What are Party Favors?

Party favors are small gifts given to guests who attend an event such as a baby shower, wedding or birthday party. The types of items given as party favors vary widely depending on the occasion and the budget. Party favors may be either handmade or purchased.

Wedding party favors are often both handmade and bought. For example, purchased candies may be added to handmade sachets tied with ribbon and placed beside each place at the wedding dinner. Or, bars of chocolate may be presented with special handmade labels printed with the word love or another appropriate wedding message. Weddings with high budgets may even have silver sugar spoons engraved with the date and/or the bride and groom's first names as party favors.

Giving out party favors is a way of thanking guests for attending the party. Traditionally, a party favor is given when guests bring a gift as a way of thanking them for their gift and for their presence at the event. Some small party favor ideas include small picture frames, seeds for planting and coffee or tea assortments. Party favors that suit the theme of an event work well such as items featuring the company's logo at a party celebrating the launch of a new business.

Party favors at children's birthday parties are usually inexpensive multiple items that may include small toys, miniature puzzles and candy. They are often given in little plastic or paper gift bags to children as they leave the party. These inexpensive party favor bags can be fun for children and they allow them to have a gift along with the birthday child.

Items that guests are given to use during parties such as hats and horns at a New Year's Eve celebration can also be considered party favors. Christmas crackers are party favors that often contain paper hats along with small trinkets. Some outdoor weddings may include a small container of bubbles and a wand on each guest's chair as a party favor for the guests to use.