My daughter will be 12, and to celebrate she wanted something more "grow ups"
So we are taking 4 of her friends to the mall, give them each one a gift card and let them shop around, and I will make reservations in one of the restaurants at the mall.
I need help in how to write the invitations.
We can pick the kids at their house, I want to let know the parents we are going to give the kids $ so they can buy stuff, and that they can pick up the kids at the restaurant.
Also wonder if $35 each is too little?
It is good idea for the parents to pick the girls at the restaurant or we should go to the food court and they can pick them there? I
Thanks for your help
EDIT: I just got a thought, I want the parents and girls to know the money we are giving them is so they can buy stuff for them and not to my dayghter, should I add that to the invitation or just tell the girls at the mall?
EDIT: I will be with them the whole time, and my husband will be with the 2 year old at the mall too but not with us.
But thanks, I think is a good idea to ask their mom if the don't allow them to buy something. However, if the other kids are like mine, they will love buy clothes or go to Claries (the store with earings and hair stuff).
The Spa idea was my first suggestion, but she didn't like it :0(
You're really going to give them $35 to spend on whatever they want?!
Seems strange to me.
If you really want to do something in the mall, maybe take the girls for mani/pedis and let them each pick out something at a specific store? If I was a parent of one of those girls, I would not be thrilled about my daughter being handed money to galavant around the mall.
I would think 25-35 would be perfect. I usually spend about 20 when I splurge at the mall (I like tshirts from my tv shows at hot topic) and they're generally 20 bucks.
I also think picking them up and taking them home is the best idea, not having the parents pick them up.
That amount is good (especially for that age). Invitations---
PLease join us on a shopping spree (write $35 around the inviation to give the clue that that is the amount they have to spend). We will celebrate "Sarah's"
12th birthday at (name of restaurant). We will gladly pick up at *:** o'clock and
drive girls home after lunch.
I guess make the 'theme' a shopping party. Say that the 'gift bag' for the girls is each a $35 gift card - and the 'party game' is for each girl to buy something for herself. Make a reservation at a restaurant - that's nicer than food court. I think it might be simpler to have the parents drop off and you drive the girls home after the party. That way you don't have girls or parents hanging around at the mall.
I did this exact party for my daughter last year for her 11th birthday. I called each parent instead of sending an invite, so that I could breifly explain what my idea was. No one around us had ever done anything like this before. I picked the girls up at their houses. When we got to the mall I gave them each $25 ( a 20 and a 5 dollar bill) in an envelope because I did not want to pay a fee for a gift card. I let them go to all of the favorite shops, and even had a couple of coupon codes for the girls to use for a few of the shops. The $25 was a good amount of money. They were all able to buy something, and some even got two things. Some of the girls brought there own money as well, and just used the money I gave them towards the purchase. We then went to PF Changs for lunch. I drove the girls home. They all had a great time, and since our party two of her friends have done the same party. One did not do lunch at all, and the other had made a tray of baked ziti and salad and had the girls eat at her house before they went to the mall. Hope this was helpful. Good Luck.
I just wanted to respond to the picking up part. It seems like it would be best to just drive the four girls home after dinner so the parents don't have to drive to the mall while being on call for you to finish up. It's a small group and seems appropriate to pick them up and drop them off.
What about one of those quickie photo studios they have in the malls? I remember 30 years ago "Glamour Shots" where they would do a makeup and hair style for you and then get some photos taken like you were a model. Now even Sears does some half decent work. Maybe the girls would have fun shopping for a top to go for the photoshoot and then you can buy the prints as a party favor.
maybe make a shopping bag invite, attach the gift card (or a fake one so you don't risk them losing the real one...) to it with the amount written on the card so they know how much you are giving them... and the date, time, etc.... Im no good at coming up with clever wording so I will leave that to someone else... I think $35 is plenty, especially considering that you are giving it to 4 friends, plus your daughter, plus dinner... as for pick up, I think the food court would be better... you might even skip dessert at the restaurant and get ice cream or something, then they can munch on that while they wait for their parents... I don't see a problem with expecting the parents to pick them up if you set a time to be done by, but if you aren't planning on setting a stop time I agree with christine that you should probably drive them home. good luck and have fun!
I think picking up and dropping off is good.
My daughter would have loved a shopping spree party! $35 sounds good. I gave $20 Abercrombie cards instead of a goodie bag one year (only 5 girls)
I try to keep the # of girls even.
I liked a previous responders idea of a shopping bag invitation.
Enjoy!
I did a scavenger hunt at the mall with 2 teams for my daughter's 11th. My husband went with 1 team and I went with the other. Yes I would clarify the money is for them as mine got confused at first and thought they were buying for my daughter. Then when we got home we had contests where they each got to pick one of the items bought. I had them buy stuff like clothing, jewelry, bookmarks, etc.
