Will I be shunned for not giving out party favors?

[Anonymous]

I was always anti-favor, until my children started going to birthday parties, and at age 2 or 3 had a hard time when the birthday child opened presents. They got jealous, I geuss-- and yes I know they need to learn that the world isn't all about them, but... it really did help that they got a little bag full of trinkets on the way home.

That's an excellent reason not to give party favors, in my opinion. "It's not your birthday, it's Danny's birthday, that's why Danny is getting presents today," is a vital lesson. Isn't cake and ice cream a treat enough for the partygoers?

[Anonymous]

I would not mind at all!

[Anonymous]

The parents will secretly rejoice and the kids might complain a little, but then forget about it.

[Anonymous]

If you are having a NO GIFT PARTY, it is your obligation to NOT give party favors.... otherwise people might feel uncomfortable.

But even if you having a "normal" party (with guests bringing gifts), I think it is totally ok to not give out party favors. The party - good time with friends, cake and ice cream is treat enough

[Anonymous]

I think it must depend on the circles you run in... I did those little blow-in-to-make-the-paper-roll-out things for birthday #2 and balloons for #3 (each kid took home a balloon, which had doubled as decorations). Nobody seemed to expect anything, and I know my DD doesn't. She got a favor at a Halloween party she was invited to, and she thought it was awesome, but she didn't quite understand why they had given it to her.

Anyway, *I* wouldn't shun you, OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I usually give books - more expensive but worth it.

Same here.

[Anonymous]

I'm anti favor, too. It's just silly that we're all exchanging nasty toxic crap that none of us want in our houses anyway.

That said, if you feel like you must do favors, stickers or balloons seem like a better choice. Books for sure, if you're up for spending a bit more.

[Anonymous]

You all sound like a bunch of misery guts. So glad I know NO ONE like you lot. Flame away. I'm not coming back to read anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You all sound like a bunch of misery guts. So glad I know NO ONE like you lot. Flame away. I'm not coming back to read anymore.

I wonder what "misery guts" are. Oh well, guess we'll never know.

[Anonymous]

I think you certainly could skip the favors, but, the kids do like them - I think something like a cookie wrapped in a cute bag would be sufficient.

I also don't think you have the skip the favors if you do a no gift party, that doesn't make sense to me.

On that note, not to burst your bubble, but I just did a no gifts party for my 3 year old recently and I won't do it again. Most people brought gifts anyway and it left the few people that didn't bring gifts feeling badly - I think they would have just preferred to bring a $10 gift than have to worry about it. I tried to do something nice and not materialistic or imposing on people and some people ended up feeling awkward so I don't think I'll repeat this.

[Anonymous]

Go with your gut (or your "misery guts," as the case may be) and don't give out favors. More of us need to "just say no."

I wish everyone would stop giving out this crap! Trust me, most parents do NOT want it. I throw it away as soon as my kids aren't looking. If/when I give out favors, I usually do the "nice" ones like a book, but even that isn't really necessary, IMO.

For my most recent 2 parties: 1. gave each kid a balloon (5-yr old party) and 2. gave each kid a pack of baseball cards (8-yr old baseball-themed party). With the balloons, I thought they'd be asking me for their goody bags, but nobody did, and they seemed happy with their balloons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You all sound like a bunch of misery guts. So glad I know NO ONE like you lot. Flame away. I'm not coming back to read anymore.

I wonder what "misery guts" are. Oh well, guess we'll never know.

LOL!

[Anonymous]

I know I will be flamed, but I am going to say how I feel. Some of you guys are really sucking the joy out of your kids' childhood. Will the world end if they don't get a goodie bag? No, of course not -- maybe the world will even be better off. Will the world end if it's a no gifts party? No. But gosh, those things are FUN for kids. It's FUN to be the birthday kid and get gifts (small tokens are fine, they don't have to be big gifts). It's FUN to get a few pieces of candy or silly little trinkets (that a lot of kids have more fun with than those wooden educational toys you guy are always going on about).

Lighten up!!!! Seriously. Why can't kids have fun anymore? Why can't one day be special without all of the stressing about whether they'll be spoiled, whether the toys are toxic and whether a few pieces of chocolate ill make them too hyper?

[Anonymous]

At 2 it won't matter but 5 or 6 may be a different story. I went to a party and they gave a goody bag with toothpaste and a tooth brush. We liked it.

[Anonymous]

I know I will be flamed, but I am going to say how I feel. Some of you guys are really sucking the joy out of your kids' childhood. Will the world end if they don't get a goodie bag? No, of course not -- maybe the world will even be better off. Will the world end if it's a no gifts party? No. But gosh, those things are FUN for kids. It's FUN to be the birthday kid and get gifts (small tokens are fine, they don't have to be big gifts). It's FUN to get a few pieces of candy or silly little trinkets (that a lot of kids have more fun with than those wooden educational toys you guy are always going on about).

Lighten up!!!! Seriously. Why can't kids have fun anymore? Why can't one day be special without all of the stressing about whether they'll be spoiled, whether the toys are toxic and whether a few pieces of chocolate ill make them too hyper?

My kids are having a WAAAAAYYY better childhood than I did. Their life is great - they're not being deprived if they don't get a goody bag.