Budget Birthday Goodie Bags

[MickeyBA]

I'm another one who would rather give one decent item than a bunch of junk. I always spend less and the kids get something they will actually use. Sometimes it's something that goes with the theme. I've done sunglasses at a pool party, sparkly lipgloss at an ice skating party, flip flops at another pool party, a my little pony at a pony themed party, coloring books that matched the theme with a small box of crayons, inexpensive barbie at a barbie pary....... Of course now that I am trying I can't think of anymore.

I've also baked cookies and put them in cute bags that matched the themes. You can put a cute little tag on the treats that thanks the guest for sharing your special day.

 

[Leajess99]

I don't do Goodie bags either. My middle daughter picked out Ring Pops one year for a birthday treat and that is what we have stuck with every year. My youngest's birthday is Wednesday and we are doing cupcakes and a ring pop. You can get a huge thing of them at Sams for about $10.

 

[skw444]

For my dd's parties, I don't fill it with candy, but instead like to find 1 thing that is a little nicer. Last year, my dd8 had a Littlest Pet Shop party and each girl got a LPS that I had found on clearance at Target. The year before, it was a Hannah Montana theme and I found Hannah Montana books at the Dollar Store. One year, I bought boxes of crayons when they were on clearance after the Back to School sale for 20 cents a piece and added a coloring book from the Dollar Store. What is the theme of the party?

 

[Samandmom]

This is a great time of year to look for goodie bag items--Clearance Christmas stuff! I just bought red tutus at Claire's for $2 each for my daughters dance birthday party next month. Claire's also has a lot of kids necklaces in their 10 for $10 sale right now.

I love the idea of a grab bag of wrapped $1 items that a pp mentioned. Someone also mentioned Littlest Pet Shops--I saw a pack of 15 on clearance at Target yesterday.

My favorite budget party favor is play doh. Tie a couple of cookie cutters to a can of play doh with pretty ribbon and voila--instant party favor for about 50 cents!

I agree about the Christmas clearance. I do this every year for my daughters birthday. This year she is having a pretend sleepover. We got reusable popcorn containers in the dollar spot at Target for .25 cents each!!!

 

[disneychrista]

she is having a pretend sleepover.

I have to ask...what is a pretend sleepover?

 

[cajunbaby1]

The other day Target add their "dollar aisle" xmas stuff for like 75% off!!. They had cute hello kitty sparkle gel mini pins for 25cents. Also had some hello kitty socks,stickers and even some princess stuff for only a quarter. You could pick up many little things like these and open the packs and put a few in a little goodie bag. Definitely go to the dollar tree for some party items like cups, plates etc. Ton of colors and sizes that you could afford.

 

[poohfriend77]

One year, I played a game at DS's party. Instead of treat bags, I wrapped dollar store toys and we played hot potato. When each child got "out", they got to choose a toy and give DS their gift. They and DS opened the gifts together. It was a huge hit...$1 per child and a game included! It also eliminated the crowd of kids in front of DS opening gifts so we got great photos of him with each child.

What a terrific idea! I wish you posted it a week ago... DD8's party was yesterday. My younger DD turns 6 in March, and I think we'll do this!

 

[poohfriend77]

I have to ask...what is a pretend sleepover?

We did this a few years ago. I'm guessing the kids all show up in pajamas and do typical sleepover activities, but everyone goes home at bedtime.

 

[ferrytale]

I agree with the no goodie bag thing - my sister got away from it with my nieces this year by doing spa parties and had the girls make bath salts, lotion, and a picture frame and took pictures of each girl that she printed for them all "dolled" up. Unfortunately, I don't know her exact recipes, but she is extremely budget minded. I know she got the salts for the bath salts at the dollar store (a big jar) and they added some stuff to them. Picture frames were AC Moore or Joann's on sale/clearance, and she had the paint/glue/etc. She gets a lot of ideas from Family Fun magazine/website.

My DS's party is next weekend and I am NOT doing goodie bags. We are doing a Harry Potter theme - the kids are making brooms(3' halloween brooms got on sale), magic wands, & golden snitches. They are getting a "baby dragon" from Hagrid (little toy lizards from the dollar store that came in a multi-pack), and getting to fill up a bag of sweets/snacks from Honeydukes Sweet Shoppe (an assortment of candy & dried fruits & other trail mix type stuff). I think it adds up to around $3.50 a kid. Not as cheap as some other ideas, but I don't think it's bad considering that it is for the party activites, games, & take home goodies and it's not the junky little toys that we all love to hate...lol

 

[Vacation Lover]

I have to ask...what is a pretend sleepover?

We did this last year for DD5. We had a "Pajama Party" from 6-8pm. My older DD and her friend painted their nails; DS made balloon animals, the girls decorated their own cupcakes and did a craft. For the party favor, I had found some coloring/activity books on clearance for a dollar. An idea for a favor that goes with the theme, have them decorate pillowcases (if you can find some cheap ones.)

 

[kittycatalina65]

Another mom here who hates goody bags. They are expected though, so I try to give one or two more substantial items.

Last year we had a Scooby Doo bowling party (yes, the 5 year old picked the theme!). I made each kid a T shirt for our bowling "team scooby". Hobby Lobby had the shirts on sale cheap, and a pack of iron on paper will make many shirts.

