FabSwingers.com forum: Parents thoughts please, re: party bags.

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Ok so daughters party later, venue cost £169.50 which is an hour of the activity and then an hour in the party room to do food and do the cake etc, spent just shy of £100 quid on food so it's a nice spread, you're talking pasties, sausage rolls, mini cheese and bacon puffs, prawn vol au vons, chicken skewers, sandwiches, crisps, various kid biscuits your chocolate fingers, Jamie dodgers, party rings, pink wafers, got the butterfly cakes, chocolate cup cakes, got your carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, celery sticks, bread sticks, plum tomatoes, dips, got the strawberries, water melon, galia melon, honeydew melon, kiwis, grapes, cocktail sausages, cheese and pineapple on sticks, cheese and pickle on sticks. Got a chocolate fountain with skewers and will have marshmallow, chocolate brownie pieces and strawberries next to it to dip. Have a pop corn machine and then have a sweet cart with all jars of retro sweets.

My question is, would parents judge for no party bag with the normal tat inside, was going to give out cellophane bags to the kids for them to fill with the stuff from the sweet cart and then give a slice of the cake in a small cardboard cake box. I have no toys or stuff to go in party bags, just run out of money and don't get paid till the 25th, but now worried I'll be judged as the mum that didn't do party bags! Is the sweet cart and the kids filling bags themselves enough do you think?

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By *eplicant JoWoman
over a year ago

Sussex countryside

I think sweets and cake is plenty for them to take home. I only did party bags if I did a small party at home for my boys. The cost of them can be more than the party if you have lots of kids attending! Kids are only interested in the sweets mostly anyway in my experience.

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By *gnitemybodyWoman
over a year ago

Onestepoutofthedoor

Well I certainly wouldn't have judged when my kid's were little and went to parties like that. Birthdays can be expensive when you have parties for them as well as their presents so stuff any parents that do.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

She's given out 50 invitations, venue will hold 75 kids and I've said siblings can come too that's part of the reason why I wanted to do the sweet cart thing but now it's here I'm having pre party jitters! I should've used my head and ordered 75 squishies from China months ago, kids are obsessed with the damn things. It's the kids parents from the drama academy she's in that I'm worried about, the ones who get dropped off in the range rovers and that!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I personally would never judge, but unfortunately from what Ive been thru people do judge but be strong and do what works for you and don’t let them shallow mother fuckers get to you xxxx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Wow that's more in one party than either of my kids got all together!! Personally would think party bags would make it too much ... what are you going to do next year? Don't make a rid for your own back

the kids will love it!!

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By *gnitemybodyWoman
over a year ago

Onestepoutofthedoor

"She's given out 50 invitations, venue will hold 75 kids and I've said siblings can come too that's part of the reason why I wanted to do the sweet cart thing but now it's here I'm having pre party jitters! I should've used my head and ordered 75 squishies from China months ago, kids are obsessed with the damn things. It's the kids parents from the drama academy she's in that I'm worried about, the ones who get dropped off in the range rovers and that! "

Stuff them for heavens sake,all you need to be concerned about is if your daughter and her friends have fun,not what their parents think. Don't put added pressure on yourself.

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By *abs..Woman
over a year ago

I think you’re doing plenty right there and no, I don’t think you will be judged negatively for doing it. . The children will love it. I hope you all have a great time

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Wow that's more in one party than either of my kids got all together!! Personally would think party bags would make it too much ... what are you going to do next year? Don't make a rid for your own back

the kids will love it!! "

I've hired a waterpark for a private pool party, there's slides and an inflatable assault course in one of the pools, wave machine etc.

Last year she wanted a sleepover with 8 girls and I did hotdogs and burgers and fries and a small party food spread so overheads weren't too much. Those party bags were good, each kid had an eye mask, slipper socks, toothbrush and toothbrush holder, flannel, bath bombs and they all took home the plastic pop corn boxes they had and personalised water bottles. Hoping those parents remember I have done good bags in the past!

Plus I've only got the one kid so only have to do it all once thank god!

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By *litterbabeWoman
over a year ago

hiding from cock pics.

