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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.

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Original poster

Should the host child win pass the parcel?

40 replies

bizzybeing · 25/10/2023 22:38

It's my DC's birthday party at ye weekend and I was joking with a friend that DC has put way too much thought into the prize for pas the parcel as they're never going to win it. Friend was horrified and told me that the host child should always win. Is it just me, or is that weird?? I have always tried to engineer it so that birthday child definitely gets to open a layer but never gets the final prize and thought that was the expected norm.

I was however concerned that DC would be very disappointed not to get the toy they chose so have organised for my BIL to get them the same thing as part of their birthday present which DC will be given the day before the party.

OP posts:

Sherrystrull · 25/10/2023 22:39

No way. It's random. The birthday child gets enough presents.

Lamelie · 25/10/2023 22:39

That’s an ingenious idea. Because no, definitely not - host child doesn’t win parcel the parcel!

INeedAnotherName · 25/10/2023 22:41

No, the host child should never win otherwise the other children feel like it's been a fix.

merryhouse · 25/10/2023 22:42

Absolutely not.

Host child had all the birthday presents. Someone else gets the parcel.

WeWereInParis · 25/10/2023 23:08

Definitely not. Every child should get a layer, a child other than the host should win.

When I had birthday parties a child with things like pass the parcel, musical chairs, musical bumps, musical statues etc my mum would just engineer it so every child won something except for the birthday child, and any children that were rude/that she didn't like.

UsingChangeofName · 25/10/2023 23:14

No, of course not.

the only "fixing" that ever went on here is that they did NOT win, and that no-one got two layers.

Tinkeytonkoldfruit · 25/10/2023 23:16

I always put enough layers in for every child to get a sweet and do ensure every child gets a turn but then he middle prize is random - will do my best for my DD not to win though, she'll be getting enough gifts at her birthday party.

Changingplace · 25/10/2023 23:18

Absolutely not your friend is bonkers, birthday child already gets loads of presents of course someone else wins pass the parcel (and all other party games too!)

MsJuniper · 25/10/2023 23:18

Absolutely the same - host child should not win. However I have had parents come to me and ask if it was a mistake that another child won so lots of people clearly think the opposite!

LadyGaGasPokerFace · 25/10/2023 23:20

My dh thought this when we had dds birthday when she was little. I laughed at him. It’s random. The birthday child gets to unwrap it as it goes along and gets a lolly/sweet along the way.

Millybob · 25/10/2023 23:21

Only if the birthday child is Veruca Salt or Dudley Dursley.

NancyJoan · 25/10/2023 23:22

No, never. I remember once taking DD to a party and she won, the birthday child had the mother of all meltdowns, and the mum practically emotionally blackmailed DD into giving up the prize. It was a SpongeBob pencil case, so really not worth all the drama.

DelurkingAJ · 25/10/2023 23:24

Nope. Every child get a layer and then the music maestro closes their eyes and the prize is random. We did have a party years ago when the DDad of the child who’d won did check he could keep it. I was baffled but maybe that’s why!

Fangdango · 25/10/2023 23:25

I remember one party where birthday child was the designated winner - i.e. everyone got prizes in different layers and then the special wrapping meant game over, pass to birthday child, applaud. That seemed odd but better than engineering.

Ihaveamagicwand · 25/10/2023 23:29

This is the reason I hate traditional party games and hate pass the bloody parcel the most!!

It takes so much preparation and thought, especially if you’re putting sweets or gifts in the layers. Trying to engineer it so everyone unwraps a layer and then there’s always some little darling who snatches or throws it. It’s just not worth it!!

The time my DC had a melt down because ‘It’s not fair, I should win because it’s my birthday!’ was the end for me. I bought a book of games from the Woodcraft Folk and never looked back.

Peachyscream · 25/10/2023 23:50

I “fix” it so everyone gets a layer/sweet. Then the winner is random. If my dc won at their own party Id make them go again.

Bbq1 · 25/10/2023 23:54

The bc definitely doesn't get the prize. You absolutely make sure they don't win.

Fangdango · 25/10/2023 23:55

Does nobody just not fix it either way?

Aparecium · 26/10/2023 00:31

I always made sure (subtly!) that every child got to unwrap a layer, after which I ostentatiously turned my back while controlling the music so that all the children could see that the last few layers were genuinely random. I would never engineer for the birthday child to win any of the games. But then I would also not let them choose the Pthe P prize. Making the PtheP is always secret.

Changeditforyou · 26/10/2023 00:35

The host child absolutely should not win bloody pass the parcel! They get a party, if they are lucky they end up with a stack of presents too, that’s really more than enough… pass the parcel is supposed to be entertainment with the chance of a prize, for everyone else..
When I see this happen it infuriates me.

AtomHeartMotherOfGod · 26/10/2023 00:39

I would say that after everyone has had a sweet, making the final layer random or engineered away from the birthday child is the only way to go. That said, I did win the toy from my pass the parcel when I was about 7 😳

GerbilMum26 · 26/10/2023 00:41

Nope! There should always be enough layers so everyone gets a sweet, and then you ensure that the host child doesn’t win!
since they get all the presents. It wouldn’t be fair!

madamepopov · 26/10/2023 00:45

I am very confused that every single person on this thread has one big prize for pass the parcel and yet every single party we have been to and hosted there is no main prize and equal small prizes in every layer. I assumed everyone did that. It's much nicer that way, why would you pretty much engineer a big upset at a kids party?
I know it was always one big prize back when I was a kid, but we didn't have such easy access to plastic tat small prize toys then.

Fangdango · 26/10/2023 00:48

Are there not lots of games with prizes? Or is pass the parcel special in some way?

Original poster

bizzybeing · 26/10/2023 06:27

Thanks all. Good to know most people feel the same way I do.

The prize inside is just a small craft set so nothing hugely special really but I totally add tree that it was a bad idea to let him choose - one of those moments that happened before I'd realised what he was doing!

Often I would have lots of games to give most/all the kids a chance to get a prize but DC has declared that pass the parcel will be the only game and then they'll be playing paw patrol. He's only having 3 friends over (his choice) so more a glorified play date really.

OP posts:

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