For this year's Lego party I was lucky to find a bunch of the Lego man keychains and bagged Lego sets in the target 75% off holiday. Woo.

My dollar store has plastic travel mugs that have a coloring sheet you can encase inside. Before I found the Lego, I was thinking of making a custom mug for each kid and putting some treats inside.

Good luck!

 

[mjkacmom]

My kids have been to many, many birthday parties, and we've had dozens, and they've always received something - let's face it, "goody bags" are the norm. We prefer to give (and get) a small item, instead of the traditional bag-o-crap. A inexpensive option is a hershey bar, with a personalized wrapper (you can usually find free ones online). Pinatas are also good, because it is an activity, and a goody bag.

 

[J. Galt]

I've done the candy bar thing before. I didn't even print a template. I just cut up some construction paper, wrapped it around the bar and wrote "It was sweet of you to come. Love, (my DD's name)". The kids really liked it.... I think most of them just ate it on the way home. Lately, I've been trying to do a craft activity at the party that becomes the "take home" gift. My oldest DD had a "cheer" party so the kids decorated cloth bags and put the poms they used for the party in there... that was the take home gift AND part of the activity. My youngest wants a "knights and princesses drama party" (don't ask) and we are going to decorate shields, wands, crowns and swords during the party that the kids can take home. Kind of kills two birds with one stone.

 

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

I also dislike the trinkets in goodie bags, they just get thrown in the trash. I love the idea of a full size candy bar with a homemade wrapper over the original wrapper.

How about a homemade sugar cookie, cut out in the theme of the party, put in a clear bag with some curley ribbon on the end with the party colors on it.

 

[southern_redhead]

I know this may not be what you want to hear but JUST DON'T GIVE THEM OUT!! They are in most cases a waste of money. How may birthday goodie bags have your son brought home that ended up in the trash? They ususally contain junkie little toys that break after a day.

Join the revolution and STOP giving them.

I'm with disneychrista. Somebody, somewhere, started the trend of goody bags.

Be a trendsetter. Stop the insanity!

Too funny! You know, I never thought about it but I guess that is true. My mom always had fairly large (as in a bunch of kids - not a big, elaborate set up) parties for me as a kid. It was the early 80's and I guess the "treat" was going to play for the afternoon and getting a free meal and cake. I don't remember having goodie bags for my parties OR getting them from any parties I went to. So either we didn't do it or this just proves the theory that, really, how important cant they be...no one remembers them anyway!

I agree with either doing one larger, dollar type item or just a bag of food treats that will get used up. I used to stress over the bags but, as someone else pointed out, people refuse to RSVP or there are a few who show up with extra kids and so you have to make a bunch to have on hand then maybe end up with the majority of them left. I've started to REALLY crack down on parties. Now we invite a few specific kids (only kids that my kids typically see/play with outside of school) and do something super easy like a movie or a sleepover. No themes, no decorations. For movies I do a goody bag of candy (and buy them a Slurpee and popcorn to go with it at the theater) for sleepovers something really simple. DD gave pencils, HUGE plastic diamond rings, silly bandz, and suckers. The girls ate the suckers and wore the rings to play that night. Took home silly bandz, rings, and pencils.

 

[dapookie09]

Don't know if you've seen them yet, but Target has foam swords in the dollar spot this week! They're not the foam that you decorate, they're more the texture of those pool noodles, but they're cute and cheap!

 

[J. Galt]

Don't know if you've seen them yet, but Target has foam swords in the dollar spot this week! They're not the foam that you decorate, they're more the texture of those pool noodles, but they're cute and cheap!

Was this information for me? I saw these today and picked them up! There are only 3 or 4 boys coming so I figured, why not? They can spend their time on creating elaborate shields.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[pacrosby]

Just another vote for NO goody bags. At least not the kind that contain cheap junky throw away stuff and/or candy (or pencils...if I get another pencil I'm going to poke someone in the eye with it!).

And with all due respect, I don't care if it is the 'norm'. As parents like to say "if everyone was jumping off a bridge would you do it too?" LOL

Goody bags were started by those who were trying to sell more stuff. They actually make no sense to me. I"m throwing a party (sometimes a rather expensive one at that); I'm feeding you and entertaining you and now I have to give you a bag of goodies too????

Boggles the mind LOL

I have, however, sent kids home with things that have to do with the party i.e. a craft they created, cookies/cakes they baked and decorated, candy from a pinata etc. That makes perfect sense to me. Buying them 'stuff' for coming...that's a concept that makes me scratch my head.

Maybe I'm alittle sensitive because I just picked ds up from a party. Another goody bag.............with pencils

 

[lonegirl]

We have done 2 liter bottles of soda for our boys-orange crush, sprite, etc.
You would have thought the boys won the lottery--it is a huge thing to carry home, and usually 88-99cents each. I've never had a parent complain about soda--for all I know, they go home and dump it, but better that than a bunch of junky trinkets

 

[Samandmom]

I have to ask...what is a pretend sleepover?

Yes that is correct just like a previous poster posted. My daughter is turning 8 and I don't think I'm ready for five 8yr olds to spend the night. On the other hand we are letting my daughters 14yr old cousing, 11yr old cousin and 5yr old cousing spend the night after the other girls leave.

I like the idea of the hot potatoe game. I have some make-up type bags to give out, but they are different designs so this will help.