Drawstring Bags - Which One to Choose

We get asked all the time what is the difference between all the drawstring bags we have on our site since we have over 80 different ones to choose from.  Besides the obvious differences such as with our speciality bags that are shaped like a baseball or football or whatever or our bags that might fold up into themselves the differences all come down to your personal preferences.

Some of the bags are made of Non-Woven Polypropylene which is the same material that you get when you buy one of those reusable grocery bags, these bags are usually less expensive.  Most of the bags are made out of 210 Denier Nylon some are 420 Denier Nylon, the difference being the 420 is a little heavier then the 210.  All these materials work well for this type of bag, what you choose may depend upon what your budget is or what you are using the bag for.  For example if the bag is basically being used for some kind of packaging such as a sweatshirt or to carry home several different items the Non-Woven Polypropylene works great and usually cost less then the Nylon.  None of these bags are meant to be used as a school bag, they are not sturdy enough to carry all the textbooks that students have to carry with them on a daily basis.

The other major diffence with the bags is what little extras they have.  Such as an exterior zippered pocket or an interior pocket, or a mesh pocket for a water bottle or a slot for ear buds.  Whenever you start adding any of the little extras it will raise the pricing somewhat.  But there are enough bags with a large variety of options on our site that you should be able to find just the right bag with just the right options for just the right price.

Drawstring bags are one of the most popular party favors every year for many reasons
- Priced right
- Functional
- Large Imprint Areas
- Long Lasting
- Large Selection to Choose From

What To Give As Your Party Favor! - Part 3

Your theme should be reflected in either the item you choose or the imprint you use.  Obviously you wouldn’t want to give out a baseball related item when your theme is the movies.  But you could give a bag for either theme and then incorporate the chosen theme into your artwork.  Your party favor distributor should have many different items with related themes or suggestions for art that relates to your theme.

Where to buy your item should not be taken lightly.  Nowadays your party planner, decorator, photographer, band, florist, invitation person or even your venue might try to sell you your party favor.  They think by the time you get to the party favor you are so tired with the whole process that you will accept whatever they suggest.  Just remember many times the last thing done at a party is the handing out of the party favor, so sometimes that is your last impression to leave your party goers with a great memory of your party.  So don’t settle for these suppliers trying to sell you something because they never have the selection a true party favor distributor can offer you.  On a most sites, you can choose from hundreds of items and on our site we have over a thousand different items to select from.  Don’t let these suppliers whose main business is something else convince you to buy something they want to sell from there limited selection, buy from a legitimate party favor distributor who wants to sell you something you want to buy.  Your party favor distributor should also be able to help you with your art, they should be a one stop site for anything to do with party favors.

Whether you give something to the adults is entirely up to you and your budget.  It certainly has become more popular the past couple of years.  It is usually an unimprinted item versus an imprinted item that is usually given out to the kids.  What we suggest quite often is a place card holder, so it serves a dual purpose.  It is a great way to display your place cards and the adults get a little thank you gift that they can take home and put a photo into.  Your party favor distributor should be able to offer you many different items, such as wine stoppers, coasters, frames, that all are inexpensive but have a much higher perceived value and is a great way to say thank you to the adults.

In conclusion, when you choose your party favor whether it is for the children or the adults, whether it is more expensive or less expensive, whether you are ordering a limit amount or quite a few, make sure the party favor distributor you choose has a large selection at many different price points and can offer you different options for your imprint. 

 

What To Give As Your Party Favor! - Part 2

Of course what you choose to hand out sometimes depends on whether your child is celebrating a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.  There are definitely some items that either sex would never give out as their party favor.  Once again we are talking about very status conscious 13 year olds, who have to show their face at school the next week.  Also keep in mind when doing apparel, for example a t-shirt, a good distributor should let you change the color of the shirt, so you could do pink for the girls and blue for the boys.

