Pass the parcel….

Hahaha came to say sorry, but who are you, Lucky's dad? 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤣🤣

I think that game is really cruel

In 1982? We got a Fruit Salad chewy sweet. That's if it wasn't lost by being flung across the room due to frenzied unwrapping!

My favourite was Dead Fishes. I was never much of a party goer, used to love the lay down and nap.

Ahh when I was little there was only one prize, with multiple wrapping layers. It was fun enough to unwrap a layer and wonder if it was the last one. There was also no fixing of the winner, it was just good luck to get the prize. Basic level fun and excitement.
A prize in every layer? Pah.

You were diddled! I never played pass the parcel in the 80’s without sweets in each layer!

I got a glittery gold nail varnish between layers of a pass the parcel somewhere around 1983. Can still remember the glamour of it.
My mum used to put forfeits in ours. " Sing a song", "Pat your head and rub your tummy,".

Things are a bigger deal to children. As an adult you have more control, children don’t have that

It’s not comparable to a lottery ticket. They’re children at a party who all came there to have fun and a nice time. They learn they don’t have the same opportunities as others in other ways

Not trying to be controversial but why ?

If everyone buying a lottery ticket just got their stake back there would be no point.... Sometimes people win and sometimes they don't. It's a life lesson.

I remember not winning anything in pass the parcel and being upset it’s better everyone gets something than one child getting something big and all the others losing out

I had been to parties where pass the parcel - there were 2 parcels, as about 40 odd there. The prizes in the layers were those small boxes of Smarties, a Double Lolly or those jelly spiders/creepy crawlies sweets.

One party I went to, the size of the PTP was the size of a pillow and the prize was a £5 gift voucher for Toys R Us (I think). Dread to think how many layers.

Creates more anticipation if there is only 1 prize. Old way is definitely the best.

I've never known anyone do that.
Although I have had to explain pass the parcel to several non-british folks from countries where thet don't have the game. Maybe "the rules" have been misunderstood sometimes.

I was a child in the 80s and the rules were there had to be one of those disgusting sherbert flying saucer sweets in between each layer, or, if you were really lucky, a candy necklace.

☝️This is the only way PTP should be allowed to be played.

There was always prizes in every layer of pass the parcel when I was a kid (I grew up in the 80s) that said I never much liked the game and found it super stressful, as a kid playing and an adult organising.
But then I never really liked any kids party games, even as an actual kid

Very common growing up to have a little sweetie or small token gift in each layer then a main prize

I’ve had to check ‘Lucky’s dad’s rules’ but if Uncle Google has got it right, there’s only one prize.

There are things in my childhood which have affected me to this day but not having a minor prize in each layer of Pass the Parcel is not one of them. Things were simpler in the 1950 – 1960s.

How do you youngsters deal with Hunt the Thimble or Grandma’s Footsteps ?

Traditional party games like that only work for a very narrow age range I think.

At about 4 they start to understand about taking part (and learn about fairness and winning and losing graciously - and that is something that they actually need to learn) then ages 5-7 are peak class party times where you can do musical statues etc. Much older than that and pass the parcel is boring, musical statues is too difficult to judge fairly and musical chairs is a scrum.

I did the small sweets between wrappers (and alternate colours) where you pass it on if you've already had one and then one prize at the end which was properly random. Ideally having 2 parcels if it's a big group so that it doesn't take forever. I did warn mine not to expect to win anything at their own birthday parties - after all they were going home with presents from their guests and it was only fair that the guests could enjoy it too.

Thing is, nobody gets "how to run small children's parties" lessons so it's never going to be perfect and people have different budgets. We're all just muddling through and learning what works as we go along. As long as the kids are having a good time I'd consider it a win.

Lucky’s dad’s rules all the way!!

I feel diddled! Throughout my childhood in the 80s it was more brutal there was only one gift right at the bottom! 😅

What are we classing as a present in the outer layers? In the 90s my mum would put some small fun size chocolate or mini haribo in - does that count?

I’m not sure what Lucky’s dad’s rules are but I wouldn’t do pass the parcel totally randomly. Everyone gets a layer, and then anyone (except birthday child) can win the main present. Obviously that involves watching and stopping the music when the birthday child isn’t holding it. My mum used to make sure it didn’t go to any child who’d been rude.