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Parties/celebrations

Whether you're planning a birthday or a hen do, you'll find plenty of ideas for your celebration on our Party forum.

Original poster

No party bags-and only one complaint!

65 replies

notasheep · 14/01/2006 20:43

dd had 6th birthday party today,great time and saved a fortune.
I bravely didnt do party bags and only one guest(out of 19) said WHERES MY PARTY BAG?!!!!!!!!

Look,I am not a meaney,just hate the things.
Any body else manage to avoid them?

OP posts:
MarsOnLife · 15/01/2006 13:45

I don't do party bags.

Only ever had one complaint. I told wee Tarquin that he'd had a lovely party with lots of lovely food and that he should just say goodbye politely.

The kids get invited to lots of parties. Haven't suffered for the fact that their mother doesn't like or do party bags.

All the children seem to leave happily.

blueshoes · 15/01/2006 13:48

I won't do party bags out of principle. But KBear, like your idea. A bit of cake is nice as well. Simplicity is key!

Lonelymum · 15/01/2006 13:51

Dd recently went to a party and came home with a wrapped present - it almost looked like she had stolen one of the presents for he birthday girl! It turned out that everyone attending the aprty had been given one! Inside was a fancy skipping rope wi=hich is nice in a way as dd likes skipping and it is nice to not get all the little plastic rubbish, but also it was a waste of money as dd already has a skipping rope which works much better than the fancy one, and I haven't seen her skip with the new one since the day she got it.

I can't understand the need for party bags either: the children have just been fed and entertained, what more do they want? I have to say though, before Christmas, ds2 had 3 friends for bowling and one did tentatively ask if there was going to be a party bag. He didn't askin a rude way so I relented and filled some bags with some chocolates while they ate the tea.

Original poster
notasheep · 15/01/2006 14:07

They did all get a piece of cake to take home!

OP posts:
mandieb · 15/01/2006 14:07

When it was football season I gave a football to all the kids, and as his birthday is in june I gave them all a water pistol pack from Tesco very reasonable . This year he wants a disco so they are going to get those glow sticks they are cheap to but the kids love them . meant to say the football and water pistols were seperate partys .

WestCountryLass · 15/01/2006 22:20

For DSs party last year I gave all the kids one of those whistle lolly pops which the kids love the best and the boys got penny racers and the girls got hair slides that were like little tiaras.

I think getting one 'decent' thing is better than aload of crap.

My DS did the social faux pas of asking for his party bag at a party last year, he was jsut 4 at the time. I was so embarrassed!!!!!!

Eulalia · 15/01/2006 22:44

I don't know when the tradition of cutting the cake and then putting it into bags started... seems crazy your kid blowing it out and then whisking it away to be cut into minute slices, wrapped in a napkin which always sticks to it and then put in bag and by the time you get home it is totally squashed into a mush (unless it's been pressed into the car seat on the way).

No, never done that. Always have cake which is then cut and served to the kids straight away. As for party bags, always economise with sandwich bags, clear ones in my really poor days or you can get those coloured ones with stickers to close them with quite cheap. I've made my own fillings, home made biscuits, little cakes etc which can be done weeks in advance and frozen and just put in one very small toy or coloured pen type of thing. eBay is good for bulk party bag toys. Got some mini-jigsaws v cheap last year. Also add in a little home-made note saying thank you (done on the computer). Never had any complaints so far.

Original poster
notasheep · 16/01/2006 13:18

They ate their cake at the party

OP posts:
saadia · 16/01/2006 14:11

oh lordy, reading this thread I wish I had decided against party bags but have ordered a load of stuff from Party Pieces for ds's party on Saturday. It just didn't occur to me to not do it. Why wasn't this thread started earlier??

Mo2 · 16/01/2006 14:24

Do you think it's TOO organised to put a little note in each party bag saying 'thank's for coming, and thanks for my present' (assuming they bring one) - DS1's birthday is in late Dec and otherwise the thank you cards get lost in the Xmas confusion...

