I worked as a children’s B-day entertainer for 12 years and just recently decided to get out of it and start a goody bag business. My initial thought about creating original goody bags was that I wanted to make bags with decent toys–not a bunch of stupid junk! I started looking at goody bag webstores and I’m really appalled at the junk they’re selling. I can’t understand why anyone would buy that stuff. I was/am also concerned about the choking hazard. As I was researching items to include, I avoided dangerous toys. Not so at many goody bag stores. I appreciate the suggestions about alternative gifts, (like the kickboard idea). As for candy, when I get my webstore operating, I will offer small cand packs as an add-on option. Unfortunately as a capitolist, I make a living off of other people’s materialistic inclinations. I can’t stop it, but can only profit from it. However, I can empathize with the anti-materialist sentiment. This country has gone way overboard with materialsm

You are such a picky bitch.

We don’t do goodie bags either.

At one party, I gave each child a Polish handpainted wooden easter egg (the party was the week before easter). Last year, our first party with lots of kids, I got lollipops and a bag full of assorted silly toys and each child could choose one of each on the way out the door. At my toddler’s first birthday party in June we gave the three children’s families (my sister’s/step brother’s kids) each one Barenaked Ladies Snacktime! CD to enjoy.

My sister has done stuff like commemorative t-shirts with all the guest’s faces on the tee and I’ve heard of other parents making mixed cds of kids music.

I agree. Hate the crap and am relieved when my son goes to a party without goody bags. But I also think kids should get something for showing their generosity of time and money. This year, we gave out Lego backpack charms to the kids that attended my son’s birthday! THe kids love them and the parents don’t mind. It’s nice to go to school and see all my son’s friends with their Star Wars or Sponge Bob backpack charms on their school backpacks. So I know they are getting used and not filling space in our landfills!

My daughter just had her birthday last week and I gave a box of crayons, a glue stick and a small book of blank paper. No candy. That’s pretty much my usual. I stock up at the back-to-school sales when all that creative stuff is cheap. Last year we had a pinata and I stuffed it with stickers, beaded necklaces and rings and a little candy. I did my best to make sure the play jewelry was safe. My daughter is 6 and still can’t resist putting things in her mouth.

I have always had a pinata for my daughter’s b-day. I put in some candy and some stickers and that’s it. If you don’t want your kid to get a bunch of sugar, you can probably “share” their bag at home — much like you do at Halloween (don’t tell me you don’t do this) — or “edit” the candy while at the party. I don’t do goody bags otherwise and the kids are so busy having fun with the pinata and simply playing with each other anyway, that leaving with a goody bag doesn’t matter.

I think if you’re secretly throwing your kids’ things out, you have control issues.

A party we just went to last weekend had a petting zoo in their backyard, rabbits, ducks, chickens, sheep, goat, pig, and mini-horse. It was great and the kids were of course thrilled. The goodie bag consisted of a unswallowable small metal cowbell, and some homemade animal cookies. So I think something thoughtful and durable can still work for a goodie bag. For some of the plastic filled ones, I just pretend to forget to pick it up.

We had “experience” birthday parties this year, my daughter had hers at an urban farm and my son had his at a martial arts studio. Each group got to do some stuff (feed chickens, try food just plucked, play Monkey/Tiger tag & practice walking like a Crane) and we had the usual cake & ice cream and snacks. No goodie bags at all and when I talked to the parents about my reasons why (same reasons you mention above), they were relieved and agreeable. I think many parents don’t want to be judged so they keep on doing things “they way they’ve always been done”. I hope to see fewer crap bags at parties in the future!

Yes Yes and Yes!!! I have never given a goody bag at my daughter’s parties and don’t intend to, precisely because of reason #5!!! Thank you soooo much for making me feel like I’m not the only crazy one out here. Why give a present just for showing up? Really- like the 2 hour bounce wasn’t enough of a fun time or the pirate theme park isn’t enough for a four year old? Whenever we go to a party my daughter likes getting a goody bag, but come on people, what’s the point? And how did these even get started I’d like to know. I never got one going to a birthday party when I was a kid so what the heck?

The only good suggestion I ever read about was decorating this kind of treasure chest as a party game and then you get to fill it with pirate “booty” and take it home.