not to do party bags or will I seem like a miserable cowbag?

[MissCalamity]

DS is 2 in a couple of weeks and like last year we'll be having a relatively small party in our house. Last year I didn't do party bags as all the children attending were around the same age and thought it was a little bit pointless.

All the children's parties I've been to in the past year have given DS a party bag on the way out, most of which includes stuff he's never used: bouncy ball (way too small) whistle (far too noisy) those bubble blower things (all stacked up in a cupboard) and a few bits of chocolate.

I'll buy a big specially made cake for him and give everyone a bit when they are leaving (like last year)

I think a few more older children will be attending this year, so I suppose it's more of the norm to do them, I just would rather spend the money on the buffet / decorations / cake than a bit of plastic tat that will be shoved in a cupboard / bin and forgotten about.

So AIBU or not? What do you think...?!

I have my hard hat on, as I like doing party bags too. I spend ages putting together a good selection of stuff. As someone else has already said- it's a thank you for coming to the party type thing. Don't see any harm in it. The parents may hate them but the children love them, and that is what matters.

I've done the books from www.thebookpeople.co.uk or its end of line even cheaper sister shop www.bananas.co.uk (I think off the top of my head!) and never paid more than 50p a book.

I've also done cheap 99p footballs from Asda or the pound shop (you can get ones printed with a footie pattern but the pound shop and other places I've seen have silly faces and other patterns too if you've got girls coming and want them to be balls rather than footballs. and they went down really well - the children liked having something big to go home and the bag just had the cake in. And I took them all to the venue in a big black rubbish bag so when it was time for party bags and I brought out my 'sack' for them to do a lucky dip their eyes were like saucers they were so excited.

As others have mentioned having party games that involve making the gift work well - decorating cotton bags if they are a bit older, making sweetie necklaces for smaller ones (liquorice lacrosse threaded with little sweeties). Even the boys don't seem to mind that one! Or decorate their own cupcake or biscuit to take home. Or if you are having a themed party do something related to that - eg for a princess and pirate party get some blank crowns and cutlass shapes, a load of jewel-like stickers and let the kids decorate their own to take away as their gift. Or look on sites like baker Ross for ideas of other activities that you can then use as take home gifts.

You can get value packs of crayons from most supermarkets for about 20p, the pound shop does a pack of 8 colouring books for a pound (on a separate note they are handbag sized and great for having in your bag to entertain kids whilst out or on holiday) or they also do a pack of ten little notebooks with plain fronts that your child could decorate for each friend.

And as it's Christmas there are loads of cheap deals on chocs and sweets at the moment - there was a tub of 45 haribo little bags for £3 at tesco yesterday, there are loads of little bags of chocolate coins, big tubes of buttons, smarties or sweets, or chocolate oranges on special offer that you could give as a going home present.

So there are lots of things you could do with relatively little outlay if you wanted to do something without resorting to a bag of tat!

i don't mind party bag......but i hate it when bubbles are in them, god i hate bubbles as i always end up with slippery floors

I hate them. My son immediately abandons the cheap plastic crap in the car on the way home, having snaffled the cheap sugar crap, and his friends do exactly the same. More crap in the world, or swilling around inside our kids, just what we all need! They offer nothing of any value at all, beyond satisfying the brief rush of acquisitiveness that children, primed to get something at the end of the party, experience. And you can satisfy that with a nice slice of cake and a balloon from the party decorations. I have never, ever done party bags, and never will. I do, however, give great parties which the kids talk about for days after (preens).

OK am going to go out on a limb here, I don't do party bags. BUT they do get a present. They either magically win one each or we just give 'em a pressie. Because party bags are tat that usually go unused and for the same amount of money you can buy a half decent present.

I know it's a 2 yr old's party that started this thread, but the best 'party bag' I ever did was for 9 yr old girl - we gave all the guests three potted up hyacinths for their windowsills. Mothers and daughters all gave huge compliments!

I was at a party last week and the hosts gave the kids chocolate advent calenders instead of a party bag. Hello Kitty for the girls and Toy Story for the boys. The kids were happy as can be and I thought it was a brilliant idea!