If you’re a parent, you’ve probably got an opinion on party bags. There aren’t too many parties where a kid walks away without clutching one in their sticky hands. They’re generally stuffed with lollies, plus a couple of cheap toys and maybe a balloon.
The sugar high lasts longer than the toys, which tend to break quickly and end up in the rubbish.
So should we just junk the whole party bag tradition?
Renee Kaiman, the Canadian blogger behind My So-Called Mommy Life, was the brave mum who called for parents to stop this nonsense of handing out party bags.
“Parents, please keep your dollar store crap to yourself,” she wrote in her original post.
“I get that everyone wants to keep up with those Pinterest moms, but sending my kid home with junk that you won’t even feed your kid, or toys that will break into a million pieces five minutes after they’ve played with it, is ridiculous.”
On This Glorious Mess, Holly Wainwright voiced her agreement with Kaiman.
Kaiman has a problem with the idea that kids need to leave a party with a gift.
“Why is it that are kids need to be given a reward (which the loot bag totally is) for coming to celebrate with a friend! A friend!
“Our kids should learn the feeling of giving to others without expecting anything in return.”
Plenty of parents supported her.
“They’re more like grab bags or, as I call them, landfill bags,” Philippa Howell posted.
Top Comments
My kids are now 19 & 21 and I threw a party for them every year, and the kids helped do and come up with ideas for party bags. We mostly used paper bags which were recycled brand and my kids would do designs on them and pack them with things each individual child would like. Not everyone liked the same and my kids knew this. Leave kids alone. They look forward to parties and I don't know one child that would choose to donate money to a cause rather than have a lolly bag! What's the harm seriously? You've taken away Christmas celebrations at school, probably Easter too and now birthday celebrating with your friends at school too! I'm glad I grew up when I did as did my kids. They are KIDS once, leave them be children!!!
She sounds like a laugh a minute.