Pass the parcel dilemma - please help!

[artyjoe]

I know this is stupid but hubby and I just managed to argue over how to wrap pass the parcel!

We will have 8 2-3 year old girls for a party (not birthday) on Saturday and my idea was to wrap chocolate medals, a couple of opal fruits and cheap braclets (from claires) in each wraper to keep the kids interested as they go around, ensuring of course that each child gets a go and then something a big bigger as the final prize...not got that bit yet.

The dilemma is, hubby wants to wrap them in tissue paper with no sticky tape...my thought is don't you need sticky tape or one child might manage to open the entire pass the parcel package?

Silly arguement I know, but lack of sleep has got us at each others throats and as I'm a first time mum and this is my first party, he has the upperhand as he has a daughter from a previous marriage and has 'been there'.

Help?

Make sure that each layer is a different colour, but I always use tape.

use the minimum of tape -say 3 peices? - and only put one prize in each layer (by sounds of your post they win LOTS!)
another ti[ is to do each layer in a diff colour/piece of paper so you can tell if the rip more than one off!

dh is menatlaist

Thanks for that...secretly knew I was right! I never thought of the different colours so will definitely do that, and instead of bracelets as well as sweets maybe put all the braclets as the final present so everyone gets to share in that.

Thanks guys, you've been a real help...I can mope around the house being moody but knowing I'm right for once - yay! :-)

In Scotland they play it differently. When i first saw it i thought the party organisers were just being cheap-skates but they told me that they always did it that way.

They just wrap up one present and pass it round and whoever has it when the music stops is out. Last person in gets the present.

Just doesn't seem as fun to me.

Yes use diff paper for each layer. Agree minimum of sellotape but yes you do need some.

Special paper for last layer (but first one you wrap of course!)

One sweetie per layer is fine. Make sure music person knows who has had a go and make it quick - from one child, pass past maybe 2-3 more and then stop again - at this age that's all they'll stand.

Just realised how tight i am

I wrap one layre in newspaper
next in a glossy magazine page

etc

god always newspaper

phew

all this talk of tissue paper and coloured paper had me thinking all the other mums would have been sneering at my pass-the-parcels from bygone eras

Fuck off you bitches

MamaG - by different colours I meant one newspaper, one coloured layer etc I wrap in whatever is in the house!

yes your dh's parcel would disintegrate leaving first child holding 69 sweets and a present

TISSUE PAPER?

god are you in Knightsbridge?

baggsy I be the first one to get the parcel

I wrap all the layers in newspaper including the last/first one so the children don't know when it is the last. I think it adds to the excitement. But I do take note of what article is on the first layer so that I know when we are on the last layer. I think you are putting too much in the layers also.

no you can't have the parcel MamaG

you would just drop it and cry

I always do 6 diff parcels & wrap in one layer. Play the music, pass the parcel & whoever it stops with, gets the parcel.... start again with other parcel..can see now my way is boring as fuck.

Thanks!!

DD was at a party last Sunday with 20 kids, there was just one pass the parcel gift of a pencil case. She was not impressed

I don't use tissue paper as a rule. I use whatever paper there is lying around (old Christmas paper, end bits of b/day paper etc).

The problem with newspaper, while cheap and cheerful, is that you can't tell when one layer ends because you can't differentiate, so I have seen many layers unwrapped at once...

Liking the magazine/Guardian idea tho

Newspaper.

Forfeits in each layer (sweet as reward.

Prize in the middle.

you could always get this

we have one between about 20 mums and its been used at hundreds of parties

This present-in-each-layer is a new-fangled idea. It was always lots of layers and one gift in the middle in my day.

Never done one for the SmallDragons, it's simply not worth the hassle, really.

wow 1p off! bargain

sweet in each layer, alternating colours, special colour for "real" present. Because we don't generally have newspaper or magazines I have to admit to buying really really cheap wrapping paper to do DS's.

Now someone tell me what I can "play" at DD's (small, basically jsut family) 1st birthday party to keep DS (almost 5) and the one friend he has invited happy?!