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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think someone should win pass the parcel!

56 replies

Inboxer · 24/11/2014 13:54

Went to a party yesterday and every child won a prize at pass the parcel! The parcel was too heavy for any of the children to lift when the game started and it just went on and on until all 20 children had got something. Many wandered off bored and it was frankly very dull! With 20 identical prizes and no overall winner it all felt a bit pointless!

OP posts:

AlpacaLypse · 26/11/2014 11:12

The easy way to stop it getting mind-numbingly boring is to have three or four parcels. That way each one is small enough at the beginning for small people to handle and the whole game is three or four times as fast.

Definitely a sweetie or something in each layer, and the 'big' prize something fairly small.

My mum used to have a chart on the kitchen wall with the name of every little guest, when each one won a party game she'd tick the name off, and would manipulate the games as time went on to ensure everyone won at least one prize.

skylark2 · 26/11/2014 11:15

We did a small prize in every layer and a bigger one in the middle.

I remember fixing it so that DD's friend got the pack of coloured pencils, as she'd just been taken away from her mum by SS and DD had commented that she didn't have any.

Bettercallsaul1 · 26/11/2014 11:59

Hahaha - these stories are hilarious! The trouble we go to for our beloved offspring!

Chillychicken - That cautionary tale illustrates beautifully how children's party games can never, ever, be left to chance!

DialsMavis · 26/11/2014 12:08

DS was in charge of music for PTP at DDs party and he made her win, it was mortifying!

ClawHandsIfYouBelieveInFreaks · 26/11/2014 12:10

What gets me wound up is when an over enthusiastic child tears off more than one layer! I wrap loosely to avoid this but there's always one!

ClawHandsIfYouBelieveInFreaks · 26/11/2014 12:12

My brother once went for dinner at a "Lady someone or other's house" she was in her 20s and she had pass the parcel after dinner with amazingly lavish gifts in each layer....you know...designer tees and so on. He was embarrassed!

Bettercallsaul1 · 26/11/2014 13:10

Of course, you also get the child, who's already had a turn, who clings doggedly to the parcel when the music stops, refusing to hand it on to the next child who was meant to get it! Cue lots of scuffling and screaming until the hostess advances with a bright, fixed smile and wrenches the parcel - by now rather scuffed and torn - away from the offender, making a swift mental note to "lose" his invitation next year!

Sprink · 26/11/2014 15:24

Chandon, yes to the cake thing. Wrapped and taken away in a napkin? What is this strange custom, ha?!

(It also used to annoy me because one has to present the cake and sing, then get it cut and wrapped in time to shove in bags for home. Just a bad idea all around, really.)

However, I have done most of these things because its important my children (born and bred Brits) don't think their mother is (too) crazy.

Bettercallsaul1 · 26/11/2014 16:09

Yes, these are the rituals of childhood - mushy cake in a napkin and games involving endless layers of paper!

By the way, isn't it nice to be discussing something of real importance, instead of all these threads on politics, racism and poverty?

Chandon · 26/11/2014 17:12

It's lovely :)

I do all these things too

LynetteScavo · 26/11/2014 17:19

Yes there should be a prize!

To jazz thinks up I have had 2 parcels going around at the same time, and so 2 winners. Each layer should have a very small, but different prize in each layer to maintain interest.

of course I never fixed it that my own child won at their party, oh no

Sprink · 26/11/2014 17:34

This thread does make a nice change of pace, agreed.

Back to pass the parcel and other British customs, it's great fun to learn these traditions, even getting it wrong. My children occasionally despair when I put my foot down (no, you will not have chocolate advent calendars, and just sign your name on the Valentine's card) but they like explaining things to me if I do get it wrong.

Plus, I've revised my opinion on pass the parcel--some of these suggestions add a bit more, erm, life to it!

kiwimumof2boys · 27/11/2014 00:46

I have witnessed/experienced way too much stress from pass the parcel at kids parties, so now I just refuse to have it as a game at my kids' parties. I have lots of other games, though, I promise!
Yes, I'm mean I know . . . but making sure everyone has a turn just raises the stress levels and there is always tears from a guest who hasn't had a go.
Reading some of these stories makes me glad I stopped.

ToysRLuv · 27/11/2014 01:20

I'm an immigrant, but not at all fond of these party games (just a lot of stress, really). Neither is my son (in fact he would often refuse to take part at all, and couldn't give a toss about sweets/party bag type toys), so he doesn't feel like he is losing out. Also see absolutely no point in mushy cake in napkin to tale home and bin , so radicly enough, cake is served to eat at the party. I think a good party calls for free play and maybe one or two specific structured entertaining things (DH likes doing magic tricks etc.). And lots of lovely food and drink..

ToysRLuv · 27/11/2014 01:22

Excuse typos- kindle keyboard has been acting up today..

Trumpton · 27/11/2014 01:32

Lolly in between each layer . Child without lolly stick jutting of of mouth hasn't had a go at unwrapping a layer yet !

sallysparrow157 · 27/11/2014 01:36

Not pass the parcel but this thread reminded me of playing musical statues when I was about 4. I was mid leap off the playroom sofa when the music stopped. It stopped when I was in mid air. I was disqualified for moving because I feckin landed after the music had stopped. Bitter? Me? Hell yeah!

Sprink · 27/11/2014 01:39

There there, sallysparrow, it will be all right.

Trumpton · 27/11/2014 01:47

Known in our family as "Castle Castle" took us a while to guess what game small Ds was demanding we play at his party.
" you know the one and we sit and it stops and someone gets something . You do know ! Castle Castle ,"
Has to be said to rhyme with Parcel Parcel.

sallysparrow157 · 27/11/2014 01:58

Sprink, it was only 30 yrs ago so practically yesterday, is only natural I should bear a grudge! (Ok, maybe I am just jealous of the fact that they basically lived in a stately home, had an actual playroom and my mum still gave them all my my little ponies cos they were younger than me)

Bulbasaur · 27/11/2014 03:54

Were you also puzzled by the cake not being eaten, but taken away in a paper napkin in aplastic bag, to create a hideous sticky paper-icing mess....(and then what do you do with it?)

Wait. You don't eat the cake at the party?

Bulbasaur · 27/11/2014 03:56

DS was in charge of music for PTP at DDs party and he made her win, it was mortifying!

Aww.. But that's a sweet brotherly thing for him to do.

lucy101 · 27/11/2014 04:10

I all sorts of things in between the layers, sometimes a chocolate, sometimes a pair of silly sunglasses and last year a squishy rubber poo as one prize! The kids loved it and it kept them interested. I am going to add forfeits as some of the layers now too....

Whowouldfardelsbear · 27/11/2014 04:55

Here in NZ cake is eaten at the party.

Last party i went to the dad made sure the birthday girl won the pass the parcel. It was only a third birthday though and none of the guests seemed to take any of it in really.

What stood out for me was that the party parents had a brand new house and were literally following the little guests around with a carpet sweeper and hoover.

Whowouldfardelsbear · 27/11/2014 04:56

Oh and SallySparrow - i get you. As recently as about 33 years ago i lost musical bumps as a boy stood on my dress making it impossible for me to sit down quickly. The party parent wasn't even interested in listening to my protests.

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