to be going bonkers over bloody party bags!!!

[OAM2009]

2 year old boy's party on Saturday. Came back from hols abroad last Thursday so doing it all at the last minute (again )

1. are party bags supposed to be individualised? ie different ones for babies, older children, etc
2. are they supposed to be done by gender? (hate gender stereotyping but did admit to myself that 4 year old girls might not like toy diggers that much!)
3. is it acceptable to fill them up with all the hair I've pulled out????

OK, should now stop MNetting and go and clean entire house for incoming relatives and/or do bloody party bags!!!!

glow sticks - beware! I once had a parent ring up saying what were the stick things? only she had cut the top off and her DS still couldn't get the sherbet out!!

Poundland for me - nice packs of 3 tennis balls (split them up between bags), bubbles, water pistols, sweets, pencils (again split packs). Also for young children, print off colouring sheets from CBBC web site and put them in at minimal cost

one party bag one napkin one slice of cake in each bag they are two year olds not twenty year olds, thats what my kids friends got when they had parties and no one ever complained couldnt be doing with the competative ooh look more in so and sos goody bags

Thanks OAM2009. I mean, what other use is there for 5 little plastic bags filled with plastic tat? I'll eat all the Haribo Star Mix myself give DS the sweets over time in a sensibly rationed manner of course.

I too HATE party bags - too many sweets (we're veggie and many sweets aren't so I have to sort through) and far too much plastic.

I go down the books route (a set of Wiinie the Witch books from the Book People - £10.00) plus a fancy balloon.

Lasts far longer and costs the same .... or less

That's a set split between 10 guests! Not for each child!

at the glow stick mixup! Shame as that's actually a lovely idea.

You can get multipacks of tiny playdoh pots. I did them and one of those crayola twistable crayons (multipack again)

In the future if you have more time then the Internet is your friend, I found it much easier and I also found bigger bags to accommodate the books I chose (from the book people). But I'm a weirdo who enjoys planning this sort of thing, much more than planning the party itself as I get nervous due to social anxiety.

I already know what I'm doing for DD's party bags next year :o

Guys, you're all awesome, thanks so much Have to say that have been in Wilkos, Poundland, Home Bargains and a cheapy book shop place today and it's been a bit disappointing. Even my friend said Wilkos had really reduced their party stuff. Not much in bulk and in my Wilkos, pick n mix stationery baskets empty!

Got some micro-cars from Poundland, which I hope even the girls will like (NB to self, don't put in bags for tinies!) Was going to go for balloons but will heed cautionary tale re swallowing 3 year old (!) also glowstick story!

Print offs of colouring pics is a great idea - and one for hubby to do

And Quenelle, LOL again! Yes, I also eat all the Haribo Star Mix myself like a ravening beast! give DCs the sweets over time in a sensibly rationed manner of course. As all good mummies would

Ds1's party bags must have been a real let down:

1 quality non novelty pencil
1 eraser as above
A joke
A balloon (over 6)
Some alien in goo egg thing that was hideous but ds chose them.

Better then last year - they had cake to take away and chose a choc.

How many are coming? If 15 or more than make/buy a plain cake, chop it up the night before and put them in the party bags, so all ready. It always seems to take ages to cut and put in napkins. You can then either give them some of the special cake at party or freeze slices for lunches/picnics or just eat it yourself

I have a reputation for interesting party bags. I put far too much effort in to them for my own good.
I have done TY beenie babies, little backpacks with special toys in, theme specific etc.
The best recieved was a cone of sweets with a little hand painted name tag made of wood. So it really is all about the sweets!

This year for DD we are doing a craft for them to take home, then a cupcake in a box and a few sweets in the actual party bag.

Check out homebargains / poundshops / wilkinsons.
They all do nice little bits cheaply. Packs of pencils with toppers you can split between 6, bracelet pens (the must have party bag filler DD assures me!) pack of 5 from £1shop, packs of crayons are about 16p each iirc at wilkinsons.
Homebargains for cheap sweets.

