To really resent doing party bags for my dc's bday parties??

[justkeeponsmiling]

It annoys the hell out of me!
This week we are having a bday party for 4yo DS and 8yo DD (bad planning from us a few years back, I know!)
Money is tight and we are already hiring a bouncy castle, feeding the party guests and entertaining them with games, etc. for 2-3 hours. And feeding the parents of the 4yo guests as well, if last year is anything to go by, as they all decided to stay and tuck into the buffet...
I don't mind any of that, but I really resent the custom of then having to present the guests with presents in the form of party bags for even turning up!
Maybe it's because I'm not from this country and I know that in my home country the concept of party bags simply doesn't exist (at least it didn't years ago...maybe that's changed now though?!)
Or maybe I'm just a miserable so and so... hmmm [hmmm]

YANBU though OP.I wonder how they started -perhaps for the slices of cake? Then some bright spark with too much time on their hands and money kind person put some balloons in to the bags too,then someone else put in cake,balloons and those awful whistles, then..........!

Tesco has sricker books on 3 for £5 (sticker price 4/5.99 each so a good deal) we got these and a tube of smarties each as the smartie four pack was £1 on offer.

They had lots of different books to choose from generic animals transport etc through to barbie moshi monsters etc.

I quite like making party bags up though and have themed them to the party but they do work out expensive abd time consuming.

I wouldn't be offended if someone didn't give a party bag though.

One year we had 2 craft tables, one with cheap white t-shirts from the supermarket and fabric crayons, so they could design their own t-shirt to take home (the t-shirts were £1 each!), the other table had 'crowns' that I'd cut out of coloured card for the children to decorate with sequins, feathers and pom poms.

They got to take home the creations that had kept them occupied at the party, with a piece of cake.

I was rather pleased with that idea!

I've never done party bags, I hate them. What I do is give every child a book, a mini bag of haribo and a piece of birthday cake. I get the books from the book people in packs of 10 or 15, so they usually cost around £1 each, wrap them up and there you go.

Sometimes, it can be daunting to invite child's friends and their carers to a party since the cost is such an issue but my children don't insist on birthday parties and I have organised them in the past to actually meet other parents!

I don't stay if the party is held at a soft play area but if at child's home then I ask the host if they need any help. To save money, my children had parties at home and I organised treasure hunts (yes, round the house and in small garden), musical cushions (not enough chairs!), colour in their own masks, pass the parcel, etc.

Party bags: sweeties, bubble tubs, colouring pens, notepad and ballon on a stick have been very popular.

My party bags contents are: balloon, glowstick, paper aeroplane or colour in doll,1 freddos chocolate, lollipop

ANother vote for Book People packs, split up.
Add a piece of cake
If you really feel it's necessary, add a balloon/ small bubbles or a mini bar of chocolate (I don't bother tbh)

Love prepping party bags. Keep my eyes open for treats, in the month leading up to party.
Love doing it.

I don't like the book people thing .... how does anyone know what level any kid is reading at, or the books they like, or if they have them... most here end up in the charity shop bag...

it always seems pretentious - giving something the parents will like , not for the kids... who would most likely love a simple lollipop.

How do you know which children like lollipops?

Soup... I don't, but someone in the family will usually eat it...

whereas they don't really want 3 copies of "Horrible Histories.." or "Rainbow Magic

I hate my DS bringing home plastic crap and more sweets, on top of all the rubbish he'll have eaten at the party, but he loves party bags. I have appreciated the books much more but not sure he's that thrilled. At his last knights/ princesses party each child had a named empty party bag (yellow moon) and we did some crafts at the party that they then got to take home, plus 'treasure' (chocolate money) from the piñata and a piece of cake. Seemed to go down ok. Shrinkles worked particularly well as a craft/ gift, but we also did scratch art dragons and decorated crowns. I actually enjoyed doing stuff that fitted in with the party theme rather than completely random tat.
I agree with the posters that said if you are going to resent spending money and time on them then don't do them.

madeof if you have the book already surely it goes into the birthday box to regift? Better that the tat going into the bin.

