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Original poster

Party Bags .... why do we do them??????

129 replies

ghosty · 24/09/2005 09:00

I can't stand doing them and I can't stand DS and DD receiving them.
Warning: Bah Humbug alert ...
Total waste of money for the hosts of the party ... complete PITA for the parents of the children getting them.
DS and DD came home from a party yesterday with bags brimming with chocolate and sweets (as if they didn't have enough AT the party) and a pile of cheap tatt that they won't look at again ... plastic crap ...

Who likes giving them (wasting money on tatt when you have already spent money on a party etc) and who likes receiving them? And why please?

Is there an alternative?

OP posts:
edam · 25/09/2005 15:29

I like party bags - have great fun filling them. Complicated though as ds is only two so both his birthdays have been more our family and friends and their kids range from 3 months to 8 - hard to find gifts for the whole range (and remember whose bag is whose).

Adults get party bags too - someone mentioned the Oscars. You get them at most PR bashes and corporate functions. I got one with body shop shampoo and conditioner in once, which was a bit of a let-down (although handy).

mummylonglegs · 25/09/2005 15:32

I think I'd draw the line at adult party bags

I enjoy doing them too. And I like dd's excitement at getting one. She's only 3 though so her enjoyment is pretty straightforward.

Skribble · 25/09/2005 22:43

As you might of quesed I love party bags. I sell lovely things to put in bags. For DD's party I made party cups. Pack of paper cups filled with gel pens, rubbers and stickers from multi packs and a bit of cake finished with cellophane and ribbons.

I think it is a bit much to say you can't stand them, if someone goes to the effort to give a little bag of goodies its not a good example to your children to grab it out their hands in the car going home and chuck it away. The exception to the rule is tooters and whistles, they go straight in the bucket , pleas parents do not send these home with hyperactive kids (QofQ .
DD did get a bag recently that had crisps, sweets, cup drink, lolly, more sweets and 2 tooters. Far too much and 2 tooters FGS.

Skribble · 25/09/2005 22:45

Guessed i meant

clary · 25/09/2005 22:55

ghosty, my kids do like them actually, tho they are not that bothered what's in them...
I think they serve the purpose of saying "time to go home now".
An alternative could be a lucky dip or just a wrapped-up present (boy/girl) which might cost £1-£2. At a recent party the DSs picked up a slingshot aeroplane each which was really good (bit of a child-magnet in the park this weekend).
Or you could give everyoen a Book People bargain book (10 for £1 etc).

clary · 25/09/2005 23:09

reading the thread after posting (as usual) I see Enid says what I said (again as usual!)
IlanaK I have bought those usborne sticker books too! That a a bit of cake and a balloon is fine I reckon.
Soupy I agree with you about the balloons and also I always put chocolate in the bags, never colour sweets and please not those awful chupa chips lollies that I always worry a child will choke on...or am I just a neurotic worrier??

nooka · 25/09/2005 23:13

I've got pre-filled bags from monsterparty this year. They had some nice pink furry "princess" bags for about £2 each. Four or five things inside. Seemed like a good deal for a princess party, and dd will love them (she is 5 this year). There are quite a few places that do pre-filled bags, boxes, cups etc, and there is a lot of choice, which at least takes away the physical effort of searching for "not tat" but inexpensive bits and bobs. Worthwhile if you have more than about 8 or so guests.

Skribble · 26/09/2005 00:02

Glad to see you don't all hate party bags as this will be part of my growing business .

GeorginaA · 26/09/2005 08:16

clary - you're not a neurotic worrier. My ds1 choked on a boiled sweet from a party bag - was really scary. He was over 3 and I thought he'd be fine with it, was about to leave the room for a couple of minutes to check on his baby brother as well (as his brother was screaming) but then he started choking. I still have nightmares now where I left the room 30 seconds earlier...

Hate hate hate any boiled sweet/lollipop thing now. Don't let him have boiled sweets and always make sure it's at a time where I can supervise 100% when he has a lollipop, no matter how long it takes him to eat it.

serah · 26/09/2005 09:31

DS not of age where I am even remotely considering party bags yet, but has anyone seen the fantastic halloween party bag type gifts at ASDA???

They are brilliant - just the sort of stuff kids love and amazing value for money.

In fact wish I was having a kiddies halloween party

hellywobs · 26/09/2005 16:40

Ds is 3 in November, for 2nd bday party we used an indoor playspace and they did the party bags, for 3rd we are doing the same. If I had a party for him at home I would do a balloon and piece of birthday cake. Nothing more - it's MY son's birthday - he gets the presents!!

