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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

Party bags - can I ditch them?

45 replies

grumpypants · 29/09/2009 18:52

I am increasingly getting fed up with providing 'presents' to guests at the end of my childrens' parties. Can I stop the whole party bag thing or is that really mean and horrid? I just feel I'm paying c. £10 per head for the guests at a venue, and then have to source a load of tat for a bag. I used to do nice bags (£5 type things) but can no longer afford this and I resent spending any money on a load of cr*p. Please tell me what you think - would you be annoyed if your child didn't get a party bag?

OP posts:

blowbroth · 29/09/2009 19:58

Noooooo!

Original poster

grumpypants · 29/09/2009 20:20

OK Nothing then............

OP posts:

liliputlady · 29/09/2009 21:14

A lucky dip works well, can source it from all the tat collected from MacD and other people's party bags.

LauraIngallsWilder · 29/09/2009 21:18

Why spend so much on party bags?

I have never spent more than a pound per child on party bags
Cake, a few sweets, a couple of plastic toys from tescosextra party section eg a pencil and a plastic monster

Job done - why would anyone spend more?
There is no need imho

dilemma456 · 30/09/2009 11:42

Message withdrawn

scattykatty · 30/09/2009 11:56

I think the children would be sad if they didn't get anything. Don't need to go crazy, cake, sweets, a punch balloon etc would be fine. Just as long as you have something to hand out at the end I think.

Original poster

grumpypants · 01/10/2009 16:18

Just come back to this. Thanks for your help. It looks like I need to scour Tescos/Poundland then...

OP posts:

littlecherry · 01/10/2009 18:54

I think there could be a compromise... if its the fact that you don't like spending money on something that will be broken and get thrown out, how about an activity party bag? At least then it has something for the child to get creative with... like a mini model to paint or small beading craft kit? Then you are spending money on something that would give enjoyment and would also be useful as a party activity? You could make your own party bags as an activity at the party too and save money at the same time... its simple, pretend you are wrapping a present and secure one end, leaving the other end open. If you use old magazines they come up really colourful and fun!

ChasingSquirrels · 01/10/2009 19:06

as I posted earlier I don't do party bags, I do however do a treasure hunt at the end of the party and they all find a prize. Prizes so far have included
4th: little foam shooter guns (reduced to 25p each in tesco summer sale)
5th: book (a set from the Book People £8 for £10 books I think)
6th: transformers pencil/ruler/sharpener set (reduced to 10p in the M&S Jan sale)
7th: little lego sets (from the mirror lego offer last xmas) and a mini choc bar

ds1's birthday is in Sep, so mostly these were things that I saw at a point way before his birthday but got and saved. Very little cost, the books being the most expensive, but pre-planning.

I have never had a child look disappointed at not getting a bag as well.

And I don't tend to send cake home, we eat it at the party!

nappyaddict · 03/10/2009 19:26

You could do a treasure hunt with chocolate coins, lucky dip or pinata instead?

My friend just put cake in hers but she made it into a game at the end. She put a big blue sheet over the door and the children got to decorate paper fishes to stick on. They each got a stick with a long piece of string and a peg attached to go "fishing" with. They threw the string over the door and someone the other side would attach the bag with the cake in. They would tug it and then the child could pull it back over the door.

Another friend did a lucky dip of homemade cakes and biscuits in little bags.

Original poster

grumpypants · 03/10/2009 19:32

God that's brilliant. I might buy loads of bags of coins and let them 'find' them on the way out. It is the whole expense on tat that I object to, and also the giving stuff to somebody to come to the party. I was thinking cake for pudding, and the soft play place doesn't do bags. It's private hire as we are doing a jt party, and I just feel overwhelmed at the cost for 30 kids - even another £30 at a bag each is just draining.

OP posts:

blametheparents · 03/10/2009 19:52

Asda had some really nice pencil cases in the sale for 50p, could get them and put the cake inside.

Original poster

grumpypants · 03/10/2009 19:54

Thanks, one near us, but still £15 on top of party...think I am turning into a miser.

OP posts:

nappyaddict · 04/10/2009 16:44

The poundshop do packs of 3 or 4 gift bags for a £1. You could use those to put the cake in and perhaps tie a balloon to the top?

nappyaddict · 04/10/2009 16:47

Or what about these

Summersoon · 04/10/2009 19:35

I once bought some inexpensive mugs with animal motifs on them, filled them with sweets and wrapped them in a few sheets of pink tissue paper - this went over extremely well. It did cost a couple of pounds extra per child but it was most definitely not tat and I know that some of these mugs are still in use years later.

I do think that children are disappointed when there is no goody bag - right or wrong, it is such an estabished custom that most expect it. And even though the birthday child will have had loads of presents it seems to be essential to have one for them as well!

It is not just children though - some years ago I witnessed grown men and women - very well-paid colleagues - nicking goody bags with product samples (sweets as it happens) intended for customers at a conference!

Re the cake: I must confess that I have always wondered why people send the home instead of eating it at the party. By the time you get it home, the moment has gone, the kids are full of party food anyway and, the next day, the cake is usually not eaten because it has gone dry and crumbly.

FimbleHobbs · 05/10/2009 13:24

I felt the same for DD - the plastic tat is so wasteful - in the end I bought small gift bags from Wilkos that were 40p each but 3 for 2 and I could see being reused. Filled with rainbow pencils (again Wilko, 12 for 80p), various sweets (well at least they get eaten not broken and chucked), balloon, and then I caved and got some cheap plastic spinners so they did include A Toy, and a tiny book each.

I wanted to get whoopee cushions but couldn't find any cheap enough.

tassisssss · 05/10/2009 13:31

Fimble - I got whooppee cushions at Poundlands for my last lot of party bags, went down a treat!

alexfs · 05/10/2009 19:24

Most kids of 7 just want sweets so you can dispense with the cr**! You can get cellophane bags from Lakeland (or a roll of cellophane from craft shops) make up a little bag of sweets with whatever's on offer - pad out with marshmallows - looks really nice and will only cost less than £10 total!

It's a very brave person who gives out nothing at the end of the party! We shouldn't have to but we do feel obliged!

katiekatie · 23/10/2009 15:38

oh i really hate party bags im ashtonished how much people spend on a plastic bag full of tat.
i've never given one out, but ive always given something. i went to a party once where that happened and the reaction of the kids was mortifying
ive done crafts where the end result is the present. (make your own wooden spoon man etc) ive done a cheap mug full of sweets, balloon on a stick (100 for £3 on ebay and no need for helium) and a bag of sweets sellotaped to the stick. a large homemade cookie decorated with smarties (in childs initial) wrapped in cello. one gift like a book (book people do good sets).
the children have always been really happy with those things and no parents have mentioned it so i will keep doing that.
i would feel a bit bad giving nothing, its a nice way to leave a party and say thanks for coming.

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