I don't do them.

I don't do cake wrapped into a napkin either.

Both concepts are incomprehensible to me, a small part where I have not conformed to British habits.

I did for a bit as I felt pressured into them. But now I just don't.

I have done them but won't anymore. I've put in a glow stick, boxes of Smarties, Haribo, etc. I buy an extra value birthday cake and cut that up. I like that they mark the end of the party.

If my ds cried or made a fuss if he didn't get a party bag if be and take him straight home to explain his rudeness.

Adults asking for food and BOOZE

Be brave and just don't do them. They are (usually) full of plastic crap and chewy sweets anyway.

Definitely stuff 'em.

I buy books from the Book People ,wrap them up and stick a cone of sweets on the side.

It doesn't matter what's in them (and in my mind a book is as much a party favour as a bag of plastic nonsense and a flump) - they are Good Things.

I can't imagine finding them tiresome. How mean spirited!

I genuinely like the plastic crap, it is fun! My children love receiving party bags. The toys that they've played with most enthusiastically have been parachute men, sticky crawl down window figures, bouncy balls, telescopes, paper fans. But they love a party bag pretty much whatever is in it. The last party they went to, their bag contained a packet of crisps, a lolly, a tiny notebook and a single Fireman Sam lenticular sticker (cut from a sheet of about ten). Must have cost under a pound but they were so chuffed to have a little something to take home. We've been to a few parties where they haven't given them though and nobody minded. If you don't like doing them, letting each child pick a couple of sweets on the way out might encourage them to go at the right time. Many children only ever see a sweet at parties and so they are more prized than they were in the 70s and 80s I reckon.

Used to love doing them.

At least you only have to do them if you have a party. we are expected to bring 'treats' for all the kids in a class/nursery group. At nursery we can't bring cakes or sweets. We now have an almost weekly trail of tiny sticker books/bubbles/pencils coming in - and this will only get worse.

Some Mums - and yes it is always Mums - arrive with NAMED treats. Handmade and hand packed. Bastards. I just about manage to order a sack of junk online in time to be handed out. My daughter is three. I will be a gibbering wreck by the time we make it to the bowling & pizza days.

I like doing something crafty that they can take home instead of plastic tat.

Then they take home their creation + cake.

But generally, I love doing kids parties

DS1's party last weekend had something like 30 kids at it, at my house. Plus loads of adults who all know us well enough to bring their own booze. I did a small table of snacks for grownups, and timed it so it wasn't a "meal," kids had a few sandwiches/ buns each.

It was gas craic, I love summer birthdays.

Do, or do not. But just do what you feel comfy with, why bother doing stuff just for the sake of it?

Nacster can I hire you?

I couldn't throw a birthday party without one. For our sons birthday we did age appropriate birthday boxes:

Babies
Soft Giraffe
Bubble Bath
Sensory toy
Rattle
Comforter

Toddlers

Flash Cards
Soft Giraffe
Stacking Cups
Bubbles
Soft sweets

Under 5's

Mini Note book
Crayons
Bubbles
Sweets
Mini Jigsaws
Balloons

The Toddlers and Under fives all got hot food boxes Chicken Nuggets, Fish Fingers, Wedges and Chips and tomato Ketchup(all home made) there was also:
Coronation Chicken Sandwiches
Ham Sandwiches
Cheese Sandwiches
Antipasti
Cold Meat Platter
Various breads
Olive Oil
Mini Calzones
Pomodori Secchi Fritti
Greek plata
Tapas - Meat balls, Risotto
Pizza
Rice Salad
Pasta Salad
Chinese snacks
Indian Snacks
Crisps
Dips
Crudities
Chicken
Sausage Rolls
Pork Pies
Wedges
Chocolate brownies
Doughnuts
Chocolate Éclairs
Fairy Cakes
Profiteroles
Fruit
Jelly
Ice cream

Water
Sicilian Lemonade
Ginger Beer
Elderflower fizz
Morello Cherryade
Milkshakes
Smoothies

Everything was homemade.