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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:
Floggingmolly · 04/06/2013 21:11

I've done the books thing. Some of the little buggers darlings still demanded to know where the party bag was.

usualsuspect · 04/06/2013 21:12

I never had parties for 2O kids.

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 04/06/2013 21:18

I just bought a job lot of stuff and filled a colourful bucket with it and let them help themselves, under strict supervision. Well, until the last party when I stupidly let one of the mums supervise and she let her little graspers darlings take bloody handfuls.

SorryMyLollipop · 04/06/2013 21:19

A mum who I know, had a party in her garden and didn't do party bags (cultural reasons, not from the uk) she printed out an A3 glossy photo for each child with snaps of the party on them and gave them out a few days later. It was lovely!

Original poster
idiuntno57 · 04/06/2013 21:20

I am genuinely taken aback that some people actually enjoy party bag preparation..

i think perhaps i am miserable old cah Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
idiuntno57 · 04/06/2013 21:21

just wondering if the party bag lovers also did favours at their wedding and loved these too...

OP posts:
usualsuspect · 04/06/2013 21:25

I'm not married.

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 04/06/2013 21:26

no favours.
it's different - no grown-up actually looks forward to receiving a little bag of sugared almonds or a Madge & Harold whisky tumbler

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 04/06/2013 21:26

I love them, DD loves choosing the stuff and filling them all up. No chance of books here, we love hunting out nice little gifts and choosing sweets and balloons.

Every time we've had a book from a party bag we've already had it as everyone does the same thing and buys them from the Book People.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 04/06/2013 21:27

Should add we buy the sets from Book People for the DCs as well, that's why we always seem to have them already.

Nivet · 04/06/2013 21:29

I'm a party bag lover and proud of it. I did wedding favours, locally produced real ale for men and tins of hand cream or lip balm for the women.

I also love Christmas and any excuse to tit around making things be lovely.

I have started my Christmas shopping.

Do you all hate me? Grin

In my favour I swear a lot, hate pink, glitter and fairies and laugh at bad things.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 04/06/2013 21:29

We did do sugared almond favours, but only because we thought we ought to and everyone else seemed to back then, the whole thing about party bags is that they are exciting for children, I don't get excited about them on my own behalf IYSWIM, just love seeing the DCs get excited as they look inside them.

Original poster
idiuntno57 · 04/06/2013 21:32

I think perhaps that I am just a bit bah humbug about the parties full stop. It is always the bags that tip me over the edge though. I spend much time negotiating my way out of x4 parties a year. Have never managed to negotiate away the bloody bags...

OP posts:
Original poster
idiuntno57 · 04/06/2013 21:33

nivet not hate. just perplexed.

OP posts:
breatheslowly · 04/06/2013 21:35

I see party bags as a necessary evil as I wouldn't want to be remembered as the parent who didn't. Wedding favours are a big 'no' from me. I am sure that they were made up by the wedding industry which tries to push vast quantities of tat at you.

MNjuryAIBU · 04/06/2013 21:35

DD gave out a small book and a piece of cake in a bag to each guest.
Does putting the stuff in a bag bit really make any difference?

Fakebook · 04/06/2013 21:35

I love it. I'm already thinking up dd's party bag gifts for her 6th birthday in November. Last year I bought treasure chests and filled them with goodies for her Pirate birthday.

Bue · 04/06/2013 21:36

Back in the day when I grew up (in Canada), party bags actually served a very good purpose because often they were just paper lunch bags and one of the party activities was decorating your bag (then they got filled at the end). I guess that would be considered a REALLY lame party activity now.

Sommink · 04/06/2013 21:41

I get other people to do mine, last year I got a local sweet shop to do those sweet cones, worked out at about 80p each and all looked great...This year I got small cake boxes saying thanks for coming to dds party for the bday cake and hired a balloon man so each kid got a balloon to take away instead of cheep tat a party bag

shemademedoit · 04/06/2013 21:43

I just give out Kinder Eggs...

babybarrister · 04/06/2013 21:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fuzzpig · 04/06/2013 21:44

Blimey I thought DH had seen the worst (or best depending on how you look at it!) example - when he worked in a high street store, they were selling off some X box games and somebody bought 15 for party bags Confused

I'm excited about this year's because I've got some nice character tumblers that will be filled with stuff (mostly sweets) and wrapped in cellophane.

Original poster
idiuntno57 · 04/06/2013 21:46

starting to feel like a bad parent because I hate them so much. Even the thought of the joy on their faces demanding bag with menacing looks isn't doing it for me....

OP posts:
MarianForrester · 04/06/2013 21:46

I went to party recently when it was just a piece of cake in a bag- I was impressed, and dcs seemed happy as was something to eat Smile

MyDarlingClementine · 04/06/2013 21:47

I do not like putting them together, but love the face of dc when they get them! I also remember with great fondness the party bags I used to get also.