Ideas for 40th birthday Mallorca trip gift bags on a budget

[ChampagneCharlotteLemonadeBudget]

Looking for some inspiration around what to include in party/gift bags for a 40th birthday trip to Mallorca in September. There are 9 of us girls going but we range in age from 33 to 78 - I have a budget of maybe £20-£30 each but would like to start buying a little something each month so that I don't need to pay for it all at once. I was thinking things like:

• Mini-hangover kit (although to be fair we are split between big drinkers and not)
• Personalised bracelet/keyring
• Small bottle of prosecco or can of cocktail (although our flight is at 6am and we are only 15 mins from the airport)
• Printed itinerary

They all seem a little bit boring to me though so would welcome other suggestions! I've no qualms about shopping on Shein/Temu, etc. as want to keep it cheap. We already have sashes and not interested in getting t-shirts, etc. as it's not really the done thing in the resort we are in (planning to wear the sashes when we go to the nearest 'party' town)

Sorry to be a fun sponge but I do agree with not adding to people’s stuff right before a trip.

I speak from experience, I made thank you packages go my bridesmaids, hang over lit, plasters, personalised slippers etc and most of it got left behind at the wedding. So people just don’t appreciate being given more stuff.

I think airport lounge access might be nice or a dinner on the last night. Or buy a Polaroid camera to take with you.

If you really want a memento then the sunglasses someone said above would be a nice touch or personalised beach towel or something.

I’ve just been on a hen do and we all got a nice make up bag - which we’ll use again as they are useful even if you already have one for make up it could be a pencil case, use for travel etc.

In there was a Spanish style fan, which was used by us all during the trip and personally I’ve given mine to my daughter now I’m home and a few of us who are mums all said we’d do the same, ‘that’s DD’s gift sorted then!’, but I don’t think anyone would have binned it - again they’re quite useful to have.

We also got some of the under eye patches - a nice brand that I use anyway, although probably a bit wasteful as they come in individual packaging. And a couple of paracetamol.

More than enough, and didn’t feel particularly wasteful or anything I felt the urge to bin.

What about a personalised tote bag (with each individuals name not the name of the trip)? They can be used round the pool or on the beach and will actually be used again. In them I’d put some under eye patches, a hair or face mask and a little emergency kit with plasters, rehydration satchet and painkillers. Things like personalised bracelets and keyrings will just go in the bin so I wouldn’t bother.

No to tote bags, you can't go anywhere without being given one and I have more than I will ever need. Personalised even worse as you can't charity shop them.

Tote bags possibly a good idea and the temporary tattoos with the birthday girls face on are quite funny but I wouldn’t thank you for the rest of the ideas-just wasteful. Definitely prefer a cocktail or 2 on the holiday itself

Given that most posters have said no to landfill tat, I imagine the party people are also likely to not want it either.

I think the sashes will be more than enough.

Op, you sound well meaning but I totally agree with the other posters about the waste issue. I think it’s one of those things that YOU want to do because it’s fun, but it’s not necessarily the kind of thing that others will appreciate. I used to be like it with the dds at Christmas until they sat me down and said ‘please don’t buy us loads of stuff for our stockings because we don’t use it and then feel guilty about throwing it away’. So lesson learned; it was fun for me at the time but not appreciated. Nowadays I buy them a lot less and all of it useful. It’s not as fun for me, but it’s more appreciated by them.

I don’t hate the idea in principle but it seems like pre-flight is the worst time to be giving people a bag of extra stuff they didn’t pack and will have to get thru security. Plus most people pack their bags strategically and won’t have room for other stuff at that juncture. Better to send them a thank you for coming gift after, and maybe just one small personalised thing before that can easily go in a pocket or be worn. Don’t create problems for yourself / your guests, esp when you’re spending so much. I’d rather your sprang for a meal or a round of drinks honestly.

Well exactly. Cheap, disposable tat. £20 to £30 multiplied by 9 "girls" is £200 - which is a lot of cheap, slave labour made tat.

Far better to use that money towards an experience or something to do when you are in your destination - meal out, sunset cruise etc etc etc.

Just put the £200 towards paying for your trip. The bags will really not be appreciated. Party bags of all kinds, personalised bits and bobs are such a waste of money.

I think the sash which I wouldn't want to wear is enough tat for this.

WHsmith vouchers - they can then all choose a book at the airport to take and read around the pool

Cheap tat from Shein/Temu is not fun. I don't know any of my friends that would appreciate this.

Might be fun for you but surely the gift isn't about you. It's about them. I'd be polite and grateful outwardly but inwardly I'd be thinking what a friggin waste of money. Can't bare tat. I mean a hangover kit in your 40s. Absolutely not. Tatty cheap bracelet I'd never wear? Nope.

Sorry op, a gift is a lovely idea but not that that most won't want. You're obviously kind-hearted so I'm sure the birthday people are just happy you're there.

Thumbs up for sarong, fan, and home made cocktail voucher, some nice ideas here op. and won't take up too much room in some ones hand luggage

Wait, what?! What fresh hell trend is this?!

🤦🏼‍♀️

If you really want a memento then the sunglasses someone said above would be a nice touch or personalised beach towel or something.

Definitely better to do one memento, but sunglasses only work for women who don’t already wear glasses & a beach towel is one more thing to fit in luggage.

Tricky.

Not really, do something that makes a great memory for you all, rather than buying childrens toys that no one will keep or even want.

Some pretty spectacular boat trips for example are available in Mallorca.

I’d much prefer to have lunch or drinks at the airport paid for than a bag of crap I’ve got to cart around and then bin 🤷🏼‍♀️

I don’t think the OP wants Temu plastic things she’s 40 not 16 so I think a mini gift bag with 3-4 things in is great - such as face masks mini chocolate ans stickers to remember her big 40 etc especially that your guests are ranging from 30s to 70s xx

Or grown ups?

Yes, but we’re talking about adults who call themselves girls so the dummies probably fit in with that.

Is there not an activity you could all do when you get there for £20-30 a head?

Get a Polaroid camera to take along and everyone gets a picture from it.

Sorry but I'm in the camp of hating anything personalised and I'll have packed what I need for holiday in terms of pain killers or plasters. I don't say I wouldn't use them at some point but they wouldn't constitute a special memory or momento.

But honestly it is just tatt that your guests are going to bin or worse leave in their room.. do them a thanks for coming card and a"voucher" for a drink on you.