One mom was left stunned after receiving a strict set of guidelines dictating what gifts were acceptable for a three-year-old’s birthday party. The unusual request has sparked debate online, with many arguing that birthday parties are becoming increasingly out of control.

Shay, 37, took to TikTok to express her frustration after receiving a text from the birthday child’s mother just days before the party. The message outlined strict conditions for any gifts, advising against anything colorful, noisy, or plastic. Furthermore, all presents had to be waste-free, meaning no plastic packaging or disposable materials.

@shay27xo Kids birthdays 🎈 #birthdays #kidsbirthdays #momsoftiktok #giftsforkids ♬ original sound – Shay27xo🤍

“I had to look up what a waste-free gift even means,” Shay shared. “Turns out it means nothing with plastic packaging and definitely no plastic toys.”

For parents unable to comply with these rules, the host suggested simply giving the child a handmade card—but explicitly warned against purchasing one, as it would create waste.

“This is getting extreme,” Shay said in her video, admitting that after receiving the text, she no longer wanted to attend the party for fear of breaking the rules. In an interview with Newsweek, she later confirmed that her family ultimately decided not to go, as the requests were “very specific and last minute.”

Shay’s video quickly gained traction, with many users sharing their thoughts on the matter. Some were baffled by the detailed restrictions, suggesting that the mother should have simply asked for no gifts at all.

“At that point, just say ‘no gifts, please,’” one commenter suggested.

“Seems like they want wooden Montessori toys,” another noted, referring to the popular minimalist toy trend.

Others were more critical of the ban on color. “Kids need color in their lives. I get no waste (kinda). But what’s wrong with colors??” one user asked.

However, not everyone disagreed with the birthday mom’s stance. Some parents admitted they had similar guidelines for their own children’s presents.

“We have the EXACT same gift rules,” one parent commented. “We’d rather not receive a gift than get a noisy, colorful, obnoxious toy that we won’t use and will end up donating.”

Shay’s experience isn’t the only recent birthday party controversy to make waves online. Earlier this week, a resurfaced Reddit story went viral on TikTok, detailing an outrageous Build-A-Bear party gone wrong.

According to the post, a group of children were invited to a birthday celebration where they each built their own bear—only to be told afterward that they had to hand them over to the birthday girl as keepsakes.

“Thank you so much for building a personal bear so that Sarah can remember you by,” the birthday girl’s mom allegedly told the stunned guests.

The viral debate surrounding both parties highlights a growing trend of parents enforcing increasingly strict or unexpected rules for birthday celebrations.

Whether these guidelines help create a more mindful experience or simply take the joy out of gift-giving remains a heated discussion online.