First Birthday Party - eek! 20 November 2012 at 8:39PM in MoneySaving mums 7 replies 1.4K views

davethecat

Hi all,
I was wondering if you would mind chipping in some ideas for party bags suitable for 1 year olds! I haven't a clue & I'm on a budget so can't go too wild and crazy.

I thought bubbles & balloons might go down well, any other ideas?

Thanks in advance :-)

thegirlintheattic

I wouldn't bother. 1 year olds will not remember.

A little afternoon tea with some toys for your little one and a few LOs of friends/family will be fine. At this age the parties are just for the parents.

fluffnutter

Totally agree. Party bags are the scourge of modern parenting with increasingly elaborate (and expensive) gifts included to make sure your bag is best. Why start all that nonsense when they're too little to care? If you do want to send people home with something, then nowt wrong with a slice of cake wrapped in a napkin - and this works for older kids too.

notanewuser

fluffnutter wrote: »

Totally agree. Party bags are the scourge of modern parenting with increasingly elaborate (and expensive) gifts included to make sure your bag is best. Why start all that nonsense when they're too little to care? If you do want to send people home with something, then nowt wrong with a slice of cake wrapped in a napkin - and this works for older kids too.

Foil keeps the cake fresher, but other than that I completely agree!!

kettlefish

We had a joint party with 8 babies (we met at antenatal classes). It was lovely to celebrate the first year all together and the babies did go home with a party bag.

I bought 2 little box sets of 5 books in Home Bargains, £2.50 a set so 50p each. I also put in a little box of raisins, and a small Milky Way type chocolate bar (Aldi's own version). A balloon and bottle of bubbles were the last two items. Total cost was around £1 per bag.

Other parties I've been to have wrapped up a cheap book (perhaps one from one of the Book People collections or WH Smith's bundles) - usually work out around £1 each - or a nursery rhymes CD - again, home bargains have these from 99p each. Just pop a little note on the front saying "Thanks for coming to my party, love from Baby"

davethecat

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the sentiment that the little one won't remember and in all honesty it probably is for all the mums to get together. I met a fantastic bunch of ladies who have been a great tonic so it's almost a thank you & chance for a catch up as many of us have returned to work so don't get an opportunity to see each other as much as we used to or like.

I'm keeping costs low by prepping some toddler tapas, renting our community hall & have roped in some entertainment in the form of a music & play class leader.

Kettlefish - thank you for the suggestions, raisins always go down a treat & I hadn't even thought of splitting book sets - much rather spend a pound or 2 on "useful" gifts rather than tat.

Thanks for the tip on the foil too!

ema_o

I bought a couple of bags of bath toys from poundland - 10 toys for £2 for 1st birthday bags. They have lasted really well too!
My LO's favourite toy at that age was a glitter filled bouncy ball that someone gave us in a party bag.

viciouslittlething

Probably a bit late, DD's 2nd Birthday just passed. I did some homemade playdough in a few colours. Wrapped in clingfilm and put in bags.

I hate the plastic stuff that comes in party bags, they just clutter up your junk draw.

I plan on keeping all DD's stub ended crayons and broken bits to melt into crayons for next year [in silicone baking moulds in the oven]. How organised, eh!