Ugh Party Favor bags!

[rkold]

So I just realized I need favors for DD's birthday party on Sunday. We're having it at one of those paint your own pottery places. I need to get it all together by Sunday. The kids are mostly K, both boys ad girls. Any good suggestions on favors I can get together by then without spending a fortune? The Pottery place will create favors for $7~ a pop but I'm really not interested in spending $140 on favor bags on top of the party itself.

Thank you in advance.

[mom2binsd]

Are they not getting a piece of pottery at the end of the day (or a week later?). When DD has gone to those type of parties, the pottery is the favor. Maybe send them home with an iced cookie wrapped in cellophane, that is plenty! You've spent enough and no need to do party favor bags (or as some refer to them bags of crap!).

[teresah00]

I agree the pottery is the favor.

[baymom]

I think that the pottery they are painting is enough of a favor, by itself. But, if you want something beyond that, I'd keep it light. Maybe a $1 bin Michael's notepad with their initial on it/Target dollar spot slinky/other $1 bin find, a pack of fruit snacks and a fun candy.

[rkold]

Are they not getting a piece of pottery at the end of the day (or a week later?). When DD has gone to those type of parties, the pottery is the favor. Maybe send them home with an iced cookie wrapped in cellophane, that is plenty! You've spent enough and no need to do party favor bags (or as some refer to them bags of crap!).

Yes, when we got back from WDW and pick up the pottery, each attendee gets what they painted and yes, I feel like most party favor bags are bags of crap as well. >>;

So it wouldn't be bad/cheap for me to just melt chocolate into molds and put it in a pretty cellophane bag? I don't want to seem cheap to the other kids/families since this is really our first time meeting them. (DD went to private pre-school in another town, so I don't know any of the other parents in her class/school.)

[SnuggleBuggles]

I have done homemade lollipops or cookies plus a balloon and/ or sheet of stickers and called it a day. We've done private and public schools. Most people give out the BoC.

[Ms B]

So it wouldn't be bad/cheap for me to just melt chocolate into molds and put it in a pretty cellophane bag? I don't want to seem cheap to the other kids/families since this is really our first time meeting them. (DD went to private pre-school in another town, so I don't know any of the other parents in her class/school.)

Nope, not bad or cheap. The last thing that we need at my house is more junk. Chocolate, on the other hand, is always welcome.

An alternative that I would do (and have done) is cute tipped cookies from a local bakery. The one that I get birthday cakes from does a large decorated cookie in whatever theme you like (Angry Birds, butterflies, baseball, etc.) wrapped in a cello bag with ribbon for $1.75 each. Easy!

[rkold]

Nope, not bad or cheap. The last thing that we need at my house is more junk. Chocolate, on the other hand, is always welcome.

An alternative that I would do (and have done) is cute tipped cookies from a local bakery. The one that I get birthday cakes from does a large decorated cookie in whatever theme you like (Angry Birds, butterflies, baseball, etc.) wrapped in a cello bag with ribbon for $1.75 each. Easy!

I would definitely do that, but I'm making the birthday cake and I don't know if any of the bakeries around here can do the cookies in time. I've never ever actually bought cookies from them. I know one uses marshmallow in some of their frostings so we can't eat it. ~.~ I was thinking of seeing if Whole Foods can do something like that? We mostly have grocery store bakeries up here. My town is a weird mix of suburban and almost rural.

BTw, I just wanted to say, I'm so glad to see that so many other mothers/parents think a party favor bag is a bag of junk. I seriously hate them when we receive them.

I thought about making lip gloss, but realized the boys might not be feeling that one so much. DD is a very girly girl, but almost 1/2 the kids coming are boys. (We currently have 19 total, 2 kids we are waiting on.)

[SnuggleBuggles]

I bake my own cookies. :) Simple powdered sugar, water, vanilla extract and food coloring plus some sprinkles. I don't do anything fancier than that but they still look good!

[squimp]

I agree, the pottery is the favor. If you want to add something, I would send home a cookie or candy bar. I did candy melt lollipops once too!

[twowhat?]

Pottery is totally the favor. If you HAVE to do something, a cookie or chocolates or caramel/cheddar popcorn mix (on sale at Costco right now!!) would be fine.

If you need a pretty presentation, maybe get some flower foam in a ceramic pot and stick some fancy lollipops in it so that they look like flowers. Each kid pulls one on the way out:)

[Tenasparkl]

Maybe you can give them a little something (lollipop?) with a note attached about how they can pick up the pottery they made/how you'll deliver the pottery.

[TwoBees]

I had the same problem last year at DD1's pottery painting party. I felt like I needed something since they would not be walking out of the party with the pottery. I can't remember what we did but it was something small. I wanted to do wikistix per suggestions here but I wasn't able to get them in time.

[carolinacool]

Candy bar - I did XL Hershey bars. Bigger than the ones you see at the checkout counters, but smaller than the movie theater size.
Cookie - If you go through a bakery, these can get surprisingly pricey.
Lipsmacker balm for girls, Hot Wheels for boys (are they all around 5?)

[rkold]

Candy bar - I did XL Hershey bars. Bigger than the ones you see at the checkout counters, but smaller than the movie theater size.
Cookie - If you go through a bakery, these can get surprisingly pricey.
Lipsmacker balm for girls, Hot Wheels for boys (are they all around 5?)

Yes, they all around 5. DD is one of the younger children since she is just turning 5. I think maybe 3 kids attendees re younger?

I'm willing to pay $2-3 per favor or $40-$60.

I am thinking maybe the lollipops would be fun too.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Can't go wrong with a balloon, btw, Fun, disposable and they double as party decorations.

