This is a spin-off from the other thread.
Every time someone in my mom groups talk about a birthday party, its always about the favors. I don't get it... why are favors necessary?
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I think it’s just one of those self perpetuating things ... people have done it, so you feel like you should and at a certain age kids kind of expect it. And kids just love junk
And it’s one more thing to plan out cutely if you’re into party planning. I’d be happy if we all dropped them though
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@jennlin821: I guess it's like a "thank you for coming to my party" thing. I could definitely do without. I don't want to seem stingy, so I do a really small one or a consumable.
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I agree that it is one of those things that has just regularly been done, so people keep doing it. I can kind of understand them for other types of parties, but I just don't see the need for kid parties. The kids come to play and have fun - having an entertaining party should be enough.
We skipped them this year because we did a party at a venue and I didn't see why we needed to give the kids something to thank them for coming. Each kid got to leave with a balloon and they were happy. I was worried people would judge or think it was weird. But in the end many parents thanked me for not sending the kids home with junk.
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Weddings, bridal/wedding showers, birthday parties. I think they're all stupid. I hate them. I've done them and I've not done them and no one cared either way.
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I think it's just to show appreciation for your guests. I agree it can be a nuisance and is probably old-fashioned, but my son gets really excited by them. I've never been offended to not receive a favor though and I try to not to be annoyed by bags of "junk" because my child likes it, even if it is only for a day or so, and because someone else put time, effort, and money into putting it together.
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We attend mostly small family/friend parties which don't do favors. We haven't gone to any big location parties like a jump house or arcade something or other. I remember getting party favors as a kid but they were all cheap things that my mother threw away pretty quick.
I will not be doing party favors that aren't consumable candy or cookies. I hate thank you notes and all these legacy etiquette things that I just don't have time for and I consider a waste. A thank you in person is way better in my opinion. I'm not sending junk as a thank you gift for coming.
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Personally, I hate them and I refused to do them for showers and wedding.
I was always under the impression that favors were to appease little kids who didn't get to open presents (because it wasn't their birthday, and they don't understand) or to show appreciation for folks for coming a long way to a big event (wedding)...and then party planners and Pinterest happened! -
They're not necessary. Feel free to skip them!
I'll be honest, the only things that haven't gone into the trash in VERY quick order have been art supplies, a little flashlight, and the one die-cast truck that I took to the donation place. Candy, cookies, pre-packaged snack type stuff that isn't suitable for the food pantry...all goes directly into the trash. I feel horrible because I try pretty hard to reduce our waste, but there aren't good options for not pitching most of it.
@codeitall: I have to disagree that a thank you note is in the same realm as trinket-like toys or candy passed out as a favor. You can recycle my thank you note, and it's a personal gesture, not a generic commercial one.
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For fun and because the kids love them! I wouldn’t think twice if we went to a party and didn’t get a favor but I think for most people they are just a small enjoyable part of the whole party experience. Plus they make it easier to get a kid out the door at the end of a party
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So interesting that no one likes them!
For me, I think this is going to be on the list of sh*t other people do but not in my house, like elf on the shelf!
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I don’t mind them when people put some thought into them. At one we got a water bottle that my son loves. We’ve also recently gotten a few $5 gift cards to places like McDonalds or Dairy Queen, which is great. But the bags of junky plastic toys that people hand out just to have something to hand out....it frustrates me, more for environmental reasons than anything else - so much plastic garbage!
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I feel pretty neutral on party favors for kid parties- I don’t miss them, prefer not to get a bag of junk or lots of candy, but my kids love them so I appreciate a small one with like a treat and tiny toy. I agree they are a really good way to signal that the party is over, time to go!
I would actually much prefer party favors for kid parties to adult events. Like why do I want a random trinket because I went to a baby shower? At least kids love the random hunk they get.
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Oh- and our school has a big carnival fundraiser every year, and they collect all these random trinkets to use as prizes for the carnival games. So any random stampers or cheap plastic toys you can just save up and donate when the time comes. At the very least a kid enjoys receiving them twice before they go in the trash.
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@Foodnerd81: that is a great idea!
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@jennlin821: Totally agree and this is why we gave away mini champagne bottles at my baby shower and my sister gave away tiny makers mark bottles at her wedding
We’ve had 2 bday parties for my son so far. The first one was hot wheels themed so each guest got a hot wheel single pack ($1). This year the theme was animals so each guest got a backpack clip on beanie boo ($3). Way better than a bag of random crap in my opinion!
At parties we’ve attended, favors are hit or miss. Definitely not everyone does them. -
I guess I'm in the minority, but I like making party favors. My daughter is having her third birthday (Frozen theme) so I got some Frozen party cups, and filling them with kinder eggs, playdough, a ring pop, stickers, and some blue hershey kisses. I'm also making fairy crowns and they are getting a wand. I wouldn't consider any of it junk although the toy inside of a kinder egg is junk. I'm okay if other birthday parties don't have favors. It's just something I like to do
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Another way to reuse the plastic junk that comes as party favors is to put them in easter eggs when you do hunts with other kids/families. I got that idea from someone else!
I am also not a fan of party favors - getting or giving stuff. And that it's somewhat seen as "required." We generally don't give them out.
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I guess it's just one of those age old etiquette things that we just keep doing, except with IG and social media, everything just has to get bigger and better.
But in general I'm not a very formal person, and I think mostly where I live and the circles I hang around, no one cares THAT much. Evites are fine, less & less holiday cards go around in the mail every year, etc.
I did pack favor bags for both my girls birthdays this year (we went to their daycare/school to celebrate), but it was more b/c I want them to practice giving instead of recieving mostly.
Most recently for my sister's bridal shower, I gave a little photo stand for Polaroids that guests would take during the shower, so something practical. I don't think I did favors for my wedding of over 400 people; it's just too much
We had a photobooth back when it was just starting to become a thing so I figure the pictures can be a favor!
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Junk to parents but kids love them. I know my kids get so excited getting the goodie bag at the end.
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@thepaperbutterfly: Me too! I like coming up with cute and creative party favors for my kids parties. I do hate the plastic junk so always do something consumable (crackers or cookies) and something to play with that matches the theme - bath toy for babies, lego vehicle kit, stuffed animal dog etc.
I agree that favors are unnecessary for adult events. I have so many random koozies and don't need more candles or lotions from a shower.
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@thepaperbutterfly: I want to get that favor cup! When the kids were pretty little dh and I loved when something came with decent chocolate for us to eat
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I don't like party favors, but when they're done well they're a pretty good thing! My LOs got a lot of use out of some of these - art supplies, a beach bucket, water bottles, and pencils. DS also brought home a packet of hot chocolate from a couple winter birthday parties, and that was a big hit.
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Totally not necessary... just another unwritten societal rule that everyone follows, me included lol! It's interesting because my daughter and one of her friends both had a rollerskating party at the same venue just a couple weeks apart. I tried to go with a 'minimalistic' route, so I gave each kid 1 Beanie Boo. The other mom went with the 'no guilt if thrown away' route, and each kid got a bag filled with 10+ cheap glow-in-dark accessories. In both cases, the kids were thrilled, but the favors were all-but-forgotten within a day lol!
And it’s one more thing to plan out cutely if you’re into party planning. 
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