Goody Bags or Not??

I personally hate goody bags.....its just a bunch of junk that is going to wind up on the floor of my minivan! I say moms can we all just skip the goody bags?

I'm glad to see so many moms don't like the goody bags. Me neither! My best friend and I say we'd like to ring the neck of whoever started this crazy idea! The kids coming to the party don't need a gift. It's not their birthday! As for it being "good manners" that they get a thank you, that's correct that they should be thanked, but not with a gift. I taught my son from an early age to write thank you notes. My mom did the same with me and I have family members who tell my mom to this day they wish they'd done that with their own children because they always appreciate the notes that I still send them when they give me a gift or open their home to me.

Skip the goody bags.
Give each child a helium filled balloon tied to their wrist as they leave.
:)

My sister doesn't give goody bags, she does a "goody box" She puts gets enough for each kid to get one item (and a few extra, so the last kid isn't stuck with no choice!) and lets them choose what they want. They are always age appropriate and don't cost much, for each item. She got much of the stuff, from the dollar section, at Target. The kids loved it!! I thought it was a really great idea.

Another mom asked this question the other day.. here was my answer..

NO! Please do not do Goodie bags.. The parents will love you..
We need to remember when we were kids and did not expect a prize for attending someone else's party..

Instead have your child actually write and mail a real thank you note to each person that attended and or gave a gift. Kids love receiving mail..

I HATE THEM WITH A PASSION! It's the stigma that you're supposed to give these stupid things as a thank you for coming - but I see it this way - I'm feeding the children and the parents, and then cleaning up after/repairing damage after these people leave because they don't monitor their children. Like hell I'm giving you a thank you bag. lol

Ha! I can so relate. I am thoroughly annoyed by the goody bag trend. The birthday "industry" is just like the wedding industry...more and more gimmicks to get you to spend more and more money. I didn't do favors at my wedding because of the same reason, I thought it was ridiculous. I was hosting a dance, a nice dinner, a fun party...I figured that was enough!!! The problem is, kids have started to come to expect to leave with something. My daughter had a bug-themed b-day party in the summer, and I chose to give out little bug catcher jars that they could decorate. I figured it was at least useful and mildly educational. Your idea of a book or a healthy snack sounds great. Or, nothing...that is also great. :) Have the courage to do something different! There are lots of people who feel like you do!

i dont think it is required, but i do think that kids look forward to it. However, usually they look forward to it because they just watched a birthday kid open a ton of presents. If you arent doing that, i dont think its a big deal. If you really want to, maybe just get them all a large bouncy ball? it would go along with them being able to bounce on all the stuff.

I don't do the goody bags, but I do get a coloring book and box of crayons for each child-= everyone likes to color and you can get them at the dollar tree too! Good luck

M

I love this question.I have always felt like a grinch because I hate goodie bags. Usually the stuff just gets thrown out around here. your child is young, are the friends coming young too? We have done a small book before and my kids received bubbles one time and thought that was great. so if I was at your party and the kids didn't get anything I would not be upset at all and my kids wouldn't even notice.

We did the crappy toy and candy goody bags because most did. I then made mom friends and several of us decided not to do it anymore. The little kids probally won't notice it. Plus, the moms appreciate not having to throw more out. Most men find it ridiculous that kids who get to come to a party then expect a gift.

Goody bag- NO
Small treat- YES

Get one item per child. A bottle of bubbles. A bathtub squirter. A BIG candy bar. Ect. SOMETHING is nice. Just NOT junk. We went to Walmart and got $20, $25, and $30 TOYS on clearance for $1, $2, and $3! So that's what the kids got at my daughter's 5th birthday party. Kids went home with nicer things than they gave as a gift!

I would be sure to put "Cake and ice cream served" so parents know you won't be giving the children a meal. IF the party starts at 3. They bounce for 80 minutes. Then open gifts and eat cake. It will be at least 5pm and (I would personally be thinking that a meal was going to be served.....) The kids will all be starved after bouncing for that long........

i hate goody bags and don't see why moms feel the need to do them. i never have and never will. who needs all the stress and extra cost and i don't think the kids care. good luck!

