th last autumn. Gave him a card on his birthday. Took nothing to the party. Took an apple pie round a couple of days later and shared a cuppa. (He didn't need the pie, he was still eating birthday cake so it went into the freezer. But I hoped going round may have taken the edge of the anticlimax after the family had all left.)

I wouldn't if I was ninety.

Nobody minds getting a box of choccies do they?

I would take some home made biscuits or cake on a plate for the table. (But not if they are having caterers)

Could you pop to the local charity shop and put a small contribution in the collection jar. That way you could say that you saw they requested no gifts but you have made a charitable contribution in lieu

Not difficult at all,they have made themselves perfectly clear! Even flowers might cause a problem, if everyone brought some it could create a vase crisis!

I think a card and your company will be exactly the right thing!

If someone specifies "no gifts", then I would not feel the slightest bit awkward in taking it literally, though I might turn up with a bottle or two of something, or another contribution that isn't, strictly-speaking, a gift.

Flowers or a plant for the house or garden would be my choice.

That's a difficult one as they've specified no gifts then it seems appropriate not to. I would also feel a bit awkward though, maybe some flowers?