No Goody Bags - Page 2

[olliepop]

I am not opposed to goody bags, although I don't do traditional ones myself. When my dd had a flower themed party this summer, each girl decorated 4x6 sized frame and took that home, along w/a green bean sprout I'd planted days before in a clay pot with their name, and a flower clip that I made. I took a picture of each girl with the birthday girl and sent that picture in the thank you card.

I thought everything was practical and cute. Goody bags or take home gifts aren't always a bad thing, especially as people become more aware of the junky toys and try to steer clear.

If my dd gets one from a party, I'm ok with it. The toys don't last long and eventually get tossed.

[lonegirl]

I think Goody bags are fun!!

I love making them and even do ones for the grown-ups at my hubbys BDay! For Tyr's I buy colouring books, crayons, playdoh, books (all bought at the dollar store) and I buy a big pack of Hotwheels and put one or 2 in each bag. Plus if it is themed ...I find something of that theme. This year is going to be High School Musical so I will get some HSM pencils and notepads for drawing on.

[limabean]

We sometimes do goody bags and sometimes don't. I definitely don't think they're a must-do, but if I have extra time, see some cute stuff, and know how many kids are coming, I'll throw some together.

At the parties DS has gone to, usually there are goody bags, but a couple of times there haven't been, and he didn't say anything about it, if he even noticed.

He would get a stern talking-to from me if he complained about not getting a goody bag at a birthday party.

[ollyoxenfree]

We usually didn't give out goody (or "loot") bags filled with candy and plastic junk, however the children would often participate in a craft and take that home.

One party was at a ceramics studio and they painted and fired something. One year we had the party at home, and the kids painted and decorated terra cotta pots and planted a little flower or herb. One year we did an "Amazing Race" theme in the local park, and the kids took home their team-colour bandanas and water bottles that I handed out at the beginning of the party.

It's easy to avoid the junky stuff and still send home a little treasure/memento of the day. I was determined to avoid all the junk that I felt burdened with when the kids went to other birthday parties.

[GardenStream]

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree

We usually didn't give out goody (or "loot") bags filled with candy and plastic junk, however the children would often participate in a craft and take that home.

One party was at a ceramics studio and they painted and fired something. One year we had the party at home, and the kids painted and decorated terra cotta pots and planted a little flower or herb. One year we did an "Amazing Race" theme in the local park, and the kids took home their team-colour bandanas and water bottles that I handed out at the beginning of the party.

It's easy to avoid the junky stuff and still send home a little treasure/memento of the day. I was determined to avoid all the junk that I felt burdened with when the kids went to other birthday parties.

Great ideas

[sunnmama]

I don't think my kids would notice or care if there were no goody bags at a party. We've been to lots of different kinds of birthday celebrations, and certainly not all have involved goody bags.

[wombatclay]

Around here some do bags, some don't. We don't, though sometimes we do send kiddos home with something from the party (dd1 had a tea party birthday, and each kiddo kept their cup and saucer).

Personally I don't like the way bags make the party feel so "tit for tat"... as if a fun party wasn't enough, the guests need gifts of their own to top it off. But then, I'm not fond of birthday parties with lots of gifts anyway. We generally tell people that their attendance is the gift and if someone does bring a gift we thank them but don't open it at the party.

I do like the idea that bags let the host "give back", and that a "no gift" party isn't for everyone, but in general I don't see the benefit of goody bags. Crafts or memory items from the party sure, but generic bags?

[MyFillingQuiver]

Whatever parents want to do, you know? I think it's a shame (and this goes for way more than goody bags) that kids have to be constantly entertained nowadays, "given things", and basically bribed with things. I think anytime our children expect to be given things, it's kind of an ugly thing.

However, a party to me is a special day to celebrate. I don't have a problem with letting kids be kids and have a bit of fun and candy! I like making something special for a take-home, or a goody bag with something little...I have had my children receive HUGE bags FILLED with tons of candy..that's just a problem for US because I have to take the bag and ration the candy, since we don't freely eat junk in our home. I don't expect other parents to comply with our thoughts, though.