I hate the standard goody bag. In England we would take home a piece of birthday cake (we were all stuffed full of ice cream and jello). My daughters birthday is in Spetember so the last couple of years I have bought crayolas for 25c and notebooks for 15c and give them out as goodies in a pencil box. Plan ahead and bulk buy the back to school stuff next September and you will be stocked up with cheap and practical goody gifts for your next birthday party.

I am not a fan of giving or receiving goody bags. They are a waste of money on junk that kids don't need and that I don't want them to have. We didn't do goody bags when I was a kid. (This is starting to sound like I'm being bitter but I'm just trying to keep it short.) I have always thought of goody bags as a way for moms to impress the other moms and nothing more.

However, I always have done the parties at my house and need activities to fill the time. As a result, I usually end up giving the kids items related to the activities (like little mailboxes that I painted their names on for a Word World activity or princess jewelry for a dress up party or this year it will be some sort of a flower related item, like maybe a pot that they can paint at the party). We use the items as part of the party based on its theme.

If I were to ever throw a party at a place like PIU, I would not do any items at all. The location is the activity/theme and you have probably already spent a fortune paying for it! The "goody bag" is the fact that they get to jump for 80 minutes.

Good for you for not giving in to mom "peer pressure".

Personally, I hate goody bags filled with cheap toys and candy! For many years now I have made decorated sugar cookies that go with the theme of the party and I give those as the goody. For instance, my son had a video game challenge party, I made cookies that looked like CD's for the Wii and we wrote with cookie writers names of games on them. I've also had non goodie bag parties where the girls made a craft and that was their take home. One year for a sleep over we got all the girls some soft socks and that was their take home. At 3, people probably expect it, but I bet none of the moms like the idea! You can either go pratical like a water bottle and fruit snacks that they can leave the party with, or just do nothing and thank everyone for coming! I know I wouldn't mind not having a goodie bag!

Unfortuanatly in todays society kids expect them, but I agree all those little toys are a waste of money. Why not buy a box of those real big pixie stick straws and give each kid one. Thats what we do with our cheer squads. and the kids love em.

You clearly have a ton of answers here, but my two cents is this: goody bags suck. Give a little thing of bubbles and tie it with a cute ribbon. Bubbles never go out of style. I keep a little one in the car and sometimes use it if I"m stuck in traffic to keep the kids from having a cow. :)

I've done goodie bags, but it depended on the situation.
In this case, the kids are little and they will be bouncing and busy with cake and juice. That's enough in my opinion.
Besides, you don't want to hand out things at a public place that can get lost or will poke a hole in something.
I don't think you should worry about the goodie bags and I doubt you will get any dirty looks over it.
I've done my share of little gifts for kids who attend parties, but not usually at this young age when I was providing everything else in a public place.
It's too hard to help keep track of for you and the other parents as well.

Have a great time and best wishes!

Pump It Up provides cups with balloons, stickers, and some candy. I.m pretty sure it's included in the birthday price so you don't have to buy anything. I had my daughter's 5th birthday there (and that's how it was). As parents we may not like them, but they mean a lot to the kids when they go to the party. The PIU staff hands them out. Best wishes and God bless!

From my standpoint, as the mom of a 3 year old, I would be fine without a goody bag - most of the ones that we get are cheap plastic trinkets, candy, and other junk that my DD doesn't even miss if I end up tossing it. I would not expect the kids, at 3 years old (assuming that's what they are) to be all put out because I doubt they have been to enough b-day parties in their short lives to expect goody bags.

On the other hand, you could always do something like a helium balloon for each child to take home, a small box of crayons, a thing of bubbles, some stickers, or a little thing of play-doh.

I'm sure this is a repeat, but what we do is go to the dollar bins at Target and get a $1 thing for each kid. My daughter gave pinwheels, my son gave stuffed animals. We also went to a party where each kid got a Hershey's bar to take home. That was a hit!

I think it's nice to give something, but I don't think it has to be a traditional "goody bag."

