What age do you quit making bday party favor bags?

[hemispheredancer]

DD is having her 11th bday party in a few weeks. She still wants to do the favor/treat bags and I think it is a bit much. She has invited her class (last year only about 12 came!!) and I anticipate about the same this year. There are a few boys invited. When we got her invitations at Party City she was scoping out the favors. She wants a lot of JUNK in these things. I can't see spending $5 per bag. The party, yes. The bags, no. What am I to do? Also, when do you call it quits for the party (with friends) and keep it limited to close family?

 

[dixipixi]

I think it depends on the ages of the guests. Although my DS will be 13 this year, I will still make a couple of bags for his little cousins. They are 7 and under, so they still look forward to those sorts of things.

DS's friends have "outgrown" the party favor thing, so I don't make them for everybody. Of course, I have a son and the boys just never do "get into" the details of a party. As long as they have something to eat and some mischief to get into, they're ok!! Usually we take the friends out for pizza and a movie either before or after the party at home, so that's their "favor". The little ones only come to the house party, so the bags are something special for them.

 

[charabby]

At 11, you could probably stop. My dd9 (who will be 10 on Friday and is having her first big slumber party ) recoiled in horror at the suggestion of goodie bags.


At her party, they are decorating pillowcases with fabric markers so they can draw on them and also sign each others. They'll take that home which will avoid disappointing the girls who still enjoy taking a little something home while also not sending a lot of little toys home with girls who may not be into that anymore.

I'll tell you what though, we spent nearly the same on the pillow cases and markers.

In our area, ten seems to be the last hurrah for a 'big' party. Most of them moms I know with older kids start having their child do something special with family or just a friend or two.

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

You're about at the right age. Instead of goodie bags how about bags of girlie stuff (mini brush, clips, mini mirror, lip smacker). Or a pinata with some of the "junk" mixed in with candy.

 

[princesspumpkin]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=893406&highlight=goody+bags

We have unofficially started a boycott of goody bags!

 

[Katy Belle]

DS10 went to an 11yr olds birthday party this weekend. The goody bag had things they used at the party...glow stick, flashlight, water balloons, and one things to bring home, a Bey Blade. There were only 4 boys invited to the party.

Katy

 

[kristen821]

My son is 7 and instead of toys in the treatbag, I give each child an empty one and have a pinata. Each child can fill thier empty bag with the candy in the pinata. This way you don't have extra bags of junk because you need enough for each child that did not rsvp just in case they come and you know the children will eat the candy unlike the toys that eventually get thrown away. I also think pinatas are fun at any age.

 

[aprilgail2]

My daughter is 6 and I cut out what I call the "bag o crap" this year....I gave them all one bigger thing and that was it... I gave the boys hover discs and I gave the girls those thins you put on your ankle that have a plastic cord and ball on the end that you jump over....the kids all seemed happy to get the one big thing instead of that bag that ends up costing the same anyway!

 

[Steffi]

My DD turned 11 this year. She had a goody-bagless ice skating/laser tag party. Everyone had a blast and I don't think the goody bags were missed!

I had seen some light-up cups at the Discovery Channel store, 4 for $5, but I didn't buy them at the time. It didn't occur to me until later that they'd be perfect party favors. They were all sold out by the time I went back to the mall, but I still think it would have been great to serve the kids' drinks in those cups and let the kids take them home after the party.

 

[rockin_rep]

My kids are in their teens and the girls still LOVE goodie bags! (so do i, don't you?! ) We don't do them for boys tho, after about 12 or so.

Call them favors! While not necessary, i always think they're a nice touch.

I've given and received favors / goodie bags at many different types of parties so i think they're always appropriate.

(also, *think* Academy Award goodie bags! Now THATS a goody bag i'd love to receive! )

 

[RobynK]

Instead of goodie bags I bought some picture frames from Walmart for 1.49 in the craft department by the foam shapes. The frames are like brown paper type. THen I gave the girls stamps, and letters, and glitter (that part was messy!), markers- whatever craft supplies I already had. Then I took a group picture with my digital camera and printed a copy for all the girls and put them in the frame before they left. Cheap, fun and practical. All the parents loved the idea.

 

[Nite0wl71]

I quit when DD was 9. Instead I bought some things and put them in a basket, after games the winner got to pick something. If they didn't win they got to pick when they went home. It was much better then lots of little things.

 

[allicat]

I have to tell you that DD, age 10, realy looks forward to goody bags from parties she goes to. For whatever reason, kids love that stuff that we adults consider "junk"!

 

[mickeymo]

I've started watching the scholastic book orders from school and order enough for favors - there are usually books for less than it would cost to together a goodie bags. Any of the book stores usually will have books for under $5, for last minute purchases or additions. The birthday child then personalizes each book, signs and dates it...

 

[princess momma]

Instead of a goodie bag I bake something for everyone to take home, even the adults. Sometimes homemade cookies or a pretty cupcake. It never costs too much, and I enjoy it!