For my DD1's 5th birthday, I had a very special tea party with only 5 girls total. We made picture frames, and decorated little purses to take home. I still see some of the girls at church with their purses on occasion. We had no candy whatsoever at the party..they had tea sandwiches, tea and lemonade and cake. No one complained or anything. Even with it being ultra-fancy and making real things to take home, I spent less than I did on my DS2's birthday with lots of kids and junky goody bags.

So, whatever people want to do...we just try really hard to teach our kids not to expect things from others...it should be enough they got invited to something where they likely will have fun and eat birthday cake!

[Peony]

I like them for younger kids, older ones are fine without one. DD1 is almost 7 and would be fine not getting anything, but for DD2 that would be horrid. I'd be carrying her out kicking and screaming if there wasn't one. She just doesn't quite understand why some one else is getting all the cool toys.

I do simple goody bags, fruit leathers, bubbles, stickers, stamps, paper, markers, seed packets, or tattoos are things that have been in our bags. If I do candy then it is just one piece.


Our birthday parties are not huge events, just a little party at home with a few friends, there are usually more parents then children.

[bandgeek]

We don't expect them when we go to parties and I don't think DS would even notice if he didn't get one. But goody bags are my favorite part and I just went all out for DD's party. I made them as "junk-less" as possible. Homemade playdough, handmade puppets, cookie crayons (melted down crayons to make swirly ones), a few lollipops, elmo board books for the little kids and notebooks and pencils for the big kids, and whole grain goldfish. The elmo and cookie monster puppets were a huge hit!

For DS's b-day, I'm going to make I spy bags. I don't know what else yet, but that will be the big thing.

I just love to see the kids having fun and I really like to put them together anyway.

[crl]

My kid does expect them. I tell him not to. And I tell him in advance of every party that there may not be goody bags and that he is NOT to ask. But every party we've been to has had them in some form. (He's 6 now.) So there you go.

I almost wish someone would not do it, so I could use the opportunity to talk about how the party was fun and how we shouldn't expect people to give us stuff. . . .

At least the upside of this is that he was super excited about making goody bags for his friends for his last party. I think that was what he was most excited about. He really, really wanted to give his friends something.


Catherine

[bandgeek]

Originally Posted by lonegirl

I think Goody bags are fun!!

I love making them and even do ones for the grown-ups at my hubbys BDay! For Tyr's I buy colouring books, crayons, playdoh, books (all bought at the dollar store) and I buy a big pack of Hotwheels and put one or 2 in each bag. Plus if it is themed ...I find something of that theme. This year is going to be High School Musical so I will get some HSM pencils and notepads for drawing on.

If you have a dollar tree near you, check there...ours has TONS of HSM themed stuff right now!

[Jenelle]

My kids would never EXPECT to get one.

This year, we handed out a reusable plastic cup (TMNT) for each child to take home, and when they busted open the pinata, they filled up their cup with candy to take home.

Several parents commented that this was a cool idea.

I don't think we will mess with goody bags ever again.

[velochic]

Dd was just at a b-day party last weekend and left without her goody bag (it was chaotic and the hostess just forgot to give it to her). She didn't even think about it. The little girl's mother gave it to me at school. We don't expect them and would have no problem *not* giving them out if dd were to throw a party. I think the last party she had was when she was 4 (she'll be 8 in a few months) and they took a tour of the firestation and got some neat gear there. If she has friends over this year, we won't do goody bags, but I might give each girl a book (which I can buy at discount or they can do in a swap as we also don't really expect gifts either.)

[Porcelain Interior]

Lots of interesting perspectives and replies.

I am having a giant (LOTS of guests) dual birthday party for my daughter and her friend- they share the same birthday.

Due to a lack luster RSVP response and some other reasons we aren't doing goody bags. I don't like getting them, or giving them, but have felt pressured into it in the past and it's blown my party budget every time and I kick myself- even if you stick to junky stuff it's just outrageously expensive.

I'm also trying to keep the cost down.

I can't in good conscience do goody bags if I might have 30 kids- or maybe just 10. People can't be counted on to RSVP and I don't want to get stuck with over a dozen extra goody bags that I blew money on.

