Simple, inexpensive party bag ideas/ alternatives?!

[CocoC]

Hello

I'm throwing a first birthday party for my daughter at the end of this month. It's turned into a bit of an extravaganza - we didn't have her Christened and always meant to have some kind of 'welcome to the world' party more as a thank you to our brilliant friends who supported us through a long and gruelling IVF journey to get her here - but life got in the way. Anyway, I didn't mean to go into an X-Factor style back story there - but suffice to say that we're expecting around 20-25 kids ranging in age from one to three. Cripes.

Anyway, I've already spent a fair amount of venue, catering, entertainment etc so don't really want to fork out on shedloads of party bags. A friend recommended buying lots of books from Book People and sticking them in a lucky dip style container which seems like a great idea - has anyone done anything similar/ anyone have any other bright ideas? Thanks!!

[SebsC]

Hi, not able to advise myself but this thread should help.......

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1387265,1392794#msg-1392794

[Yak]

In my view, you don't need to provide anything. You're inviting all your family and friends for a massive party, to celebrate your daughter being here and turning one, celebrating surviving the first year of parenthood, and to thank your family and friends for being part of your lives. Leave the party bags until she's old enough to care about them. The other kids will be so high on sugar anyway their parents will probably be relieved not to have them stuffing their faces with sweets on the way home. That might be controversial, I know, but you sound very generous and I honestly don't think you need to do anything more!

[Curmudgeon]

Buy packs of 10 books from thebookpeople and give them one each ...works out about ?1 per child

[RoLo1]

I have been looking through a catalogue by these people thinking I might stock up on some great things in packs of 4 and 8 (scratch frames, and make and do stuff). http://crafts.yellowmoon.org.uk/search?p=Q&asug=&w=frame

http://www.yellowmoon.org.uk/

I definitely agree that one nice thing alongside something kids will love, like a mini bag of Haribo, is more than enough.

[Pickle]

I wouldn't expect to get a party bag from a 1st birthday, even if you are inviting older children. I think they're something you don't need to worry about until the birthday child is old enough to want them.

If you do go ahead, I fully agree that a book, be it reading/colouring/nice little notepad is a nicer option than bags full of annoying bits of plastic (in particular, those yellow stretchy people!). But I really don't think your guests will be expecting it.

[Fuschia]

Baker Ross sell same stuff as yellow moon, but cheaper

[womanofdulwich]

packets of seeds split up ?

[cazbee]

The book idea is lovely. Can't go wrong with that. For my son's birthday last year (same time of year, end November) I handed out advent calendars which I got at the pound shop. They went down well and a good way to spread out the chocolate eating.

[CocoC]

Thanks so much for all your thoughts and ideas everyone! There are some great deals on the Book People so I think I'm going to go for that and then the kids can help themselves to a book or two at the end (and hopefully we'll end up with some leftovers too!). x