5 Offbeat Ideas for Party Favors Now That You’re An Adult

Remember when you were a kid and you would go to your classmate’s birthday party and get a goodie bag just for showing up? I don’t think that should stop just because we’re adults now! Though plastic toys and candy still make a lot of people happy (myself included), here are some other ideas for party favors that can make your gathering extra memorable.

Stickers

To me, stickers are the ultimate “just because” item. They’re fun, a little frivolous, and come in literally all shapes and sizes! Stickers are especially great if you’re having a theme party – these magnifying glasses would fit in perfectly at a murder mystery party! (One of my customers used them for a Nancy Drew party, which is truly a dream come true for a Nancy fanatic like me.) 

Buttons

With pins, your guests can wear a reminder of the great time they had at your party! A lot of Etsy sellers have variety packs of buttons you can get – just search for something like “pinback buttons lot” or find a real-life store that has that awesome bucket of pins at the checkout. Having different options for people to choose from feels even more special because they can pick what they like best!

Plants

Worried about spending too much money on a little shindig? You can get small succulents at the hardware store for only a buck or two! Who wouldn’t love to leave a party with a new plant friend? And for those of us lacking green thumbs (ahem), succulents are usually the easiest plants to take care of. Though I live in a very cactus-friendly climate, so maybe double-check me on that.

Coasters

Bear with me if this sounds weird, but I collect bar coasters. They’re kinda practical, they fit in my tiny “going out” purse, and they’re a good embodiment of a night of eating, drinking, and being merry, don’t you think? This one would require more planning, but if you want to take your hosting skills to the next level, order some coasters for your party guests! You could go with a theme, like these Christmas coasters, or get custom ones printed somewhere like Sticker Mule.

Mints

No, not fancy wedding mints – we’re on a budget here! Haven’t you ever been in a gift shop and seen fun little tins of mints? Your friends get the mints AND the cool tin to keep afterward, so it’s a twofer! I love this Mr. Rogers tin from one of my favorite stores in my hometown.

Note: At the time of writing this, we are not in full party phase yet. My bar coaster collection has been stagnant for well over a year at this point. I know it’s not the same, but you could have a video chat party and send these favors out to everyone while you’re social-distancing!

Ready to celebrate?

Before you get the party favors, you’ll need invitations! I designed 3 email templates just for my email subscribers and am giving them away for free! All you have to do is sign up for my (totally fun and cool) email list. Go ahead and subscribe here, and you’ll get your templates right away. Can’t wait to hear from you!

And finally, if you love these ideas (I sure hope you do!) but just aren’t ready to party right now, pin this post for later!