Goody bags are a pain, but I know the kids have come to expect them because it's standard at parties these days. Some good and cheap ideas: bubbles (can get a big box from Oriental Trading for CHEAP), fruit snacks, snack mix(one party the mom bagged up a snack mix that she made herself- items like ritz mini cheese cracker sandwiches, m&m's, pretzels, marshmallows, chex cereal, cheez-its, etc-the possibilities are endless, just pick a variety of snack foods your child likes and mix it up), or give everyone a balloon. These are items that won't last too long so parents aren't stuck with cheap and small toys, but the kids will be excited to take something home.

I almost always toss the goody bags that my kids get. The toys are cheap and small enough for parts to break off. What is the point really. If you feel bad not having a lot of $ but want to do it, you could do what my friend did. She popped up a bag of popcorn at home and put it in small plastic ziplocs mixed with pretzels & M&M's. At least you are giving them a treat to take that tastes good and they will eat. Good luck!

I just wanted to thank you for the question. I love all of the responses. My DD will be 7 in a couple of weeks and having her party so soon after Christmas is always a big deal. Parents are tired and money is always a concern this time of year for others as well as me. Turn out is always low but this year I am worried because we are new to this area and I don't think she is hitting it off with the girls in her classroom. From what I hear she doesn't like how rude they can be. I have always had a lot of goody bags left over. For my son's party (the goodie bags) I only had to buy some candy because I reused everything from years past.
So you have given me a boost to not do goodie bags. Certainly makes preparing for a party easier.

Thank you for asking - I was wondering myself. I never understood the whole goody bag thing either. I'm planning a party for my son's 5th this next year in Jan. His last party was his 1st. I have no idea what the heck I'm doing.....lol. My family never had parties for our birthdays - couldn't afford it.

I won't do goodie bags. I don't much care if people think I'm bad-mannered. We don't go to a party expecting "gifts" from the host; we go to celebrate the birthday and to bring a gift for the child of honor. I want my kids learning that we can give attention to someone else without receiving anything in return, and parties are for fun, not gifts for the invitees. I think in many ways, kids today are so "gimmie gimmie" that they forget the purpose of going places. Have fun, whatever you decide!

I didn't do goody bags for my daughters 1st birthday. There were roughly 70 people there and probably 20 of them were kids. I won't ever do them, for the simple fact, its typically cheap toys that break (waste of money), candy (and you don't know if a kids allergic to it), and most kids won't appreciate it or know the difference.

They are there to have fun with your daughter at her party. I don't think the parents will mind if they don't get one :) If you really feel compelled to give one, buy a gift certificate for the local ice cream place, for a small cone (roughly $1.00).

I don't do goody bags at all. It's ridiculous that kids can't go to parties and feel good about giving a present to someone for their birthday without having to get something in return. I've planned the party, fed the kids and planned/paid for the activities - that's enough.
Now I have had parties for my kids where we made crafts like the fairy princess wands we made at my daughter's 5 birthday party or the toy cars that we painted and raced at my son's 3rd birthday and the kids got to take those home. But if a craft activity is not planned into the party then I don't hand out goody bags. I figure it's time for us parents to stop handing out the junk and focus on the reason for the party ~ a celebration of a child's birthday.
Also, when we go to parties and come home with goody bags I pretty much throw it straight into the trash. We have enough cheap stickers, bottle of bubbles, and small plastic toys. It's such a waste!
Sorry about my "grinchy" response but I'm fed up with kids always expecting to get something at a birthday party. We are there to celebrate with the child - not to get something.

I completely agree with you about the cheap plastic that is a waste and a chocking hazard.
I think goody bags are nice.
For my daughter's last birthday, which had a strawberry theme, I found red pencil boxes and inside, I put a strawberry granola bar, a strawberry fruit leather, and strawberry fruit snacks. It came out to about a dollar a kid. And, the plastic pencil box can be reused.
I would suggest something like that- a rice crispy treat, a fruit snack.. something that can be consumed and is not complete candy.
My daughter's birthday is in late July- and all of the back to school stuff is out then- that's how I go the pencil box idea.

