Party Whammy

Party Favors, Gifts and Cleanup Questions

Find answers about what to send guests home with, how to handle birthday gifts, and how to wrap up the party without doing all the work yourself. Pick the question closest to yours.

Questions to start with

Choosing party favors

Decide whether you need favors at all, what to give, and how many to have ready, plus what to do with any left over.

There are three main choices: no favors, one item for each guest, or letting the party activity be what guests take home. Pick one first, then decide whether you need bags at all. Our guide to whether you need party favors and what to give compares them.

Count each child who will get a favor only once: confirmed guests, any guest whose reply is still unclear, and siblings you've agreed can join in. Decide whether the birthday child gets one too. Spares then cover only risks that aren't already on that list, such as an unexpected sibling or a bag that tears. The answer on how many party favors to prepare works through an example count.

For anything left over, check what's in each bag and separate the contents before storing them or passing them on. Note what's left, where it will go and any handoff still to arrange. Our guide to leftover party favors covers the options.

Planning for birthday gifts

Set expectations before the party if you'd rather skip gifts or ask for something else instead.

Asking for no gifts means making a few decisions first: whether relatives are included, whether cards are welcome, and what you'll do if someone brings a present anyway. This works for a younger child's party too. Our guide to organizing a no-gifts birthday party covers each decision.

An alternative is different from bringing nothing. A donation drive or book exchange asks guests to take part, so keep it optional and make any limit clear, such as whether a $5 maximum covers the whole household. Our guide to arranging a gift alternative explains how the options compare.

Once you've decided, put a clear request such as 'No gifts, please' beside the date, time or RSVP details rather than tucking it away. Our no-gifts birthday invitation wording offers examples for different invitations.

Handling gifts during and after the party

Decide whether children open gifts at the party, what to do with duplicates, and when and how to thank guests.

Decide before guests arrive whether presents will be opened at the party or afterward, and let guests know. Ask one adult to take presents at the door and keep cards attached. Our guide on whether children should open gifts during the party helps you weigh the choice.

Duplicate gifts are best dealt with after the party, not in front of guests. Put the extra one aside, talk with your child privately and leave it unopened while you decide whether to keep, exchange or pass it on. Our guide on duplicate birthday gifts covers the next steps.

Whenever you open presents, keep each card with its gift until you've written down who gave what. That list makes specific thank-yous easier. Our guide on when and how to thank birthday party guests covers timing and wording.

Cleaning up after the party

Plan the cleanup ahead of time so the host isn't left doing it alone.

Shared cleanup starts before the party: put supplies where they'll be needed and give named helpers specific jobs instead of asking for help in general. If you use a cleaning product, check it suits the surface. Our guide to planning party cleanup so it doesn't all fall on the host covers how to divide the work.

Write the plan down so everyone can see it: where supplies are kept, who owns each job and what's still unfinished. Our party cleanup checklist gives you space to record it, from clearing the food table to wiping surfaces.

The time as guests leave needs its own short plan. A quick reset covers belongings and goodbyes; the full cleanup can wait until everyone has gone. Our fifteen-minute party reset before guests leave is an example you can adjust.