Where you are located will also sometimes come into play on what you choose to give out.  On our site we offer embroidered beanies or ear bands, this is not an appropriate give for someone in Florida, but is very popular in the northern states.  While beach towels are popular in the south but not as popular in Minnesota.   Of course most items work anywhere, but consider your location before deciding.

Some parties have 150 kids some have 25.  This will definitely have a bearing on what you choose.  Like most items you purchase nowadays the more you buy the better price you can get.  So some items might be cost prohibitive at a small quantity but become much less expensive when you have a larger party.  So make sure you always get a discount when purchasing your party favor when you have more kids attending.  Another thing to remember when having a smaller party is that a lot of items have minimum order amounts, so you might like a bag but the minimum amount might be above the number of attendees you are having.

What To Give As Your Party Favor! - Part 1

What to give as your party favor depends on several variables –

1 – Your budget.

2 – Is it a boy or girl celebrating.

3 – Where are you located.

4 – How many kids are attending.

5 – What is your theme.

6 – Where to buy it.

7 – Do you have to give something to the adults.

 

Your budget is your budget, spend what you are comfortable spending.  For example beach towels, are a great gift, but depending on how you decorate the towel it can get a little pricy.  But don’t make the mistake of choosing your end of the night giveaway solely on cost.  We have so many parents contact us and the first thing they say is “this is my third bar mitzvah, I just want something cheap”.  You can get something less expensive but still have some usefulness to your child’s friends.  Why even buy something cheap just for the sake of giving something out at the end of the night that will be thrown out the next morning.  A good party favor distributor should have a large selection of bags and other items that are less expensive, but with the proper decoration would still be appreciated by your child’s friends.  Of course if you really are on a tight budget, think about doing a white t-shirt with a one color imprint, inexpensive and who can’t use another t-shirt, whether it is to sleep in or play sports in.

What to Imprint on your Favor - Part 4

Once you finally decided on what to imprint on your party favor, take it to the next level and utilize that imprint on your cocktail napkins as well.  It’s a nice touch that will make your cocktail hour even more special and is relatively inexpensive.

 

So to summarize:

1 – Be subtle.

2 – Don’t ever imprint you child’s first and last name.

3 – Always try to use numbers for the date, don’t write it out.

4 – Never use your child’s picture on your imprint.

5 – Try to keep the number of colors you use in any art work down to save money.

6 – Don’t imprint something because you think it is cute, in most cases the kids won’t think so and your item won’t be used.

7 – Bigger is not always better when deciding on the size of your imprint.

8 – Utilize your imprint on your cocktail napkins.

9 – Remember these are 13 year old kids and not looking like a nerd is very important to them.

 

What to Imprint on your Favor - Part 3

The imprint is just as important as what the item you select is. We recently had someone order beach towels, which is a great party favor especially where they were located and especially since summer was right around the corner. They then imprinted “I (image of a heart) Mark” on the towel. They took a great item that definitely would have been used and made it in to something that will hardly ever be used. Can you imagine a boy lying on the beach with a towel with that design imprinted on it. Before you decide what to imprint, ask your 13 year old, if they received this as a party favor with someone else’s name in the imprint would they use it, if they say no, don’t do it.

Size also matters when doing your imprint. On some items it is always better to go for the subtle look rather then the maximized imprint. For example if you were doing a mug there is nothing wrong with making the imprint as big as possible, of course you are limited by the size of the mug, but this is an item where I would maximize the imprint. But on the other hand there are some bags with 8” x 8’ imprint areas if not bigger, if you were to maximize the size on the imprint we suggested above, it would be overkill and probably once again would be something that a 13 year wouldn’t use.

What to imprint on your favor - Part 2

There is nothing wrong with adding some art work to the image, but once again, remember these are very status conscious 13 year old kids, who won’t use anything that makes them look anything but cool.  A reliable party favor specialist should be able to have their graphic artist create something that is subtle, yet interesting enough to appeal to the 13 year old mind.  The absolute worst thing you can do is put a picture of your child on a party favor.  No one will use it and the chances are that if anyone does use it, it will be because they have drawn a mustache or beard on the picture and they think it is funny.  Not exactly how you want you child’s special day to be remembered. 