I hate party bags and don't do them. Whenever I see one I get images of the planet drowning in a sea of plastic tat. Rah!

I rather fancy putting some Hama beads and a template thing in next time (have already decided to do them in xmas stockings this year) but would parents hate me when they get spilled all over the car? :o

Whoopee cushions - great for girls or boys, check out ebay for good deals!

Ds2's birthday is on Saturday. He will be 4. In his party bags there are a large bottle bubbles (store 21 had packs of 6 for £1.99 and it was either bogof of buy one get one half price), a small bouncy ball and a lollipop and a pack of haribos. Oh a balloon, which I will make sure I warn parents about due to risk of swallowing ect.

fuzzpig - good idea - but I would maybe give them to the adults so you avoid the inevitable spills.

I hate unblown up balloons in party bags. If you want to give them balloons blow them up first. Or if you can afford fill them with helium before they leave. They are dangerous IMO.

Good idea thanks JDNM :) same for glow sticks I guess as they might get mistaken for sherbet :o

Now this is unbearably wnaky but I was also wondering hypothetically about doing bracelets but using letter beads to do their names :o

JDNM your party bags do sound great, how much do you normally spend per bag if you don't mind me asking? I would like to do interesting bags because I enjoy it but wouldn't want to spend loads.

I have done the name bracelets and they went down really well. I got my beads from Crafty crocs www.craftycrocodiles.co.uk/
and some threading elastic from there too. I have also in the past ordered beads via ebay at reasonable prices.
For the name ones I did there names and surrounded the name with flower beads. The tubs are big and so far I have done 4 parties of about 7 children and still have loads left.

I am a huge bargain hunter.
So for example for DS this year the bags are little satchel type bags. Normally sell for £8.99 - I paid 49p each in Sainsburys sale. I will fill them with crayons 16p each pack from wilkinsons, and some colouring sheets (printed my self and put in cellophane sleeves) or cheap pads of paper, and sweets. His will be about £1 each I would think.
I tend to aim for £1 - £2 each child (as a maximum) but I only have 7 to buy for at the moment as I do small parties.
I also tend to scower Ebay/ Homebargains (who do fabulous sweets cheap and cheap toys) poundshops a lot and pick things up through out the year.

Oh feck (rolls eyes)
I tied myself in knots trying to make a decent party bag for DD's 4th. I bought:
Those matchbook-style seed packets
Mini magic slates
Bubbles
Hello Kitty chocs
Paper bags

And other shit I cant remember
DD came down with the chickenpox and they are still all sitting there.
I was trying to avoid plastic tat but really, it IS all about the sweets, as subsequent parties have taught me!

Oh and don't be affraid to think outside of the box.
I have done theme bags - princesses - got some "cinderella slippers" from ebay and popped a shoe necklace in each (tesco multi pack) and wrapped in cellophane for Cinderella.
Apple bead bracelets which I handmade for snow white (for prizes but you get what I mean).
I handmade flower drop bracelets for Tinkerbell, I printed out bookmarks of Rapunzel in a tower and plaited gold thread for her hair. Jewellry sweets - candy bracelets etc.
Did it all really cheap, but the mums were all impressed. (they are family so would tell me if it was crap )
DDs first birthday was a Teddybears picnic and gave TY beenie babies as party bags - £1.49 each I think, but that and a slice of cake was all they got. They were "from birth" bears, so perfect party bags with no plastic choking risks.
Because I do parties at home I go to town on the themes .
(All prizes match the theme as do the games...)

I do like the idea of having something useful. I was really annoyed at myself as I didn't take the opportunity to get some lenticular cups really cheap, if I can find them again I will be using them to put the stuff in instead of bags.

vess tried that (as we had an entertainer Magical Fairy who had already made the kids - age 4 - an animal balloon model and given them bubbles, so thought that would be enough ffs) but had at least 3 of the 'posher' kids brats come up to me afterwards and actually ASK where the fucking party bag was - the cheek!!!
I like the book idea though...