ds's 7th birthday - i don't want to do party bags

[hoxtonchick]

he wants to invite about 15 children, & there'll be siblings too. it's in our house, star wars dvds & pizza.

all fine & dandy. but i really don't want to do that many party bags. need to do something though i suspect. i was thinking mini bars of chocolate on the way out. is that mean? or maybe helium balloons? or is that not sophisticated enough? arrrrgh. help.

Last one's I did, pencils, erasers, and a tooter. They all loved the tooter. But I have a dollar store here which is great. One before we did on mini bar of chocolate, a small tube of toothpaste and a mini toothbrush and other mini puzzle books. The toothbrush was the biggest hit .

I think the book idea is a good one. A book and a bar of chocolate - what's not to like?

A friend did packs of Top Trumps cards once for her DS - but she only had 6 of them coming.

DS went to a party on Sat and came back with a mini tup of play dough and some jelly beans. Played with the playdough for ages which surprised me. Wasn't bothered with the jelly beans. He is 7.

hmm difficult one! When I did dd's party when she was 5 I had kids ambushing me at the door! there I was with the box of party bags and kids literally swamped me all I saw was a sea of arms! - really couldn't believe how expectant and 'grabby' they were - but suppose they are just kids! - my kids don't act like that I may add!

Also one tooter didn't work for one kid so he came back for another ?!

Anyway I agree that they are a HUGE waste of money! But think something is expected at the end! there are a few good ideas here

Other ideas for the thread - ossibly not suitable for the OP -

Little terracotta pots with a packet of seeds and some little chocolates inside.

Big homemade cookies, with each child's name writen in icing.

play with playdoh (again, homemade, so cheap) at the party, then each child takes home a little plastic tub of playdoh and a cutter.

have a treasure hunt as a game - children decorate a paper bag to keep their treasure (sweets) in, and take it home.

Each child decotates a plain white t-shirt with fabric paint, the takes home their t-shirt

Most popular party bags I've ever done have been a Book People book with a chocolate bar sellotaped to the front. You can please everyone from the grabby kids to the snooty parents with that.

ooh more good ideas