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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Party bags for 13yo’s?

74 replies

blondieminx · 15/01/2023 09:33

DD is having a small sleepover for her 13th birthday.

are young teens too cool for a naice gift bag with a book and a bath bomb or similar? AIBU to offer something like that? I’d be chuffed with that but then I’m 43 😂 I’d like to send them home with a little treat - but “party bags” of plastic tat plus a bit of cake seem a bit old hat at this age?

suggestions very welcome!

OP posts:
LadyMonicaBaddingham · 15/01/2023 09:55

Party favours are always nice to receive. Maybe a mini succulent, or an elastic hairband to go with the bathe bomb?

StubbleAndSqueak · 15/01/2023 09:55

ElspethTascioni · 15/01/2023 09:52

Party bag equivalent at 13? My gast is well and truly flabbered…

I didn’t do party bags for my 8 year old’s last party and not have several other parents. I just think the whole concept is unnecessarily wasteful in a world of scarce resources.

And @ElspethTascioni has come along and sucked the joy from the thread
Very impressed by your DM & DMIL planning @blondieminx , they are my sort of people 😀

PerpetualFailure · 15/01/2023 09:55

Photo frame with print out from evening could also work if you have a polaroid camera. Insecond friendship bracelets too. Smiley faces a la 90s and crystals were in fashio recently. Face masks are popular. Anything skincare is a winner. Hair bobbles. Novelty socks.

lap90 · 15/01/2023 09:56

Bath bomb sounds nice.

1982mommaof4 · 15/01/2023 09:58

PuttingDownRoots · 15/01/2023 09:35

Are they the sort to be into pamper bags? So stuff for the party like a face mask, sweets, popcorn etc rather than given at the end.

This!

ElspethTascioni · 15/01/2023 09:59

@StubbleAndSqueak

OP asked for opinions, I gave mine. It’s completely legitimate. 🤷🏻‍♀️ and I don’t think not wanting to waste money and time sourcing tat that will end up under beds and the back of drawers, to be binned in a clear-out in 3-5 years is joyless…just cutting out the middleman really.

Original poster
blondieminx · 15/01/2023 10:02

ElspethTascioni · 15/01/2023 09:52

Party bag equivalent at 13? My gast is well and truly flabbered…

I didn’t do party bags for my 8 year old’s last party and not have several other parents. I just think the whole concept is unnecessarily wasteful in a world of scarce resources.

You have no idea what my family has been through in the past few years. I just want to do something nice for DD and friends.

OP posts:
harrassedmumto3 · 15/01/2023 10:03

ElspethTascioni · 15/01/2023 09:52

Party bag equivalent at 13? My gast is well and truly flabbered…

I didn’t do party bags for my 8 year old’s last party and not have several other parents. I just think the whole concept is unnecessarily wasteful in a world of scarce resources.

🙄

Original poster
blondieminx · 15/01/2023 10:04

ElspethTascioni · 15/01/2023 09:59

@StubbleAndSqueak

OP asked for opinions, I gave mine. It’s completely legitimate. 🤷🏻‍♀️ and I don’t think not wanting to waste money and time sourcing tat that will end up under beds and the back of drawers, to be binned in a clear-out in 3-5 years is joyless…just cutting out the middleman really.

No, I asked for suggestions as to what to put in.

subtle difference…

OP posts:
StubbleAndSqueak · 15/01/2023 10:05

It is joyless though @ElspethTascioni , joyless funless and dull
Perhaps @blondieminx can adopt them a goat each ?
@PerpetualFailure ideas are lovely

Original poster
blondieminx · 15/01/2023 10:09

Thank you to all the kind people who made helpful suggestions.

I think I will do mini pamper bags for on the night and I really like the resizable cups idea (and sweets inside will get eaten and the cups reused so hopefully a zero clutter party favour!)

OP posts:
ElspethTascioni · 15/01/2023 10:10

I’m sorry you’re had a hard time @blondieminx I hope things are better now.