(Two years ago I out the family's CHristmas Card in their party bag too - saved postage! - but everyone teased me about being 'over-organised'

Mo2 · 16/01/2006 14:25

"thanks for coming.." don't know where that stray "'" came from ....

Original poster
notasheep · 16/01/2006 14:31

Sorry for not starting thread earlier-I can honestly say i will NEVER do party bags!

MO2-dont woory about notes,you are making too much work for yourself

OP posts:
Hadalifeonce · 16/01/2006 14:45

A friend recently set the precedent of no party bags, each child had the balloon that had been tied to their chair. We all thanked her, and swore to copy the example.

Blackduck · 16/01/2006 14:46

I too haven't done party bags (thou up til now there have always been more adults than children at ds's birthdays - only 2 thus far), just hope I can hold out in the future!

PeachyClair · 16/01/2006 14:54

I worked out I spend £17 a year on the plastic party bag bit alone, before contents! So I bought cheap gifts, taped them to a choccy bar and dh shredded papers to make a lucky dip in one of their toy boxes. Simple

crunchie · 16/01/2006 15:14

Mo2 it is not organised to put in a note like that. It is a bit rude IMHO to have written the Thank you note before you have opened the gift. It is v impersonal. I was taught you say Thank you for the lovely XXXX you gave me, we spent all w/e looking for Fing batteries to put in it

crunchie · 16/01/2006 15:18

Sorry that's the Thank you note to the MIL

Mo2 · 16/01/2006 15:37

Crunchie - - I haven't actually done the Thank you note in the party bag thing - was just speculating about how I could streamline things a bit

Yes - we do a party thank you in which DS writes who it's to, and refers to the specific pressie and signs it.

I think if he had to write about 30 letters in total we'd still be writing them next birthday!

Skribble · 16/01/2006 17:36

I have to say the hings I don't like in bags are the blowers and the balloons, trying to drive home with a blower in one ear and balloon in the other. I don't agree with whipping things out and binning them but I do with blowers, they are evil .

I think things like gel pens, little sheet of stickers, bath fizzers, little books rubbers, note books are all nice ideas.

Kbear the flowers are a lovely idea, you could finish the party by calling them up and presenting the flowers. You could buy artificial flowers quite cheap and make them up into poseys they can keep. Fresh or fake its a great idea. Check with a local florist it might be cheaper to buy the flowers you want from them rather than a buch made up. even a single rose with a ribbon tied round it would be nice.

KBear · 17/01/2006 13:36

thanks skribble - I'm glad no one thought it was naff! I'm so excited, I love a party and this one is spriralling bigger and bigger but I secretly love it!

I'm onto thinking about cakes now... hmmm, done the Tweeines, a princess castle, my little pony, holly hobbie, barbie (I'm only an amateur, not showing off!!). I'm off to the library for inspiration.

KBear · 04/02/2006 21:33

DD's party is tomorrow, just finishing tying 26 posies. Cost £6 altogether - much less than a pound a piece for a party bag which is what they usually amount to, if not more.

Am hoping that no one says "yeah but where's my party bag".

Wish me luck as the Kbears go cold turkey in setting the precedent for no party bags!

BudaBabe · 04/02/2006 21:38

Good luck!

DS (4) was at a joint party for 2 of his friends last week and got a party bag which included a blower, mask-type thing and a book. Loved the book - coudl have done without the other stuff.

Have to say that I love doing party bags though!

KBear · 04/02/2006 21:41

I always have too but I got a big bored trying to find perfect little pressies to go in them that don't cost the earth - it was ok when there were just 8-10 kids but we're having a BIG party tomorrow - 26 girls - so I couldn't face it. It thought little posies of flowers were quite grown up too and DD agrees. Hope her mates do!

Original poster
notasheep · 04/02/2006 21:42

No party bags fashion may continue then.

Its pantomime for dd and 3 schoolfriends next birthday so party bags will never be

OP posts:
moondog · 04/02/2006 21:44

Kbear..a sweet idea.
Party bags are a waste of time,money,energy and resources.
As someone says,they've had the party,what else do they need?
I don't allow presents either.

I hate tat,me.