I'm glad you asked and I'm glad you've decided to forgo it. I just think it's a waste of money plus the kids don't really keep the little toys for long anyway. I believe the party and cake is enough, the kids aren't expecting more than that anyway.

Sorry so late to respond! I am NOT a fan of goody bags, so at my daughter's last party (she turned 4) we gave $5.00 gift certificates to Chick-Fil-A. Not sure if the kids liked them, but several of the parents were appreciative that it wasn't junk. Not the cheapest solution, but just an fyi!

When my boys were that age, I used to make my own goody bags with a hot wheels car or two and some non-candy treat. The little plastic toys get thrown away immediately at my house and the kids don't need more candy!

But yes, I think the b-day party culture is that you need to give them something to take home! LOL

Hope this helps!

M.

I totally agree with you. It is so unnecessary to give out goody bags. I'm sure you are spending enough on the b-day party already without spending another $50 on stuff their parents will just throw out when they get home anyway. Just be sure to do thank-you notes, because I guess that is kind-of the intention of goody bags. Happy Birthday to your little one!

I did it for my first sons first b-day, then that was it. We've had a 2nd birthday party and another 1st b-day party since where we didn't do goody bags...no one said anything and the kiddos didn't even notice.

Two things made me change my mind on goody bags 1) Since having children we've been invited to many b-day parties. The stuff in those goody bags typically gets tossed. 2) At a recent b-day party (not one for our kids) a 5 year old kid literally said "Where is my present", to which my hubby replied "What do you mean, it isn't your b-day", he said "Yeah, but I still get a present". That really ticked me off!

You may get a dirty look or two, but who cares. I used to take them and throw most of the stuff right in the garbage. I say no goodie bags.

However, should you decide to make a goodie bag rather than candy and junk, give one item like a coloring book or bottle of bubbles.

Maybe do a small something which does not have to be a bag at all. Cheap crayons and a coloring book or a bouncy ball maybe. I would find it strange and a little bad mannered to go to a party with nothing at all -after I spent $20 on a gift for a child. I really wouldn't 'care' but would just find it strange. I can tell you that some people would care though.

I dislike goody bags!!!

There was the birthday party that gave my then almost 3 yo a sheet of stickers in the goody bag--those were then stuck on the rear passenger window on the drive home... Cheap stickers and hot car windows from the summer made for several hours of trying to soak those damn stickers off the window without damaging the window tint.

My daughter is allergic to milk--inevitably there's always chocolate thrown in the bag. With the number of kids that have a food allergy, I'm always surprised by the number of moms who put some sort of candy in their goody bag and give it directly to the child.

And, of course, all those cheap plastic toys end up in the garbage. Not the most environment-friendly idea!

If you really want to hand out something, you can hand out long stemmed daisies. Those tend to be just as popular among both younger boys and girls.

Have fun at your party!

I guess I am in the minority, but I really like goody bags when they are done well. I like giving them and I like it when my daughter gets them, most of the time. Some stuff does get thrown away, but I always give books in ours, so I hope they don't get thrown away! One year, my daughter's party theme was her favorite things (Elmo, balls, books, and art)-- so I put some of her favorite things in the bag (an Elmo book, a ball, and some crayons). I got everything pretty cheap. Amazon and Scholastic have great books for super cheap. So why not a book or something like that? Goody bags don't have to be junk-- you do have control over it.

My sister started doing them EVEN though she knows it's a waste of $$$.

I personally like smaller parties and do a $5.00 gift card to McDonald's...problem solved.

Here's my late response but wanted to share a really cute idea my daughter received at a party. Instead of the typical goody bag, she received a CD with about 10 songs on it. The title of the CD was "Conors Favorite Songs" and it had a photo of him holding a guitar on the front.

My daughter absolutely loved the songs because it was stuff she liked too. It had songs on it like 'I Like to Move It Move It' (from the movie Madagascar). And that would be an inexpensive item you could make at home that the kids would love. Any office supply store has the CD labels you just print and stick. The labels usually come with a link to the software so you can get creative.

Just an idea for you.