Another thing to keep in mind when imprinting is the more colors you use the more expensive the item will be.  The image may look really cool in 5 colors but the cost could get prohibitive.  Again a reliable party favor specialist should be able to create something using only one color, some halftones plus incorporating the color of the item into the design that will make it feel like more then one color but not add to your bottom line.

What to imprint on your favor - Part 1

BarMitzvahFavors.com has done thousands of parties over the years and from our experience most bar/bat mitzvah age kids will go to so many parties and will receive so many party favors it is really hard to make yours stand out and be used. If you want the favor to be kept and used the first thing you must do is keep it simple when you choose what to imprint on the item. An imprint like this

“I HAD A BLAST AT

DAVID GOLDSTEIN’S

BAR MITZVAH”

Sept. 10, 2012

almost guarantees that the item will find a permanent spot at the bottom of a kid’s closet if not the garbage when they get home. A good alternative would be

DG’s Party Rocked”

9.10.12

It is always a good idea to use a numeral date like we show above versus writing it out.

When Should You Order Your Party Favors

The most optimal time to order your favors is when you have all your replies from your invitations.  This is usually around 4 weeks before your party.  This way you will have your favors in plenty of time to do any wrapping or tagging you might want to do.  Also while we have never not delivered ordered favors on time, it gives us some leeway in case a problem does crop up.  For example, several years back when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, we had ordered some favors from one of our vendors in that area.  Their shop was completely destroyed in the storm before they could ship our order out but because our customer had ordered early we were able to find another vendor to produce the favors and they were delivered on time.  The lessen to be learned here is place your order as early as you can.

Taking the above into consideration there are plenty of people who for whatever reason either forget to order the favors or decide at the last minute to hand something out.  In most cases we can still get the favors delivered in time.  Depending upon how late you order we sometimes have to go without a proof if you are imprinting or we have to order the goods without an imprint.  Earlier this year we actually had someone call us on a Tuesday for a party that weekend.  We were able to find an acceptable favor at a vendor who offered 24 hour service and the item was delivered that Friday.  We made a party giver very happy and since then she has referred two of her friends to us, thankfully both were ordered in plenty of time.

In closing it is always better to order your party favors as early as you can but for those procrastinators out there, we can still help you, just give us a call.

Bar Mitzvah Favors Or Bat Mitzvah Favors - What to Give and How Much to Spend!

Before the recent financial crisis there seemed to be no limit on what parents were spending on their sons or daughter's Bar or Bat Mitzvah. It seemed to be a "can you top this" situation where one party was more extravagant then the next. The decorations were over the top, bigger and more elaborate venues were being used, bands with 10, 11, 12 members, food from the top chefs, and party favors that were unforgettable all without a budget in mind.

We went to a Bat Mitzvah held in an airplane hanger. This venue obviously started out as an empty space, they had to lay flooring throughout the hanger, bring in tables and chairs, ovens for the chefs, lighting for the whole area, build walls around the area being used, a sound system, set up parking areas and god knows what else to make this a usable place to hold a party. They had an elaborate video made, that included a trip on a private plane and numerous other settings. They had a huge band and then to close the night they actually had the original or what is left of the original "Village People" perform. They had all kinds of things for the kids to win, electronic items, clothing, etc., etc. They gave out several party favors when the whole affair was over. Was the party unbelievable, absolutely! Was it over the top, absolutely! Did everyone have a great time, absolutely!

Was it necessary to do all this, how can anyone count anyone else's money or tell them how to spend it, but I can guarantee since the latest financial hit there are a lot less of these kinds of parties going on across the country then there used to be.

With parents cutting back on how big and how elaborate of a party to give, they are also cutting back on what they spend on their party favors. Even though supplying party favors is our business and of course we make more when people are able to spend more, we understand and appreciate what is going on in the country. We also understand it is not how much you spend on your party favor but what you give and how you imprint it (to be covered in another article).