It doesn’t change my opinion on party bags, I answered in good faith that you wanted opinions. But I hope the party goes well, and will leave the thread.

Snoopystick · 15/01/2023 10:12

My DD went to a party recently and they each got a different coloured pen with their name on (presume from eBay or Etsy), a small writing pad and some chocolate. DD was very happy with the pen and even she appreciated how much trouble her friend’s mum must have taken to do this.

Mummyoflittledragon · 15/01/2023 10:13

ElspethTascioni · 15/01/2023 09:52

Party bag equivalent at 13? My gast is well and truly flabbered…

I didn’t do party bags for my 8 year old’s last party and not have several other parents. I just think the whole concept is unnecessarily wasteful in a world of scarce resources.

Thirteen is completely different from 8. Parents of primary school children may think that is old, approaching adulthood. It really isn’t.

I think a party bag for the actual party is a good idea op tbh. My dd is 14 btw.

ElspethTascioni · 15/01/2023 10:16

My oldest child is 19, @Mummyoflittledragon and I also was once 13 myself, weirdly…

Happin · 15/01/2023 10:18

Lovely idea OP, ignore the dull people 🤣

Extraordinarytimes · 15/01/2023 10:22

Blondiemix I think that sounds really nice. My 12 y old recently received a goodie bag from a sleepover - matching pjs, bed socks, face masks, blindfolds and other bits; she was thrilled! (And made for nice pics, but obviously expensive).

In turn at her sleepover, we did goodie bags - chocolate orange, scrunchie, cat ears, nail varnish remover wipes (they were doing nails and as they were a few boarders, I wanted to make sure they didn’t get into trouble at school!) nail files and orange sticks, face masks and a lip balm. They went down well and were affordable; I imagine less than £20 for 5 bags as I picked up multi packs at B&M.

MintyPrincess · 15/01/2023 10:23

Do a basket with stuff in for them to help themselves

snowlady4 · 15/01/2023 10:23

I think people are getting too caught up in calling them 'party bags.' The OP obviously means an age appropriate gift for the party guests. I think it's a lovely idea.
Pamper products are nice if they're into them. Water bottle filled with sweets? Maybe with their names on? Mug of hot chocolate things and popcorn for film.
We had those puzzles one time, with a tenner in the middle, you had to crack the puzzle to access the money- even with a fiver, it's a bit of fun!
Let us know what you decide!

Extraordinarytimes · 15/01/2023 10:25

Oh and @ElspethTascioni - I gave party bags out at my 8 year olds party recently. They all had a chocolate orange. I promise that no one felt too old for one; siblings were sniffing around for any spares! Party bags do not have to = plastic tat; they’re just a way of saying thank for you coming, time to leave 🤷‍♀️

StubbleAndSqueak · 15/01/2023 10:29

ElspethTascioni · 15/01/2023 10:16

My oldest child is 19, @Mummyoflittledragon and I also was once 13 myself, weirdly…

Christ you'd hate me , I did Easter egg hunts for my children too and they were well past that age , on space hoppers with the odd glass of cider thrown in wearing rabbit ears
Life is about having fun

euff · 15/01/2023 10:30

DD went to a sleepover party where they were given a tote bag with their initial on it (it was a nice one too and I kept nicking it not like the stringy things you get in lots of places). It contained pj's and sleep mask and might have had other stuff that they used on the night and took home with them. So not a party bag in the traditional sense given at the end but they still got nice things they went home with. Hope she had a lovely time.

Hoppinggreen · 15/01/2023 10:31

From memory for DD 13th everyone got a little make up bag with their initial on and a mirror, lipgloss and chocolate inside.
Went down very well, expensive but there were only 5 of them

Redhop · 15/01/2023 10:38

As above really. Get to primark/ quality save for pamper bits. Either individual make up bags or in a big basket with popcorn / sweets etc.
Hope you all have a good night

familyissues12345 · 15/01/2023 10:42

A pamper bag sounds lovely, maybe a bath bomb and a sheet mask?