Gift Bags or Not?

I've always done them, but I don't like the ones filled with a bunch of junk. Maybe you could get a collection of full sized candy bars (Kroger has a bunch right now 2 for $1) and place them in a basket and let them each pick one as they leave. My sister is doing this at my niece's 12th birthday party, except she's tying a candy bar with a bag of microwave popcorn and a little note thanking them for coming. It'd be a favor they'd love, and it wouldn't be a bunch of junk laying around when they get home. Or squirt guns would be fun for kids that age. You can buy a package of about 10 for $5 or so at Walmart. Maybe a squirt gun with a candy bar? My boy is 7 and he'd love that!

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but when I was a kid, we went to birthday parties and brought gifts for the birthday kid. We didn't expect gifts. You're paying for laser tag and they're getting game tokens. I'm assuming this includes food/cake as well. They don't need anything else. Enjoy, and don't put yourself out anymore.

I would just have your son pass out the game cards and say thank you for coming to my party. You most likely spent enough already to worry about gift bags where most of the things just get tossed in the trash anyways. I know my kids do because it last a day before it breaks.
Enjoy the party! Happy Birthday to your son.

I do not like goody bags. They usually end up in the trash- so dont waste your money. I like the candy bar idea, I think Im going to use that for my daughters upcoming party- with the popcorn tied to it. Another idea I have seen and done before. Go to the Dollar Tree and get a bunch of different toys (its all 1.00, you cant go wrong). Then get a large bag or basket and let each child pick a prize when they leave. You can get yo-yos, slinkys, water guns etc...
Thats if you really want to do a thank you "gift". If not, I think the game card is plenty. Have fun

I think the gift card (plus everything else you're doing) is plenty. Don't bother with the gift bags. The cards are enough.

As a parent, I have to say, I do not like party favors. They are full of little toys that my child doesn't play with anyway. I would use the cards instead of goody bags.

I think the game cards are enough. We did a Chuck E Cheese party recently and I just considered the tokens a thank you for coming gift in lieu of bags. I mentioned it to some friends and they all agreed that that was plenty. I really don't think any kind of gift is necessary. People go to the parties to celebrate the birthday child. I certainly hope people aren't teaching their children to expect a goodie bag or gift for going.

I think if you did decide to do a thank you gift, I like the candy bar idea. I would much rather mine came home with something edible than all the little toys. I have a toddler and an almost 6 year old, so anything that is a choking hazard for the younger one gets put up anyway. We are having a luau party for my daughter in June. I bought small sand buckets for $1.00 each and am going to put an inflatable pool toy (not inflated) and some kind of candy in each one. That will keep it cheap and simple and also age appropriate since we will have ages 1 to 12 there.
In your case though, I think the best suggestion you have received so far is to have your son present the cards and say "Thank you for coming". That makes it personal and that should suffice as a favor.

I think a $10 game card is plenty! Like the others suggested, have your son pass them out and say thanks for coming and call it a day.

I've always done goody bags, and my kids have received goody bags at every party they've been to--even ones with a pinata or something similar where they receive "goodies." If you or your son wants to do goody bags, a good option would be to go to the dollar store and pick out a water toy or sand toy for each kid. It's easy and cheap.