Your budget is your budget, spend what you are comfortable spending. Take beach towels as an example, this is a great gift, but depending on how you decorate the towel it can get a little pricy. In this case think about imprinting with a one color imprint versus embroidering them. Another example is a drawstring bag, you can get one for $7.00 or $8.00 or one for less then half that cost. Does the more expensive one maybe have an extra pocket or sharper looking design to it, probably, but in these financial times you have to think is it worth the extra money? In some cases it will be, in most the less expensive item will work just fine. Your child has their heart set on a sweatshirt, think a crew neck one versus a hoodie with pockets, less expensive but very desirable as a party favor.

But don't make the mistake of choosing your end of the night giveaway solely on cost. We have so many parents contact us and the first thing they say is "this is my third bar mitzvah, I just want something cheap, so I can be done with this". You can get something less expensive but still have some usefulness to your child's friends. Why even buy something cheap just for the sake of giving something out at the end of the night that will be thrown out the next morning. A good online party favor company should have a large selection of bags and other items that are less expensive, but with the proper decoration would still be appreciated by your child's friends. Of course if you really are on a tight budget, think about doing a white t-shirt with a one color imprint, inexpensive and who can't use another t-shirt, whether it is to sleep in or play sports in.

Just remember these are 13 year old kids, do they want to receive a party favor at the end of the night, most definitely. Do they really care how much it costs, absolutely not. They just want something they can use.

The Dress

I'm just back from a beach vacation which I throughly enjoyed. Whenever I take a beach vacation I like to take a book to read on the beach. Usually something light and easy to get through quickly. Anyway it turns out that in the book I chose there is an upcoming Bat Mitzvah. The mom and daughter have very different ideas about what they want from this special occasion. The mom wants a low key meaningful experience and the daughter wants all the bells and whistles. The mom is conservative and still thinks of her daughter as her baby and the daughter feels that becoming a Bat Mitzvah means she is becoming a young adult. Which is hard to argue with since that is what becoming a Bat Mitzvah is about.
So where do you draw the line? I personally feel that you need to let your daughter have some input regarding the party. Of course this does not mean that she should be wearing a dress that is inappropriate or that you have to blow your budget not only for the Bat Mitzvah but for the whole year. As much as it is difficult to see our children growing up it is part of the process so you need to find a happy medium. Your daughter does not need to look like a sex goddess she should feel like a teen princess. This is after all her special day and you want her to shine not only through the service but at her celebration. So just think back to when you were her age and whether or not you were being Bat Mitzvahed remember the aches and pains of growing up. It wasn't easy then but it truly wasn't as hard as now.

It's Summer !!!

I love this time of year school is out, the clocks don't need to be set, and we don't need to be on such a structured schedule. Everything slows down a little the snowbirds go home, we can get into restaurants and you don't need to hound the kids about homework and studying. I could live without the humidity but other than that what could be better.
I also find that summer is a great time to try some new recipes.

So I'll share one I just found I haven't tried it yet but is sounds so refreshing.

Cucumber-Avocado Yogurt Soup
This recipe will serve 4-6 people, but can easily be doubled for a crowd.

2 medium or 4 small cucumbers (best to use organic or English cucumbers)

1/2 avocado, ripe (it would also be fine to use a whole avocado, if you really love avocados)

1 8-oz container plain low-fat or non-fat yogurt

1 tablespoon lime juice

Soy or skim milk, or water, to thin soup if necessary

Salt and pepper to taste

1) Peel cucumber and scoop out seeds with a spoon. Chop coarsely and add to blender.

2) Remove pit and scoop out avocado flesh and add to blender with cucumber. Add yogurt, lime juice, salt, and pepper and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. If soup is too thick, add milk or water in small increments to thin soup to desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings.

3) Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with salsa.

Salsa Garnish for soup
This is a great garnish for soups, or even to eat with chips alone.