Don't worry about the party bags, sweets are lovely.

You are doing more than enough

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Ok so daughters party later, venue cost £169.50 which is an hour of the activity and then an hour in the party room to do food and do the cake etc, spent just shy of £100 quid on food so it's a nice spread, you're talking pasties, sausage rolls, mini cheese and bacon puffs, prawn vol au vons, chicken skewers, sandwiches, crisps, various kid biscuits your chocolate fingers, Jamie dodgers, party rings, pink wafers, got the butterfly cakes, chocolate cup cakes, got your carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, celery sticks, bread sticks, plum tomatoes, dips, got the strawberries, water melon, galia melon, honeydew melon, kiwis, grapes, cocktail sausages, cheese and pineapple on sticks, cheese and pickle on sticks. Got a chocolate fountain with skewers and will have marshmallow, chocolate brownie pieces and strawberries next to it to dip. Have a pop corn machine and then have a sweet cart with all jars of retro sweets.

Wow its sounds like you have spent a fortune already and with that many children turning up i don't think party bags as well is a viable option - I am sure they will be more than happy with sweets and cake and in my experience they only play with the usual plastic rubbish put in party bags for a few minutes anyway!! Seriously don't sweat just try and enjoy it xx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

You’ve done more than enough, send them off with a wave & a “ thank you for coming “ you could have spent an absolute mint & even doing that some snotty high & mighty would still judge . So I really wouldn’t stress Xmas is on the way keep ya money in your pocket

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I honestly think the kids don’t care as long as they’re having a good time and enjoy themselves.

I sometimes think it’s the parents that are trying to out do themselves with the level of lavishness and ‘quality’ of party bag.. like it’s some sort of parental competition!

So as long as the kids are having a great time, I honestly wouldn’t worry about it my lovely. I hope your daughter has an amazing time!!

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Yeah it's definitely a parents thing! Yeah I'm being tidy by saying siblings can come as well so that's easier on the parents that have more than one child plus it's till 7 in the night so all kids will be knackered from the party and will be clean cos they'd have been swimming and showered and would have had a good feed on a Saturday night, parents could probably chuck them to bed and they'd be outters.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Just enjoy the day, as much as you can. Don’t worry about party bags. The parents will appreciate the time to themselves whilst their children are at the party.

Something cheap for the future is packets of rich tea/fairy cakes and some icing, they ice their own biscuits/cake and take them home.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

[Removed by poster at 20/10/18 06:49:43]

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

You may set a new trend and give other parents a sense of relief that they can do the same.

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By *r Potato HeadMan
over a year ago

Manchester

Don't worry about what they think, it's the kids that matter.

A bag full of sweets they get to choose is better than the shite my daughter normally brings hone in party bags. Most of it lasts 5 minutes and it's broke.

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By *iss.HoneyWoman
over a year ago

...

Sounds like plenty already lovely

Smash a cake in the face of the snobby ones

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

They are walking out with cake and a big bag of sweets. Much better than half the shite in party bags that goes in the bin. I always went to lush and Claire's and got cracking stuff but 50 Kids is too many. You could just buy bags and put their sweets and cake in it with their thank you cards but personally I would make sure they had a good bag of sweets and use the wee twisty things you get on sandwich bags so they dont eat them and their cake in the box will look cracking x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Party bags are essential.

Although it does sound like a good party and sweets are popular, perhaps they won’t judge you.

Happy birthday to your daughter.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I can honestly say when my son was younger he would come in the party bag would be dumped on the side and he would forget about it. A week later it would be in the Bin, mouldy cake all over the toys. Seriously don't worry

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"You may set a new trend and give other parents a sense of relief that they can do the same. "

Sounds like a group of parents escalating parties to beat each other. As long as the kids are happy surely that's all that matters.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Sweets and cake is more than enough. Whenever my daughter has come back from a party that is the first thing she goes for and the toys just get lost or in the bin

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By *rincess peachWoman
over a year ago

shits creek

Stop stressing and enjoy.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Party bags are essential.

Although it does sound like a good party and sweets are popular, perhaps they won’t judge you.

Happy birthday to your daughter."

