Last year, I received an invitation to a kids birthday party that said, please, no gifts. As an aspiring minimalist and the parent of a toddler who has way too many toys, I wanted to respect the familys wishes but I also didnt want to show up empty-handed. So I brought a card for the birthday boy and put a small gift certificate for a local bakery inside.

When my family arrived at the party, a dozen huge colorful gift bags were already sitting on a table. I felt silly for bringing something little and wondered if I had made the wrong call.

So I asked etiquette experts their thoughts: What do you do if the invitation says no gifts? Is it really OK to not bring anything and on the flip side, would it be rude to bring one anyway?

First, you may consider why the parents hosting the party ask guests to skip the presents. There is a great allure in going the no-gifts route, said etiquette expert Jodi RR Smith, president of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting.

It eliminates the need for the opening of gifts at the party, she told HuffPost. It reduces the materialism and potential clutter. And drastically reduces the need to write thank you notes to every child at the event. (However, she also believes gift-giving can be a good exercise for kids. She said it allows them to learn empathy and caring for others because they must consider the birthday childs interests when picking out a present.)

Parents who decide to forgo gifts for their kid may do so to be considerate of guests who are struggling financially, said etiquette expert Diane Gottsman , founder of The Protocol School of Texas , before adding, Or they simply may feel as if their child does not need one more thing to crowd the closet.