1/4 cup chopped bell peppers (various colors)

1/4 cup diced tomatoes, seeds removed

1 tablespoon diced red or sweet onion or sliced scallions (green and white parts)

1/4 cup diced unpeeled cucumbers, seeds removed

1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno peppers, seeds removed (keep some seeds if you want it spicy)

Splash lime or lemon juice

Splash olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, taste, and adjust seasonings. Refrigerate until ready to serve, and garnish soup with salsa. Serve any extra salsa with chips or bread.

If you try it let me know what you think.

What makes BarMitzvahFavors.com Special?

A child's Bar/Bat Mitzvah is truly a coming of age experience in the Jewish religion and within your family. When a child turns 13 they are entering young adulthood. This means they usually if they haven't already are voicing their opinions and think they know everything. It isn't until they are truly adults with full responsiblitiies that they realize that you never stop learning and having to make decisions.
With this all said we know how difficult it can be to put all the pieces together for the perfect celebration for your Bar/Bat Mitzvah child. From picking the event venue, photography, music, games,favors etc.
At BatMitzvahFavors.com we take the headaches away. We will help you find the perfect item and create just the right imprint that fits your individual families needs. We aren't about telling you what you must do; we want to make sure you have what you want and what fits your special day.
Each Bar/Bat Mitzvah favor that we do is special because it is for your child. Nothing means more to us than making sure that your child is pleased with the final product. With that in mind you will see a large selection of favor options on the website but if you don't see what you want or you need assistance in figuring out what you should give just contact us.
You can either call 561-750-8683 or e-mail us at info@barmitzvahfavors.com for "Favors that will be remembered long after your party is only a treasured memory".

The Bar/Bat Mitzvah Weekend

Bar/Bat Mitzvah's have become more than just a ceremony with a party to celebrate after the service. They have become an all encompassing weekend event. Starting with making arrangements for the out of town guests including space reserved in a hotel so family members can all be together, a welcome bag so they have goodies to snack on after their trip, a shabbat dinner so their stomaches aren't growling at the Friday night Shabbat service. Saturday is the actual service with a kiddush lunch to follow if the party isn't until the evening. Then the party celebration including cocktail hour for the adults and children, entertainment for the children, dancing, dinner and a favor to remember the event. Sunday brings the closing of the weekend with a brunch to recap the weekend and say goodbye to your out of town guests.

The one thing that should without a doubt be sent home with your out of towners is a guide to dieting after the celebration. Mazel Tov!

Why do we give out favors?

I have loved favors since I was a little kid. I remember I couldn't wait for a party to be over so I could get that special something. Then I became a Mom and again I was obsessed with favors. I couldn't wait to hunt out that special favor to make my child's birhtday celebration just a little bit more special. So it wasn't that unusual that when my oldest was getting ready to have her Bat Mitzvah that I again would be in search of that Special favor. This favor had to have a logo so that it would commemorate the occasion. I had a hard time finding someone who could show me something and create it for me. I finally did find it but I also decided to follow my favor passion and help other people come up with that Special favor. So 6 1/2 years later I not only have a showroom for my local clientele to visit I have an e-commerce site to assist people all over the country. So call me or e-mail me and let me help you find that Special favor that will be remembered long after your party is only a treasured memory.
info@barmitzvahfavors.com or 561-750-8683

How time flies by

Wow I can't believe it's the end of April! I especially can't believe that so much time has gone by since I last wrote a blog; so sorry about that.
Speaking of time the school year is almost over we are already working on June Bar/Bat Mitzvah's; I'm not sure where this year has gone. Between day to day life, work and family,a child in their first year of college, a new President and the economic turn down life has been busy.
Well if you are anything like me and just saw the year fly by then it would be wise to start preparing during the summer months for your up coming Bar/Bat Mitzvah. So whether that involves getting the clothing, thinking about your theme or finding the perfect favor for your event the summer is the best to do your research. For those of you who have children who are fortunate enough to go to summer camp but need to practice for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah that is coming up in September or October check with your camp. Many times they have tutors available to assist your children. Summer without the worries and pressure of school work on top of everything else is a good time to clear the cob webs and prepare for your most memorable of occasions.
So feel free to contact us if we can be of assistance at info@barmitzvahfavors.com or 561-750-8683 for "Favors that will be remembered long after your party is only a treasured memory"

Another Passover Recipe

I definitely realize that tomorrow is the first seder and I do have a menu prepared and most of the shopping done but I just found another recipe that I think I might swap out with my mash potatoes. I always make those for my daughter who is a little fussy. I found this great Baked Potato Latkes recipe that can be made ahead of time and it's even low fat.