I thought only oils were essential.

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By *cduck and Blue eyesCouple
over a year ago

nr chester

I used to worry and stress like crazy about these things, then one day I just thought to myself, will they care of even remember this time next week, nope, so that’s my new rule of thumb, if it will be forgotten about this time next week then it’s nit worth worrying about now

have a lovely day and happy birthday to your little one

Mrs blue eyesxx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

It sounds like you're arranged an awesome party for your daughter. Sweets and cake is any amount enough. If some partners arent happy then it's tough. As long as your daughter has a fantastic time that's all that really matters.

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By *andybeachWoman
over a year ago

In the middle

Give them a bag so they can help themselves to sweets at the end of the party and you are onto a winner, kids live for seeets

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Party bags are not essential

Sweets and cake is great and that is what the kids enjoy anyway

The tat that has come home in most party bags over the years eventually finds it's way to the bin

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Op, lets face it the kids just want the sweets, and any normal parent will have that browbeaten look of thanks that:

A. You took their little darlings off their hands for a couple of hours

B. You didnt sent them home with things specifically designed to deafen them, grind thier wits to the very end or break the hoover

You sound like you are bossing it, just remember, drinking wine at tea time is acceptable!!

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By *ony 2016Man
over a year ago

Huddersfield /derby cinemas

Have a lovely party , your planning sounds brilliant ,, enjoy

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My boy would be happy with sweets & cake!

Those toys in party bags never last & they drive me insane all the little fiddly things!

Sounds like a perfect idea to me.

Relax, enjoy it, as long as the kids have fun then that’s the true party

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

party bag are an absolute con, just a way play centres get more money out of you. A few years ago we bought a load of books for £1 each from The Works and gave the kids those. But after that we haven't bothered

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I still remember the mum who gave every child a plastic whistle in a party bag. With a big smile she told the parents "They've made loads of noise here all afternoon - now it's your turn to suffer when they get home".

If she hadn't been so gorgeous I'd have been really pissed off!!!

Enjoy your kid's party. The nice parents will thank you. The others are not worth your time

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I hate party bag tat!

One birthday I got all the kids a small bag of pick n mix and tied a helium balloon to it. Everyone raved about it being the best party gift - the kids loved them and parents were happy not to have more crappy plastic toys!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Use the media... mostly party bags are filled with plastic tat that becomes house clutter within hours. Same as happy meals at the dreaded take away. My granddaughter is now refusing most toys because it just adds to the plastic waste. Bag of sweets is far more environmentally friendly. Though to get away with it you should get paper bags

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

If you go on Ebay and enter "party bag fillers", you'd be amazed at the amount of crap you can get for your money!

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By *ady LickWoman
over a year ago

Northampton Somewhere

Sounds like you're being very generous anyway tbh. 50 kids + potentially double that with siblings!! Fuck that....

I think you're providing enough as it is without the need for a party bag to. Although there's bound to be someone who asks where they are.

Happy birthday to your daughter.

Ps it gets less expensive as they get older!!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Just give them a speedboat each OP, hope this helps.

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By *ust PeachyWoman
over a year ago

Prestonish

Seriously love. I remember years of party bags that my kids came home with from parties. Days later the whole bag could be found in their bedroom untouched and mostly went in the bin - a total waste of someone’s time and money!

It’s sounds like your daughter will have an amazing birthday!

Well done you!

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By *mber DextrousWoman
over a year ago

Devon

I'd be delighted not to get a party bag with plastic tat that sits around gathering dust until I feel non- guilty enough to bin it. Anyone who judges you for such a great sounding party but no tat isn't worth worrying about.

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By *hrobbermanMan
over a year ago

Lanarkshire

Don't give out plastic junk. Some cake and sweets is brilliant!

Trendy modern and regular ordinary parents will hate you for distributing more plastic pollution into the planet, landfill and oceans. Don't do it.

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By *dontknowMan
over a year ago

North Devon

The sad reality is that you will be judged negatively by some parents

others will recognise the effort you’ve gone too!

