Subject: [workmom] Goodie Bags From: Marcy Date: Tue, 31 May 2005 22:05:39 -0400 Thanks everyone for the HUGE response to the Goodie Bag question. I guess I'm not the only one who wants to simplify the contents of goodie bags. I'm on my 15th round of goodie bag buying and stuffing....I'm tapped out and concerned about filling the contents of my friends' homes with useless clutter. In case you're wondering, I think we're going to burn a CD with Charlotte and Abigail's favorite songs. Between that, the Mad Science project, and perhaps a bit of candy or 2, I think we're done. Here are a compilation of responses from this creative group. By far, the overwhelming majority recommended: Amazing Savings (I didn't know they had re-opened) Too many recommendations to list them separately Oriental Trading Company Website (They have some good choices. I of course waited too long to avoid crazy 2-day shipping charges) The dollar bins at Target. Some other responses of interest: home depot has seeds on sale, maybe that could be a science/naturey kind of thing cause they could go home and plant them. I usually but one larger gift for the kids. I don't give out candy (although one year we did bake cupcakes as part of the giveaway). We give away beach towels, beach chairs, ie summer stuff. Bed Bath and Beyond (with the coupons has nice stuff), Walmart (really nice selection) and Drug Fair. For first graders you could give camp stuff ie water bottles, name tags for back packs, flash lights. I find that by the time I buy the bag and a few small things to go into it --I'm up to 3-4 dollars anyways so I'd rather spend 5-7 (granted I only have 15 kids) and give out something substantial and easier for me! Last year I stuffed fanny pouches with miniature flashlights, a superbounce ball, and crayons. I got everything but the crayons from "Oriental Trading Company" (they have a catalogue and online store). The crayons I got on sale from a local store. One year I got all the kids a soccer ball. They were a great deal at Amazing Savings... I've also seen people purchase Lunch boxes, pails with shovels, really nice jump ropes (etc) from the same store as birthday party favors. You don't have to get a bunch of small stuff - sometimes one really nice thing is better. I like to keep things simple (like maybe one gift item and one or two candies) and then I wrap the stuff in cellophane (or a clear plastic goodie bag purchased at Amazing Savings) and colored ribbons. Some ideas to consider for boys: - match box car - sports bottle - comic book - age appropriate book (its great if you can find enough of one book at the dollar store) - frisbee - little note pad and pencil (or gel pen and black note paper) I just ordered come cute things from Oriental Trading Company on-line. Shipping cost me $3 and it sure beat going to the store. Last year I gave out frisbees, but the kids did not seem thrilled. They seem to like the junk-filled loot bags better! I order from birthdayexpress.com -- it is little trinkets but the kids like them and it's easy to organize. I've pretty much given up on the goodie bag approach, I just give one thing that is a little more lasting. ..I've given kites, interesting bubble things, sets of sidewalk chalk, watches. I generally do cool pencils, super balls, the bubble blowers that don't spill- .What I never do is candy. I resent getting it in a goody bag after the child has had (usually) pizza soda/punch and cake and ice cream so I don't give it out. For Mad science you can also do silly putty, magic tricks, strechy bugs, and those small plastic animals that come in tubes. One tube is about $5 and has about 20. A packet of seeds might be dorky but would be original. Rubber snakes always have value. The Party store on 22 is dreary to go to, but has much in the Cheap Stuff. The toy store in Maplewood is small, but has nice (little) magic tricks and a fair amount of other small stuff. Whatever you do, keep it to the minimum- just too much stuff in the world in general, and in my children's rooms in particular ! Ask the Mad Science guy if they have stuff that the kids will make or can take home usually they create a project flyer and you can do a pinata 2 and give the kids bags to collect candy..goodie bags are over the top lately and need to be brought back into check. The other sources if you have a bit of time is one of the catalogs Oriental Trading; or in Town is BabyLand usually $2-4 each expensiveI usually put some printed off line games that I copy, a pencil or I break up some gel pens from Staples or one of those stores, fun pads (typically 3 for $1 at Drug Fair (Millburn Mall), candy 2-3 pieces, etcLet the kids design their own goodie bag content look at Ragshop or Michaels catalogs/flyers in Sunday Star Ledger.Boys marbles are usually great; girls jacks or pick up sticks.. Battery operated mini-fans for the summer (some spray water), sidewalk chalk, modeling clay, yo-yos, decks of cards, Mad Lib books, little beading kits, headbands, mini-diaries, cool notepads and pencils, hair scrunchies and lip gloss. I usually buy stuff at Walgreens, the dollar shop in the Livingston Mall, Amazing Savings or the Rag Shop on Route 10. Also we just received a good one - a two dollar gertificate for ices at Ralphs in Livingston. I am not generally too creative, but I did just come up with a great goodie bag for my daughters 8 year old birthday party last week. (I really am not a braggart, but these were quite creative and pretty reasonable). I went to Target and got small colored buckets in their $1 bins. In Drug Fair, I had found plush flowers ($1.99 each) with wire inside that could be arranged. I put one flower in the flower pot and filled it with it with candy (i.e., dirt). For the boys, I used plush snakes, which I also found in Targets $1 bins. The kids loved them and the parents (even parents from the next party) commented on them. I always prefer that the kids have a souvenir from the party, instead of the junk they usually bring homethe cost is about the same. If you don't want to stick with the Mad Science theme for the goody bags, Michael's Craft Store on Rt. 10 had a lot of kid's toys for $1 that would make great stuffers for first graders (paddles with balls attached, pick-up sticks, jacks, jump ropes, maybe yo-yos. You can also try Love Letters in Livingston (intersection of S. Livingston and Northfield). It is in the same mall as Precious Cargo, if you know where that is. I get my goody bags items there all the time. They wrap the goody bags too, for free! My daughter got a $5 gift card to the ice cream store and nothing else. I LOVE that! Nothing to toss and something that is a real treat. On the street in the city today I saw vendors selling a cool looking bubble toy.