So am I tight too? Yes. Getting others to organise party away from my house is the best (and not necessarily the most expensive though not the economy) option for me. Ds loves it.

dinosaur · 26/09/2005 16:42

I didn't do party bags this year for the DSs' party, instead I had a small wrapped up present for each child. Took me bleddy ages to wrap them up, though.

onlyjoking9329 · 26/09/2005 17:38

i have mixed feelings on the party bag thing, my kids love them, i mostly hate them, mostly cos they seem to always have balloons in them, and it ain't a lot of fun having to inject adrenaline, cos you have a latex allergy, i feel rude asking before hard if there will be a party bag, requesting no balloons, they had a balloon modeller at one party, soyep i don't really like them

tina1975 · 26/09/2005 21:20

hello i love party bags and love making them up great website @ www.partydelights.co.uk they have everytheme possible and gifts from .20p
they also send out inflated balloons excellent we had nemo theme this time for dt's 2nd birthday yesterday all pass the parcel goodies were from the poundshop!! woodenbooks and colouring books etc very cheap

hullabaloo · 26/09/2005 21:59

I love doing party bags and as we've always had themed parties I spend ages trying to find gifts that fit. In saying that I shop carefully and look out for good buys at the £ shop or cheap cash and carry type places. I almost always have bubbles, kids love them. I hate the fact that they cost about 70p to buy from certain shops and yet at the cash and carry you can get 24 for £2. I also keep my numbers really small, then you can give better quality tat!! Notepads, pencils, stickers etc are good

Skribble · 26/09/2005 22:15

Onlyjoking I wouldn't consider it rude if you asked about balloons if you were allergic. I wanted to ask on DD's invitations if any one had allergies but everyone said if kids did their parents would say anyway and that it wasn't nescesary.

GeorginaA · 26/09/2005 22:18

Onlyjoking I wouldn't consider it rude either or be upset by it. Actually, I think I would be more embarrassed and upset if I found out later that I'd given your child a highly inappropriate and dangerous gift .

newgirl · 26/09/2005 22:20

nicest things my dd got were:

little miss book (nothing else - all the kids got one each and loved them)
decorated cupcake kids had made during party in little bag
balloon animal a dad had made at the party for each kid (I guess not good for 1-2 years?)

dodgiest things:

toy soldier with parachute
water pistol
tiny rubber ball that bounces off heads
peanut m and ms

my dd is 3 and would still think a bit of cake would be a good pressie but sadly I eat them before she gets to know they are in the bag

sunnyside · 26/09/2005 23:13

We went to two parties for one year olds and were given a ball, a teddy, a cake, a squeacky fish, choccy buttons, a tiny book...etc. It must've cost loads and none of the guests were old enough to knoe they'd even been to a party! All were youngerby at least 4 months!

I was a misery and just gave a piece of birthday cake. If they talk about me then they're mad!!

SoupDragon · 27/09/2005 08:16

onlyjoking, I would expect the parent of an allergic child to tell me of any potential problems. I think most party-organising parents would wouldn't they? You don't need to to ask if there'll be a party bag, jsut say when you accept the invitation that your child is allergic to latex and could they make sure there were no balloons about. Have to say,I was unaware that latex allergy included balloons until Mumsnet

onlyjoking9329 · 27/09/2005 10:03

the problem is the kids are fine, it's me who is allergic, so when i go to the party i feel awkward saying my kids can't have balloon cos it makes me very ill, plus picture if you will three kids with autism hanging onto the lovely balloons them mum comes along and says you will have to let it go outside, it always causes a scene, oh the joys

SoupDragon · 27/09/2005 10:45

Ahhhh, I see. Personally I still wouldn't mind if a mother came up and asked for no balloons for the reasons you give

lucy01 · 27/09/2005 14:16

Last year I got a bunch of paper bags from the grocer and got the kids to paint them with a stripe of blue (for boys) or pink (for girls) and then put a small tub of playdough from elc in with some stickers, a balloon and a couple of small animals (again from elc) for the boys and a couple of hair clips (from accessorise). Only chocolate I put in was a treat sized box of smarties. will probably do the same - was a production line in the morning with s-i-l's helping me out.

it does get a bit competitive though - one year we had separate gifts (teddy, book, toy, sweets galore) - could have murdered the parent it was way over the top and probably more than I spent on the present we gave.

to diverge - am thinking of asking people to give dd1 (4 in nov) books for her birthday. she has far too many toys and loves books - is that tacky or out of order? what do you think?

Tanzie · 27/09/2005 18:41

For DD's party they are getting a book and a bar of American chocolate (novelty value). Nice cheap books from the Lovely book people.

cuddlymum · 27/09/2005 19:25

Hello, I think they are a pain in the bum to do but have over the years put colouring books and crayons in rather than sweets and chocolates. Have also done a lucky dip with packs of colouring pens or buckets and spades for the beach (of course in summer).

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