Birthday party favors?

**SwirlyThing** · 10-06-2011, 12:01 PM

DD is turning 14 this month. For her birthday, I'm splurging on the party and paying for her and 8 friends to do rock climbing at an indoor rock climbing facility. This alone is going to cost me about $200. We will also provide pizza, drinks, and cake for the party.

Now my dilemma. It has become fashionable in the last decade or so to give party favors, essentially gifts, to the guests of the party. I'm not sure when, why, or how it came to be that those going to a birthday party expect to get gifts for showing up. It certainly wasn't like that when I grew up.

I guess it wasn't such a big deal to me when she was younger, because you can get things 6 y/o's enjoy for a lot less money than what it takes to please teenagers.

Anyway, how do you all feel about this? Do you provide "party favors" when you throw a birthday party? Should I cave in to this trend and spend more money to buy trinkets for 8 teenage girls? Or is the fact that I've paid for them to spend 2 hours rock climbing enough?

**brennasmom** · 10-06-2011, 12:10 PM

We just had a party for DS at a local indoor play place that cost about $200... I did not do party favors. I think the event is plenty

**moasmom** · 10-06-2011, 12:30 PM

I think it's time to reverse this trend. Who decided parents should spend additional money to buy stuff to give away that will just get thrown away shortly after the party? Um, I think that would be the party supply companies. The world does not need more stuff in it.

Stand firm and know that you are throwing an awesome party for your DD and no one will come away from the fun rock climbing experience thinking, "Now, why didn't I get a goody bag with pencils, candy and erasers?"

Kara

**Neeley** · 10-06-2011, 12:31 PM

My kids are older (18 & 16) but we pretty much always gave out favors. I typically went along the theme of the party with the favors. For example, when we rented out the baseball batting cages for DS's party, we gave each boy a bag with a baseball, a thing of Big League Chew gum, a pack of baseball cards, etc...Each year we did their parties at different venues (McDonald's, roller rink, miniature golf, paint ball, party palace). Sometimes the venue supplied a goodie bag for each guest as a part of their party package. But, if they did not, we typically made them.

I remember my mom doing it for my parties growing up as well.

While we always have the kids write thank you notes, the goodie bags to me are an extra way to say "thank you". However gift bags are certainly not required and I doubt anyone would think less of you if you did not do them.

You could do cute bags with dollar tree nail polish, lotion, lip gloss and ring pops relatively cheap. Cute little plastic basket with a nail polish, lotion, lip gloss, etc...I know DS's girlfriends are silly creatures and even at their age (15-16) they like ring pops, candy jewelry, and sour gummy candies.