My own kids have NEVER asked for a goody bag at a party nor thrown a fit if they didn't get one. I'm not sure they've even ever expected one. I would definitely be mortified if they asked the host, or threw a fit over it.

Hopefully none of these 7-8 year olds pitch a fit at our party.

[limabean]

Originally Posted by Porcelain Interior

Lots of interesting perspectives and replies.

I am having a giant (LOTS of guests) dual birthday party for my daughter and her friend- they share the same birthday.

Due to a lack luster RSVP response and some other reasons we aren't doing goody bags. I don't like getting them, or giving them, but have felt pressured into it in the past and it's blown my party budget every time and I kick myself- even if you stick to junky stuff it's just outrageously expensive.

I'm also trying to keep the cost down.

I can't in good conscience do goody bags if I might have 30 kids- or maybe just 10. People can't be counted on to RSVP and I don't want to get stuck with over a dozen extra goody bags that I blew money on.

My own kids have NEVER asked for a goody bag at a party nor thrown a fit if they didn't get one. I'm not sure they've even ever expected one. I would definitely be mortified if they asked the host, or threw a fit over it.

Hopefully none of these 7-8 year olds pitch a fit at our party.

In that instance, where I had no idea how many kids were coming, no way would I do goody bags. I'm not going to waste a bunch of money on stuff for kids who might not even come, especially when I don't think goody bags are a must-have to begin with. So yeah, ditch the goody bags and don't even think twice about it.

[gillibean]

I find goody bags irritating, sometimes I do them and sometimes I don't. I live in a remote community and the only inexpensive toys available here are complete junk - no dollar store. For DS this year we did a creepy mobile craft since he was having a scary birthday party. The funny thing is that only one person showed up to his party (nobody ever RSVP's) and we had some goody bags left over from last year so we gave him one. I much prefer giving a book or something that isn't just a load of junk, I'd prefer to receive that too.

[bugginsmom]

Originally Posted by Porcelain Interior

Lots of interesting perspectives and replies.

I am having a giant (LOTS of guests) dual birthday party for my daughter and her friend- they share the same birthday.

Due to a lack luster RSVP response and some other reasons we aren't doing goody bags. I don't like getting them, or giving them, but have felt pressured into it in the past and it's blown my party budget every time and I kick myself- even if you stick to junky stuff it's just outrageously expensive.

I'm also trying to keep the cost down.

I can't in good conscience do goody bags if I might have 30 kids- or maybe just 10. People can't be counted on to RSVP and I don't want to get stuck with over a dozen extra goody bags that I blew money on.

My own kids have NEVER asked for a goody bag at a party nor thrown a fit if they didn't get one. I'm not sure they've even ever expected one. I would definitely be mortified if they asked the host, or threw a fit over it.

Hopefully none of these 7-8 year olds pitch a fit at our party.

In this case, I wouldn't do them either. I've never done a bday party that big, but would not even attempt with the cost of that many bags. We only have 5 friends at his parties, so it makes it easier to do the bag.

[amandaleigh37]

I think it's perfectly ok either way.

We only do small parties, but yes we do favors. No candy or anything. DS is having his 3rd b-day this month, and he wanted a dinosaur party. I got small canvas tote bags and stenciled a dinosaur on each one. So the kids can actually have somethign they can use, for books or whatever. Inside the bags I put a little dinosaur puzzle and dinosaur stickers.

I also think they make a good transition at the end of the party... especially for little kids who may not want to leave.

[~PurityLake~]

Originally Posted by Porcelain Interior

What's the general attitude about not getting a goody bag at a children's birthday party?

I think for someone to expect a goody bag at a birthday party is ridiculous. I only recently discovered this is custom for certain people. IMO, a birthday party's express purpose is to celebrate our joy for a particular person's existence. Presents are optional, goody bags completely unnecessary.

I would not be pleased if someday my daughters were to 'expect' a goody bag at their friends/cousins or anyone else's birthday party they were invited to attend. I intend to teach them the party is to celebrate how much we love the birthday person.