A mother has left people divided after she asked those attending her daughter's birthday to donate $5 instead of giving any gifts.
Rachel Gibbs, a mother of two, shared her unconventional plans for her second baby's first birthday party on TikTok under the handle @rachonlife.
Starting the video, Rachel revealed that she was shocked that "fiver parties" were not more of a common thing. "Asking for $5 for your kid's birthday isn't a new thing," she said.
Responding to a comment that labeled her as "tacky" for asking for a "donation", the mom hit back and said she asked friends and family to not bring any gifts, but the $5 was if they felt obligated to bring something.
Rachel revealed that the money offered by those attending the party would be spent on getting their backyard redone, including a new playground for the kids.
"I don't want a giant playground in my backyard for me, I want it for my kids," she said.
Rachel stressed again that she doesn't want anyone attending the party to "bring a damn thing", and to especially not waste their money on "clothes and books".
She expressed that parties aren't about "spending a tonne of money" but should revolve around bringing the people you love together.
Comments flooded in, with a lot of people supporting Rachel, as one person said: "I’d much rather bring $5 than a random thing you may not want or need!"
A second person added: "We went to a $5 party and the ONLY thing the kid wanted was the huge Paw Patrol Tower. So the parents asked for gifts to be $5 to go towards that one thing. I thought it was genius. Kid was happy!"
There was still the occasional comment bashing the party idea, as someone said: "$5 parties sound horrifyingly bad mannered. Just say no gifts please."
A second added: "Never heard of a five dollar party ..if you don’t want gifts instead of asking for cash, you should say no gifts this is tacky."
In an interview with PEOPLE, Rachel elaborated on her strategy, explaining that she borrowed the idea of having an early morning party from a friend. "All the kids were so pleasant, no naps were missed, and coffee and donuts were served," she said.
Reflecting on the experience, Rachel emphasized that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting. She believes social media often pressures parents into extravagant displays, but she's determined to stay true to her values and build a supportive online community.
Despite the criticism, Rachel remains grateful for the platform and the connections she's formed. "I'm able to live my life, to be a stay-at-home mom, because I share little glimpses into my world online," she expressed.