Children's Birthday Parties: "Gift Bags" Rant

Some parents spend more ont he gift bags than what I spent on the gift for the birthday present! 

On the other hand, we did get little gift bags when I was little at some parties.  I just did gift bags for Katie's party yesterday, they weren't too bad...

- homemade heart cookie and 4 cookie

- homemade "magic wand" pretzel stick (dipped in white chocolate and covered in sprinkles)

- princess stikers

- princess pen

- chocolate gold coins

- little kalidascope thingies

Boys bags were similar but with a pirate theme.  I think they cost me about $3 or 4 each. 

#1) I can't remember the last time I heard the word "Treflan" used in a conversation

#2) The kid's birthday party is just as much about the Moms trying to outdo each other. My wife is the Queen of trying to outdo the other Moms. And it whips my $ss to all holy h$ll.

Woaaaa! I have a kid that will turn 4 in March. He's already been to a couple of 'themed'bdays at local museums, child activity places. I'm FREAKED out! I looked into a Chuck E Cheese bday and it runs at minimum 10.99 per person (xtra for goodies and cake)!!! So by the time it's all over and done with it would probably be  200 bucks for a 4 year olds birthday that won't be remembered beyond April! GEEEEEZZZ I refuse to play 'one up man' stuff but don't want to emotionally scar a kid either. 4 is too young I feel so maybe in a couple of years we'll do the bigger deals. Sad thing is the kids that would be invited are from his day care and I really don't know them or their parents....odd world vs. when I was a kid and pin the tail on the donkey, cake and noise makers were all we needed and all the kids were from the neighborhood.

maybe we'll spring for a 'blow it up air' place where the kids run rampant on blown up slides, moon walk places etc... and I'll take the advice to send the kids home with sugar and noise. (actually, I bought one of those bull horn things at a local drug store last year... I had more fun with it than my kid!)

I wonder if the kids get together and talk about the parties with the best schwag?

 No... please... tell us how you really feel...

Haha! Good luck with that. BTW, I'm not laughing 'cause your post was funny. More because I think you're delusional if you think you can escape the gift-bag hell.

A couple of months ago we had our daughter's 2nd birthday and my wife went to town at the local Party Supply store making up 20 gift bags full of stuff. I swear, just the bags alone must have cost us close to $150. Damn!!!

Ha... no need to apologize to me... I am with you.

I have eaten exactly twice at the local buffet chain... At 225, I was one of the smaller guys in there.  Their slogan "Because we believe everyone deserves a good meal."  Of course... everyone deserves a good meal, not an excuse to pig out, rationalizing away any sense of good nutrition.... but I believe we might be hijacking this thread if we continue...

Peace,

Brian 

WTH is a "gift bag?"  When we were kids, the birthday kid got the presents.  The other kids (guests) got ice cream and cake and a party.

Are we raising hobbits here? 

Or is it a matter that the little kids can't handle the fact that they're not the center of attention at SOMEONE ELSE'S party?

Please, enlighten me.  I'm really confused.

Plus, growing up, my birthday parties were pretty much family-only.  Fortunately, we lived in the same town as many of my cousins, so it was always a fun time.  I didn't start having friends-parties until I was in the 4th grade or so.