Birthday Party Goodie Bags - Luther,OK

A friend of mine got all of the guests (all girls) cute little girly sunglasses since it was summer. I thought that was a cute idea.

I do like a goody bag, but I agree that it should be useful! Balloons or inflatable balls are always a big hit, especially now that it's summer...you could even do a bucket or some pool toys. You can get $1 buckets at places like Target and Michael's with the shovel attached. Fill it with some fun things like a balloon, candy, juice box, fruit snacks, whatever...or you could leave it empty and that's fine too!

Oriental Trading has some great mini inflatable balls I got for my son's party last year and they are still going strong through the whole winter at the indoor pool! They are cheap and come in lots of designs.

I also like the idea of a gift certificate for ice cream or something!

This question comes up quite a bit on here and it seems the consensus is that the cheap plastic goodie bag stuff is a waste of money. We've bought $2 gift certificates to Baskin Robbins Ice Cream shop in the past (a big hit) and this year we burned a kids CD by Ziggy Marley for the guests.

NO goody bags! Decorate with balloons & send one home with each kid.

Or tie the balloon to a few suckers held together with curly ribbon....that's all they need.

If you are going to do one, do something that is usable. We usually wrap up coloring books with a new markers set and the kids LOVE it. They love having their own gift to open when they get home.

GL

M

I like doing a craft togehter and sending that home,
Or giving out balloons from your decorations.

fun summer things are good too.

AND I get soooo irritated with people that don't RSVP How frickin' rude!

The best goody my son ever received was a water bottle when he attended a soccer party.

For my son's last group party it was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Every kid got a mask (instead of party hat), and a TMNT ring.

You don't say what your theme is, but I would stick to one or two take home items, and skip the goody bag junk.

Examples -
pool party = goggles or fun sun glasses
jungle party = a beanie baby animal

Maybe something small and useful, the sunglasses were a good idea. However, there is NEVER a good excuse not to write thank you notes. Most invitation packs already have them included, but it is my child's responsibility to write them (or draw a picture, you know, age appropriate :)).

I do, it's unfortunately expected for that age group especially. I usually spend a little more money on a nicer thing that I know won't end up in the trash like the Chuck-E-Cheese prizes do. My little girls b-day party last year I found darling jump ropes, bubbles, punching balloons and sticker books and put them all in a bucket and then since I own a Cricut machine, I cut all the kids names out in colorful vinyl and put it on their buckets tied up with adorable ribbon.

I myself do not do goody bags. I do not know who started that mess but it is ridiculous in my opinion. You are going to someone's birthday party - not your party. This is where you run into issues with kids not realizing that they don't get a present everywhere they go. I look at it like this (and I may be wrong) I have paid for whatever the party is - let's use Pump It Up, a birthday place that has the big blow ups for them to play on, a couple of video games - that is around $500 or so to rent the place and have cake, ice cream, drinks and pizza - and this is only for like 1.5 to 2 hours. I do not see any point in paying to purchase the little goody bags and stuff to fill them also. Plus, most of the time that my son has gotten the bags they have candy and toys that are broken within 5 minutes and then I find the wrappers from candy in my car and his room and then you find the pieces of the toys laying around also. Once again, this is just my personal opinion.

I had this same question when I did my daughter's birthday in April. I asked the question and got a resounding "not needed". Plus, it adds onto the cost of the party. Initially, I did like the idea of the each child taking home a balloon from the party. But then I think of how my daughter (who is 6) will want to keep it around her room even after it's mostly deflated and I'll have to sneak in and toss it when she's not home. If you WANT to do something to tell the kids thank you for attending, go ahead. But if you really don't want to do it - its just one of those things that are "expected" - don't do it. I can tell you that not one child asked about the goody bags as they left my daughters party!

You should do something...whether it is a goodie bag or something else. ITs the equivalent of not having a favor at your bridal or baby shower. Its a little thing that is expected. And you know what......just because WE think it is junk does NOT mean that our kids do.

no, its stupid and I think its like adult peer pressure, each mom trying to out-do the other. It's only been in the last few years that moms have been doing this. I never have and never will and yes, it's all from the dollar store and ends up in the trash. Just have a nice party for her and do some fun things and no one will care about the goody bags.

I vote for not. I usually don't do them for the same reason, it's just garbage that Mom's gonna throw away. I always for get to give them out anyway. My daughter's party was a couple of weeks ago. None of the "outsiders" rsvp'd. After the party was over, there sat the goody bags I wasted so much money on.:) Same thing happened last year.

Definately! I look at it as a "Thank You" gift. I don't load them up with alot of candy. I did mini coloring book's, pencil's, crayon's, hair clip's, bracelettes, etc...The posibilities are endless and I don't normally write out thank you card's only because I don't have time to do so. Plus when my kid's go to a birthday party they enjoy getting a goody bag. Keep it simple, I think I even did gift certificate's from Mc Donalds one year, it was 12 coupons for a $1 which was worth it. Or now because my daughter is 12, I do nail polish bottles, lip gloss, and i do a normal size candy bar. They still love them even as they get older! Good Luck!

I've baked cookies for a goody bag before. I did little letters to spell each name and baked extra flowers for those with short names.

Gift bags - no. But a small 'gift' would be okay - such as a new coloring book, new cool cup, etc. I like the idea of having an arts and crafts activity during the party and the kids can then take their item (socks with puffy paint on them, shirt with the same, cups decorated with paints, etc).

I hate goody bags also. This year at my daughter's 8th birthday we got small 2 inch terra cotta pots, decoupaged them with the birthday napkins we were using, and put a little ziplock baggie with starter soil and wildflower seeds inside. We wrapped each one in cellophane tied with bright ribbon with a little card with growing instructions. They were a HUGE hit. The mom's were all excited because no candy or cheap toys and the kids loved that they would get to grow something.

My daughter had her 8th bday party in March. We sent the girls home with feather bows for their hair.

I don't think i am going to do goody bags anymore. Incorporate a game with prizes that can home, send balloons home like Sue said. Or make cookies, brownies etc to send home.

Yep, it can be a real waste of money... and time.
Most goody bag stuff, does get thrown away or not even used.

Like Sue H., I would just do the balloons and a lollipop. And on the balloon, with a Sharpie, you can write their name in a cute way.

We have done plants in buckets from the Dollar section of Target. Last year's plant was a sunflower. Everyone loved being able to take it home and finish growing it. It was fun to get pictures back from the kids with their own flowers.

~C.

My daughter just turned 5 and I understand the goody bag debate. I also have an older daughter, so I have plenty of experience with throwing away goody bag junk and still buying it and filling bags with it to give to our own little party guests. This year, I just bought the large bubble tubes that Walmart has for $1. I printed my own tags on cardstock that said "Thanks for celebrating the Big 5 with me today! Love, Meredith" and attached them with curling ribbon. Cheap, easy, actually loved and used by kids and not likely to end up in the trash!