Baked Potato Latkes

Ingredients

3 spray(s) cooking spray
2 pound(s) potato(es), yellow, peeled
3 medium shallot(s)
1/2 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute
3 tbsp matzo meal
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray a standard 12-indentation muffin tin with nonstick spray.


Use the large holes of a box grater to shred the potatoes. Working by small handfuls, squeeze the shredded potatoes over the sink to get rid of any excess moisture. Place in a large bowl.


Stir in the shallots, egg substitute, matzo meal, thyme, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Divide the mixture into the 12 muffin indentations.


Bake 30 minutes. Spray the tops again with nonstick spray. Continue baking until browned and set, about 30 more minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes on a wire rack before serving. Makes two latkes per serving.

Notes:
Store latkes in the tin, covered, in the refrigerator and reheat in a preheated 375ºF oven for about 15 minutes.

So if it isn't written in stone change it up and try this recipe.

Let me know what you think!

Getting ready for Passover?

Passover is just a couple of days away and if you are anything like me you tend to have your specific recipes for each holiday but you like to try a new one each year. I like the tried and true but I also like to spice things up. I love when people send me new recipes so here is one I found.


Chakchouka (Moroccan Salad)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 to 10 ripe tomatoes, halved, seeded and chopped

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped

1 jalapeno or serrano chili pepper, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon lemon zest

salt to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add tomatoes and cook, stirring 4 to 6 minutes until they breakup and begin to exude juices and melt apart. Add garlic, peppers, chili peppers and spices and lemon zest. Continue to saute 3 minutes until well cooked and mixture forms a chunky sauce. Season with salt. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 10-12 servings

Only 43 calories per serving

Enjoy! Send me recipes too! ami@barmitzvahfavors.com

Green Products for your Bar/BatMitzvah Favor

The most common question we get asked from our clients is what is new and different for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah Favor give-a-way. This year I would have to say it would be a green product. There are bags and water bottles that are perfect give-a-aways for your Bar/Bat Mitzvah favors. These are items that always get used and are most definitely affordable.
In a time when we are trying to be more aware of our surroundings and we need to make sure that our children and our children's children have a safe environment to live in this is a great statement to make. It is truly a Mitzvah to enlighten our children about saving our earth.
So e-mail us info@barmitzvahfavors.com or give us a call 561-750-8683 and will be more than happy to assist you with the newest green products available for "Favors that will be remembered long after your party is only a treasured memory"

What makes a favor unique?

We are constantly being asked what is the hottest new product for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah Favor? There are always new bags and new apparel styles and even some new tech items. But to be honest what makes the item truly unique is the artwork that is created. Many parents say to me every weekend their child is going to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah and they all say"all my child comes home with are sweatshirts and t-shirts". The truth is though that the kid's love these because they can have a graphic designed that commemorates their special day. They know everyone wears it after the weekend so the memory of their special day lives on. Of course the same holds true for other products as well; bags for instance. What these products have in common is that they all have large imprint areas.

Other popular items are blankets which can be used at home or at a sporting event, towels or beach mats for the beach (these are especially popular in warmer climates), water bottles(tons of options) which can be used when you are out and about or playing sports.

Please contact us and we will assist you in finding the perfect Bar/Bat Mitzvah favor that will be remembered long after your party is only a treasured memory. Please feel free to call 561-750-8683 or e-mail us info@barmitzvahfavors.com we look forward to hearing from you.