Party etiquette

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If someone cancels one hour before your child's birthday party with no excuse just a sorry cant make it, would you still give them a party bag which had already been made up?

No.

No way!

I would. There could be a really sad reason why the child couldn't attend. Family issues/illness.

If I found out they didn't attend cos they went to a different party or some other lame reaso n - then I would shrug and try to be the 'bigger person'.

If they lived next door, yes. If it would involved taking it to school or similar, no. If the child was ill then idealogically I'd be more inclined to give it to them but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to do so. It's just a party bag.

Unless they give your child a birthday present even though they didn't come. Then the party bag would be a nice gesture.

It's my sons friend from school they haven't given him a present.

Then no - it they were planning on coming they would already have bought the present and would hand it over.

saves putting it in the bin - what else will you do with it?

If they cancelled an hour before surely the present is bought, wrapped and card written?

Why not? It's only a party bag and it's a nice thing to do.

no

If I give the party bag and my son hasn't recieved a present will this make the other mum feel bad? I know I'm over thinking this:)

You may as well.

It might be that something really private has happened that she doesn't want to discuss with you.

Perhaps you were not given a reason for the cancellation because it was personal? On the other hand it might have been: You've been a naughty boy so you are not going to xxxx's party.

Yes to me this falls under the "don't punish the child for the parent's actions" - if it's just that the parent CBA to get their butt off the sofa and bring the kid to the party, then it would be doubly unfair on the child - no party AND no party bag!

plus I give the party bags hoping to make the lazy gits feel guilty for begging off at the last minute

It might make the mum feel bad, but that's not your problem

She should be pleased you've done something nice for her DS.

youi're over thinking it, you'll make the child happy, who cares about the rude last minute cancelling / never meant to come anyway mother?

Too be honest I think they prob forgot all about the party till just before hence no present card etc, not a problem he had nice party without this one child.

Are your party bags worth having then. Mine were always filled with tat.

At least they had the balls to tell you - I hate doing stuff like that (I still do if I have to though).

Oh dear oh dear, private personal reasons for cancelling. Now I feel bad about my previous post.

To be fair, I only really felt that way once out of the maybe 5 times it has happened to us - I'm friends with the mum, but it was the dad's contact day, and the girls just didn't show up to the party - not even a phone call. I didn't know what had happened until the mum (my friend) rang me.

I would give the child the party bag - unlikely to be his fault that he couldn't attend, and you've already made it up.