<p>We’ve been invited to a surprise 30th anniversary party (seated dinner) for a co-worker and her husband. I’ve never attended an anniversary party that was not for a close relative. Are we supposed to bring a gift? They want for nothing financially. I was considering a donation to a local food bank in their honor. </p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p>I would go with a bottle of champagne. I think it is more fun for them to get a tangible gift.</p>
<p>I think a card noting the food bank donation is a great gesture!</p>
<p>I have never been to an anniversary party for co-workers but recently attended two 50th anniversary parties for relatives. I gave them each a $50 dollar gift card to a resteraunt I knew they loved with a note saying one dollar for each year of happyness or should i say h ell. just kidding, congrats! and signed the cards love, me. They all got a kick out of it.</p>
<p>Wine or champagne could be nice… or the food bank donation could be nice as well. Just make sure you tell them what you donated or where you donated too. We celebrated my old bosses 50th birthday at work once and our team got her a $50 dollar gift cert to a spa. She asked us if there was anyway we could return the gift cert and donate it to a charity of her choice.</p>
<p>A gift would be appropriate, whatever that maybe, going empty handed would seem strange to me.</p>
<p>I think a bottle of champagne or a small donation is a totally appropriate gesture for a sit-down dinner of a professional acquaintance. A family member or a close personal friend of long-standing might require something different.</p>
<p>Personally, I think a “no gifts” or “your presence is your gift” notation on the invitation is appropriate for this type of anniversary party. I’ve never really understood gifts for wedding anniversaries other than between the two members of the happy couple. Although I realize that this is the way a lot of people accumulate tons of silver platters, lol.</p>
<p>Anyway, where there was no such “no gift” statement, I think any small gesture would be appropriate - from simply a card to a bottle of wine/champagne, donation in their name…</p>
<p>The invitation didn’t say “no gifts.” I think it is strange to invite co-workers to an annivsary sit down party, unless it is a huge affair.</p>
<p>Yes, we are co-workers, but those of us who are invited have all worked together for about 20 years. (Plus, it’s the oldest D throwing a surprise party.) I neglected to mention that the H is a recovering alcoholic, so no gifts of alcohol.</p>
<p>I think a donation to their favorite charity would be very nice. </p>
<p>My husband threw me a “surprise” birthday dinner party recently. Someone sent a beautiful orchid plant to our apartment, now a month later it is still beautiful.</p>
<p>I gave my H a surprise birthday party one year and asked people to bring a can of food to donate to the local food bank in lieu of gifts. Of course, his oldest and best friend got him something that was basically “Judy, the inflatable love doll.” We stuck it in the back of the closet and a couple of years later, when we were moving, our 6 year old son found it - fortunately, he didn’t know what it was and it didn’t make the move with us! I don’t recommend this as a gift.</p>
<p>I think that a donation to a charity or cause you know the person supports would be lovely. Maybe all of you from work could chip in to make the gift really meaningful.</p>
<p>missypie, donation and a card sounds great.</p>