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Original poster

Birthday party pass-the-parcel etiquette!

59 replies

Emeeno1 · 21/11/2019 17:05

We are holding a birthday party for our four year old and would like to play pass-the-parcel. I bought a present today that our son would love and was going to let him 'win' it at pass-the-parcel but it has since occurred to me that the other parents might think this is bad manners (letting our son win)? Should one of the other children win? Should it be 'blind'? We were going to put chocolate coins in each unwrap so nobody feels left out. What do you think?

OP posts:
Pipandmum · 21/11/2019 17:06

I've seen threads on this before and the concensus was birthday child should NOT win.

forevercurious · 21/11/2019 17:07

Do NOT let the birthday child win.

ClapHandsAndSaveTheFairies · 21/11/2019 17:07

It's very bad etiquette for the birthday child to win.

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Mishappening · 21/11/2019 17:08

I can't believe you are asking this! Rig the game when your DS will be getting loads of presents anyway? Unthinkable!

GreenTulips · 21/11/2019 17:08

God no! He’s had presents and gifts all day. Plus the prize only needs to be slightly better than the coins - bag of Haribos would do

IsabelleSE19 · 21/11/2019 17:09

Yep, you have to rig it so birthday child doesn't win. The rest of the day is all about them so it's a bit of excitement for the guests if one of them wins.

chemenger · 21/11/2019 17:11

The other parents will think it’s bad manners, yes. And they will talk about it.

user1483387154 · 21/11/2019 17:12

no your child should not win.

Elbeagle · 21/11/2019 17:13

You rig it so the birthday child doesn’t win! They get plenty of presents... if he’d love the gift, buy it for his birthday!
We did pass the parcel for DD last weekend. The winner was chosen blindly, apart from DH nudged me when it was past my two DC so they wouldn’t get it.

pasbeaucoupdegendarme · 21/11/2019 17:13

If you feel you have to rig it, you do it so the best friend wins, or the child who’s been kindest, or the one who got upset because they couldn’t have cake because of an allergy or something...

... you absolutely don’t rig it so the birthday child wins!!

Spied · 21/11/2019 17:14

Grin honestly?

Greyleggings · 21/11/2019 17:15

Going against the grain, my DD always desperately wants to win at pass the parcel but never does. I rigged it at her birthday so she finally won it, she was super pleased and it won’t bother her again now! It’s her birthday, I think winning something like that can make them feel even more special. It was just a bag of chocolate buttons, with lolly pops in all the other layers so hardly a mega prize

Neolara · 21/11/2019 17:15

No no no no no. Birthday child does not win. If they do, all watching parents will think you are terrible parents who indulge their child at expense of others. Personally, I'd ditch pass the parcel altogether. You'll end up with 50% of the kids in tears because they had to give the parcel to someone else / didn't win the prize / just because. And the other 50% will wander off mid game because it always takes much longer than anyone thinks it will and the kids get bored.

stucknoue · 21/11/2019 17:39

The centre present shouldn't be too much anyway, definitely don't rig it

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 21/11/2019 17:41

Grin for real? No you can't rig it so that the birthday child wins. That's the last kid who should win. Just buy two of the "prize" and he can have the duplicate as one of his presents. Ooh and are you allowed to tell us what it is or would you have to kill us immediately afterwards?

PhoenixBuchanan · 21/11/2019 17:53

For our four year old's party, we wrapped a small gift in each layer and of course made sure each child "won" a round. Much better at this age IMO.

I'd be seriously Hmm if there was only one gift and the birthday child won it.

Original poster
Emeeno1 · 21/11/2019 18:05

Thanks for the replies. To those of you who were horrified it is his only present as we do not buy him a lot for his birthday because it is so near to Christmas, his present is the party if you like.

OP posts:
itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted · 21/11/2019 18:06

Why would you rig it for him to win?? Not exactly teaching him life lessons......

Original poster
Emeeno1 · 21/11/2019 18:08

Namechange, it is the Playmobile Santa and Sleigh. He is so excited for Father Christmas this year.

OP posts:
Leeds2 · 21/11/2019 18:12

Definitely don't let him win! The other parents will NOT forget!!

Give him the sleigh as a birthday present from you, or add it to his Christmas pile. Buy another present for the game.

Soubriquet · 21/11/2019 18:14

Buy him it for his birthday!

Do not rig it for him.

I always do it so there’s sweets in each layer and every child gets a chance (even the birthday child) but then I turn around when it’s the last layer so it’s random. It helps if you alternate paper between each layer and a different paper altogether for the winning layer

I was mortified one year when the dd won.

Elbeagle · 21/11/2019 18:20

Buy him one for his birthday.

Crankybitch · 21/11/2019 18:22

I think it’s wrong for the birthday child to win as well

APerkyPumpkin · 21/11/2019 18:24

To those of you who were horrified it is his only present as we do not buy him a lot for his birthday because it is so near to Christmas, his present is the party if you like.

Why do people do this? Buy him what you would buy if his birthday wasn't so close to Christmas.

PollyShelby · 21/11/2019 18:28

Give him the sleigh and buy a cheapy gift from somewhere else for the parcel.

Absolutely do not let him win Shock

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