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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to hate the whole concept of party bags

67 replies

idiuntno57 · 04/06/2013 20:20

..and yet find myself producing them for fear of disappointing DC.

Going to fill them with a bun, glowstick, bubbles, sweets and chocolate only. But wish I had the courage to just not do them at all. (DC is 4)

OP posts:
WuzzleMonkey · 04/06/2013 20:22

I agree.

I especially hate the gender divided ones.

This year I'm doing a book wrapped up with a couple of packets of sweets taped to the front and a piece of cake.

comingintomyown · 04/06/2013 20:23

YANBU I never quite had the courage just used to grumble about it

Cliche ...you wont believe how quickly time goes so embrace the party bag !!

Sirzy · 04/06/2013 20:24

I know someone who got a few of the 10 books for £10 sets from the book people and gave each child one of them and a slice of cake instead.

thecatfromjapan · 04/06/2013 20:29

I agree too.

I'd suggest we join forces, go on strike, and begin the fight-back here - a kind of "Return of the Jedi" of no-party bags: a slice of old-skool birthday cake in tissue paper as a light sabre, or "the force", or something. However, I would be a hypocrite, since mine are now officially past the party bag years (just). I wish I had been stronger when they were younger. However, I was not strong enough to make my stand against the tyranny of the party bag.

Pleasenomorepeppa · 04/06/2013 20:29

I didn't do them for DDs 4th Birthday a few weeks ago. Instead I went to Morrisons & got a load of 50p bubble wands.
They went down a storm Grin.

Original poster
idiuntno57 · 04/06/2013 20:30

sirzy a brave person indeed. My DC's all demand that I produce them for their little brother. I guess that at 8 they are coming to realise that their partybag time is coming to an end.

NB coming whilst I am sure I will mourn the passing of my DC's youth I can confidently predict that I will not mourn the passing of the party bag!

OP posts:
breatheslowly · 04/06/2013 20:45

YANBU - but it would be really hard not to do them. DD is 2.5 and already knows that parties end with bags, by 4 it can't really be avoided unless you want to be remembered as having the party without party bags.

SoupDragon · 04/06/2013 20:47

I like to think of them as "now go home" bags. Or something with a few curse words added.

HollyBerryBush · 04/06/2013 20:52

The concept of party bags is out of control.

Back in the day, when dinosaurs roamed he earth, you got a slice of cake in a serviette, and a balloon if you were particularly lucky.

CloudsAndTrees · 04/06/2013 20:53

YABU! I LOVE party bags!

I love choosing them, filling them, organising them, using them to make me feel like an efficient host with my child being polite, seeing what my dc have in theirs when they go to parties, everything about them!

frogspoon · 04/06/2013 20:58

I think it is nice to give something, but party bags are just a load of useless tat that will get lost/broken in 5 minutes, and some sugar.

I like the idea of giving a book, with a piece of cake of course!

lavendersgreen · 04/06/2013 20:59

YABU!!! I really enjoy shopping for goody bag items....I'm always picking up reduced stuff to put away for DDs birthday parties.

I don't understand why it causes such angst..... it's supposed to be fun Grin

Idbeloveandsweetness · 04/06/2013 20:59

The dc love them though! Ds is obsessed with them. He carries them round for several days after the party examining the tat treasures and stroking them lovingly.

They seem to bring a lot of pleasure to me so I'm a fan! They only need a bouncy ball, some sweets and a balloon and ds is thrilled.

miffybun73 · 04/06/2013 21:01

I'm with Clouds and Trees. I love them :)

Chottie · 04/06/2013 21:02

I think they have just got out of control. They used to be a slice of cake and a balloon.

I know of someone who's DD has just had a party and the DM invited 40 (yes 40) children to the party. She was moaning about having to prepare 40 party bags. Hmm I asked if that meant her DD would receive 40 presents and she said yes.

fuzzpig · 04/06/2013 21:03

I quite like doing them but we only have small parties.

Brownowlahi · 04/06/2013 21:04

YANBU. They are a hideous invention. Cheap sweets that my kids generally won't eat, some tatty piece of junk that I could do without. I have a cuboard full of bubbles and enough packets of wax crayons/pencil crayons I could open a shop. These bags are only redeemed if you get a lovely slice of home made birthday cake in it.

piedpiper4 · 04/06/2013 21:04

I'm one of the mums who buys book people book packs, splits them up and gives one to each child with cake and a balloon. I got so fed up of having all the small (and yet expensive) rubbish that came home in party bags, I decided to buck the trend.

Elquota · 04/06/2013 21:07

I don't mind them as long as they're not OTT. After the party it keeps kids entertained for a while with novelty stuff.

usualsuspect · 04/06/2013 21:07

I always loved them, not the worthy book in a brown bag ones.

But the cheap tat ,sweets and cake in a garish plastic bag ones

ApocalypseCheeseToastie · 04/06/2013 21:07

My dcs are 14 and 12......I STILL do party bags Blush

raisah · 04/06/2013 21:08

my cousin sent her dd to a private school and the stuff parents would put in party bags was shocking. She got an ipod nano and chanel makeup one year. Be thankful you have to buy bubbles and glowsticks.

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 04/06/2013 21:08

well, technically they are unnecessary
but the DC bloody love them, regardless of content, and surely at a party you want your guests to leave happy?

and agree with Soupdragon that they are an important cue: "Here's your bag, now leave my house".

Elquota · 04/06/2013 21:10

An iPod?

deleted203 · 04/06/2013 21:10

I'm mean. You get a slice of cake in a serviette at our parties. The cheap tat costs a ruddy fortune. I feel exactly the same as piedpiper on the rubbish that came home. And I objected to adding another £40, perhaps, to my bill for the party by spending a couple of quid on 20 party bags.

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