[IansMom]

I like the idea of the balloon as well. Also, DS received a punching ball as a favor and he loves it. DS is probably in the minority but he wouldn't appreciate or eat the candy or cookie. I would though! If you want to keep with the artsy theme, why not Crayola water colors and paintbrushes wrapped in cellophane? Or crayons and a sketch pad?

[rkold]

Can't go wrong with a balloon, btw, Fun, disposable and they double as party decorations.

Yeah, that's another thought. I guess I should check out the party stores. Usually we just buy DD a single balloon at the grocery store and they're a little pricey, but maybe with 20 it's cheaper?

I'm still mulling over the cookie idea. I have the cutest molds.


I like the idea of the balloon as well. Also, DS received a punching ball as a favor and he loves it. DS is probably in the minority but he wouldn't appreciate or eat the candy or cookie. I would though! If you want to keep with the artsy theme, why not Crayola water colors and paintbrushes wrapped in cellophane? Or crayons and a sketch pad?

If you as a mother appreciated it, that's worth something to me too.

I wonder if Target still has crayons for $.50

I am tending towards food, because I like to cook and it's not overly expensive. I admit, I like the fact food is gone and won't continue to cause clutter and mess. We have so much stuff. I've been telling family no gifts, please just pay for lessons for DD, since all her after school activities are adding up.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Just solid colored latex balloons, not Mylar. Should be less than $2 each but probably even cheaper.

[123LuckyMom]

Do the homemade chocolates! That's fine for a party favor where they're already getting the pottery! The balloons are also a good idea. We get plain colored ones and buy a helium tank. The kids love helium balloons, but just plain old balloons are a lot of fun. You don't need them, though. The chocolates are a great favor!

[baymom]

I agree with you on the food--I always try to make as much of my party favor bags be food as possible. What could be better than an entirely consumable favor? :) If you decide to go the balloon route, you might want to check out your Dollar Store. Ours has mylar balloons for $1 each, and I believe for a larger order, you have to give them some notice. Or, you could go to Michaels, use your 40% off coupon and buy a helium tank and fill your own balloons. We have done this several times and it's fairly quick and easy. It's been a while, but I want to say the tank with the coupon at Michael's in less than $20.

As a parent, I'd rather my DC receive a balloon (they are much older and still will play with balloons!) or a cookie/lollipop, rather than crayons or sketch pads. By age 5, people are up to their armpits in crayons at home. I'd rather not add to that.

[Corie]

I have a completely different opinion about food favors. I am totally not a fan of homemade cookies/cakes/chocolate lollipops, etc.
Especially from people that I don't know very well. My son has a nut allergy and I don't feel comfortable trusting that your food
is safe for my son to eat. Unfortunately, at our house, your food treat would go in the trash.

[mikala]

The Dollar Tree has tons of foil mylar balloons for a dollar. Our store has a bunch of designs and plain colored stars and heart shaped balloons.

[georgiegirl]

I would go to dollar tree and get Mylar balloons. Kids of all ages love them, and at $1, it's a great deal.

[ahisma]

Another vote for the dollar store mylar balloons. That's our go-to. Cheap, kids love them, and not a nightmare for parents.

[ckso]

The Dollar Tree has tons of foil mylar balloons for a dollar. Our store has a bunch of designs and plain colored stars and heart shaped balloons.

Another vote for this! Party City sells the latex ones for pretty cheap too (I think around $1 too) if you're more comfortable with preordering them to make sure you have them

[rkold]

I don't like driving in my car with a single balloon let alone the idea of trying to drive with 20+ balloons. We are a 1 car family and our car is a Civic.

There is one child in DD's class who is allergic to nuts. I do not know which child it is, one of the ones coming or one of the ones not coming. I'm honestly not sure there will be anything at the party that child will be able to eat since the pizza comes from a local pizza place and I am definitely making the cake.
Perhaps I can make one goodie bag of pre-packaged and marked nut-free items just in case.

[mom2binsd]

Yes, all kids love a freaking balloon!!!

[happymom]

Maybe you can give them a little something (lollipop?) with a note attached about how they can pick up the pottery they made/how you'll deliver the pottery.

I like this idea a lot.

Have fun at the party!

[klwa]

For my kids' birthdays, I generally just buy a few Halloween packs of say Teddy Grahams/cheeseballs/Playdough/etc., tie it up, & call it a day. I figure all of that can be eaten/used. And no little random plastic toys. The fact that the Halloween packs are out makes it great to have late summer/early fall birthdays. :)

[gatorsmom]

We had a birthday party at a pottery place a few years ago when I needed to come up with a fast, easy party. We all talked about how I would be delivering the finished creations in a few weeks and the kids were fine with that. Nobody needed a goody bag.

However, I'm one of the rare parents who is fine with the bag o' crap. The kids go through it quickly, it keeps their attention for a day or half a day and then I toss the unbroken stuff in the charity bin. I know other parents hate them, though so we try to give Theater boxes of candy in our goody bags. Moms have thanked me for that before (particularly when they ate the candy themselves lol). I did put together a BoC this summer when we did sleepovers for my older 2 boys. I did Theater candy and some glow in the dark items and mini flashlights. Most of the stuff got used here at our house during the sleepover and wasn't taken home.

[rkold]

So the birthday party was today (I can't believe DD is 5 now!)

We ended up doing a tiny bag of homemade cookies and a balloon from the $1 store. I asked my Mom to pick up the balloons because she has a small SUV. I think the goody bags+balloons were perfect and we spent under $2 per kid since I made the cookies myself, which was perfect.

The child with a nut allergy didn't come and the child who for lifestyle reasons doesn't eat gluten cancelled this morning. (though if he had come I would have done gluten-free cookies for him.)

I think it was a success and a bunch of the moms loved the cake! I'm not sure if it was sweet enough for the kids and I am still experimenting with dying cake naturally.

Thank you for all your help! :hug: I really appreciated all the advice!