I think you’ve got to ask yourself whether you’re really bothered about the other parents. As long as your kid and the other kids have enjoyed themselves you’ve done a good job

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

OP, you have only done one thing wrong, you have gone too far set the bar too high. School party circuit is intensely competitive now all parties will need to find 75+ friends and throw a lavish party to compete. Those with 3 school age children therefore need to throw parties and feed over 200 children a year, venues will get over booked so prices will rise. In a few years time the entire community will be bankrupt, and hopefully have forgotten it was you that started it all

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By *ELLONS AND CREAMWoman
over a year ago

stourbridge area

Just chill .... send them home with a selection of what's left....don't worry about the family with the landrover .... it probably belongs to a finance company ....send her a few extra sandwiches she probably has no food in the cupboards ......

All fur coat and no knickers

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By *ooking4othersMan
over a year ago

Here ...

Good on you for trying to please the masses ...

For our kids parties in the past it got out of control so eventually I said only kids I could recognise by name or sight got an invite to the parties.

... this led to parties with only the kids closest friends and the same spent ... quality over quantity ... less stress!

If I didn't know the kids then I certainly didn't know the parents so I didn't care what they thought!

The kids who were invited were closer to our kids so they had a better time and better gifts ...

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By *irestorm 500Couple
over a year ago

coventry

You've done enough , just enjoy the day , let us know how it went x storm x

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By *ink Panther.Woman
over a year ago

Preston

I would kiss you, I bloody hate tat in party bags, sweets and cake are perfect. However I always eat the cake and give feedback

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

If I were spending that much on my lo party then there would be no party bags

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

All done! Success

very tired zzz

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"All done! Success

very tired zzz"

Well done!! Did she have fun?

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Even done the wrong emoji

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Fuck 'em - you're entertaining their spawn with your money.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"All done! Success

very tired zzz

Well done!! Did she have fun?"

Yeah, they were bonkers, 59 kids! Fair play to them they didn't touch the sweet cart till I gave them the bags to fill and they had cake in a box to go home.

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By *ony 2016Man
over a year ago

Huddersfield /derby cinemas

Brilliant , glad it all went well

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"All done! Success

very tired zzz

Well done!! Did she have fun?

Yeah, they were bonkers, 59 kids! Fair play to them they didn't touch the sweet cart till I gave them the bags to fill and they had cake in a box to go home. "

Awww, sounds like a triumph!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

[Removed by poster at 20/10/18 23:34:30]

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By *sGivesWoodWoman
over a year ago

ST. AUSTELL, CORNWALL

"All done! Success

very tired zzz

Well done!! Did she have fun?

Yeah, they were bonkers, 59 kids! Fair play to them they didn't touch the sweet cart till I gave them the bags to fill and they had cake in a box to go home. "

Glad it all went well, nothing at all wrong with sweets and cake by the way!

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By *ady LickWoman
over a year ago

Northampton Somewhere

You wait all the kids will be demanding sweet carts at their parties from now on!!

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By *veready69Man
over a year ago

PLYMOUTH

Do people really worry about this stuff??

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Good on you for trying to please the masses ...

For our kids parties in the past it got out of control so eventually I said only kids I could recognise by name or sight got an invite to the parties.

... this led to parties with only the kids closest friends and the same spent ... quality over quantity ... less stress!

If I didn't know the kids then I certainly didn't know the parents so I didn't care what they thought!

The kids who were invited were closer to our kids so they had a better time and better gifts ... "

Brilliant

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"All done! Success

very tired zzz

Well done!! Did she have fun?

Yeah, they were bonkers, 59 kids! Fair play to them they didn't touch the sweet cart till I gave them the bags to fill and they had cake in a box to go home. "

Yay! Good kids.

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By *parkyANDcarebearCouple
over a year ago

Ferndown

A sweet cart is a great idea, the kids can fill there cones up as they wish. It is way better then some of the cheap plastic stuff I have seen.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Don't give out plastic junk. Some cake and sweets is brilliant!

Trendy modern and regular ordinary parents will hate you for distributing more plastic pollution into the planet, landfill and oceans. Don't do it."

Totally agree

It’s the same with Happy meal toys, sadly they also end up in the bin.

L x

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