Bid Guests Goodbye in Style With 10 Unique Return Gift Bags: Choose Bags To Suit The Occasion! (Updated 2019)

The custom of giving return gifts is something we associate with modern culture, but you would be surprised to know this tradition is apparently centuries old. Return gift bags or boxes were given to guests during social ceremonies such as weddings and festivals in both eastern and western cultures. The gift bags were given to thank guests for attending the ceremony and also as a sign of good luck. The tradition of giving return gifts has received a modern upgrade. Remember how excited you would be as child upon receiving a goody bag at your friend’s party? Well that’s what gift bags are for. It’s to make sure that when the guests leave they do so with a smile on their face. An attractively presented gift bag adds that element of delight and pleasure to your festivities.

Goodie bags need not be super expensive. It’s not practical to spend a lot of money on each return gift. But the gift packaging needs to be pretty and appealing. You don’t want your guests to think that your gift was half-hearted. That would defeat the purpose of giving the return gift in the first place. Make sure that the package is neat and well put together to make your guests feel well cared for and satisfied.

Size and Weight of Return Gift:
While choosing return gifts or party favors you need to keep a few important things in mind. As discussed earlier, return gifts should not be heavy or bulky. When you are giving gifts to around 100 guests or so, you have to remember that it’s not possible to spend on large expensive gifts. A collection of small tokens, sweets or chocolates are perfectly acceptable return gifts. The gift needs to be small, compact and light.

Color, Design and Size of Bags:
The color of the return gift will depend largely on the occasion. Traditional Indian weddings and festivals are colorful affairs. Therefore it would be appropriate to go for a bright earthy color palette with colors like sunflower yellow, red, gold, saffron, dark green, royal blue, silver and bronze. The bags can be made of fabric, or handmade paper decorated with zari and traditional motifs. Occasions like birthday parties calls for pastel shades or any color that the child is fond of. The gift bags should be made of bright colorful paper with fun designs or pictures of the child’s favorite animated character. You can visit Pinterest for interesting gift bag ideas.

Theme of the Celebration:
The theme of the gift bags depend on multiple factors. The occasion is certainly a deciding factor, also the personal preferences of the gift giver. You want the gift bag to be an extension of the person you are. Therefore your personality will play an important part in deciding how you want the gift bag to look.
A grand festival like Diwali calls for a gift bag to match the occasion. Gold and silver are the colors we associate with this festival, therefore the gift bags should match that. Christmas party gifts bags should traditionally be red, green and white due to the associations with Christmas icons like Santa Clause and Christmas trees. It can have prints of reindeers, candy cane or holly leaves. Wedding gift bags on the other hand will vary according to the preference of the host.

Personalise It:
Personalised gift bags are always special. Add a special something to signify the theme of the occasion. For example, a small thank you note with the picture of the bride and groom is a sweet wedding memorabilia and can be added to wedding return gift bags for that personal feel good factor.

Return gifts can be of various different styles. They vary in material, color, and design. You have to choose an appropriate one to go with the occasion and with your own personal taste. We have put together a list of the various types of popular gift bags for you to choose from.

Drawstring gift bags are light and can be made of anything from velvet, to satin, velvet, organza, burlap or any other fabric. They have a drawstring closure and can hold everything from small jewelry items to chocolates and candies. You can use these bags for small party favors, weddings, receptions, etc. Check out this elegant option - Tissue Drawstring Closure Potli/Bag will cost you around Rs.600 for 30 pcs. You can buy them from amazon.in.

Potlis are perfect for traditional wedding functions like mehndi ceremonies, sangeets and receptions. They are also suitable for Diwali parties.They are made of fabric and are perfect for holding things like dry fruits, sweets, chocolates, coins and jewelry. Potlis can have sequin decorations or embroidery on them to make them look festive and pretty. You can buy Bombay Haat potlis from amazon.in. They cost Rs.299 for a pack of six.

Satin gift bags look elegant and luxurious. You can use satin gift bags for birthdays, parties, weddings and events. The good thing about these bags is, whatever you put inside will remain perfectly protected because of the soft silky material and the bags are extremely lightweight as well. This is the reason satin is one of the most popular materials used for making gift bags. Clean Planet Printed Satin gift bags from amazon.in, look pretty and elegant. They are priced at Rs.199. Jewellery pouches, wedding favor gift bags from Etsy.com will cost you around $7.33, which is around Rs.500 for a pack of 10. They are available in various colors and have a draw string closure.

Looking for a more affordable option, consider this Brown Leaf Metallic Organza Satin Potli Bag set available on Amazon for Rs. 399. You will get 12 pieces each measuring 10 *14 cm.

Paper gift bags are perfect for kid’s birthday parties, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, baby showers, office events etc. They are easy to carry, lightweight and can hold party favors like chocolates, cookies, party hats, funny plastic glasses etc easily. The Polka Dotted Paper Bags are hand-made and available in a variety of pretty colors. There are three different sizes available small medium and large. You can buy 20 pieces for Rs.339 from amazon.in.

A great way to make your guests feel special would be to hand them personalized party favor bags. You can buy personalized gift bags from etsy.com. A set of ten bags from Confetti Momma Party will cost around $69.90 which is around Rs.4,744. These are handmade and extremely pretty. We are certain that your guests will love these one of a kind gift bags.

Hosting your kids birthday party? Give out personalised gift bags as a spacious goodie bag - consider this bag that has a dimensions of 22.9 x 33 x 3.8 cm. This can be ordered on Amazon for Rs. 449

If you are looking for cool canvas party bags for your next party then look no further than Super Z outlet Neon Colored Canvas Pouch Bags Sacks with Drawstring Closure. These are made of hardy canvas, these brightly colored bags are super strong and can be reused easily to keep things like jewellery and pencils. A pack of 12 bags costs Rs.1,588 on amazon.in.

As we said before, personalisation can really add a charm to your gift bags. So if you are considering cloth bags, then check out this linen gift bag that can be personalised with a image of your choice - you can add photos, a quotation or message or just anything you want. You can order it on Amazon - prices start at Rs. 110 per piece for 8 * 8 inches bag.

Jutebags are ideal for traditional events and functions. These are durable and can be reused. Linecraft jute bags will cost Rs.290 for a pack of 10. These are perfect for people who care about the environment, as they are made from completely natural biodegradable jute fibers. You can buy it from amazon.in.

Laser cut paper boxes are beautiful to look at because of the intricate work on them. These boxes have a classic vintage look to them and care perfect for party favors like cakes, cookies, little chocolate candies, tea lights etc. Generic Hot Laser Cut Paper Box with ribbon bow from amazon.in is available in beautiful pastel shades like pink, beige and white. A set of 12 boxes costs Rs.1,154 on the site.

Instead of traditional gift bags why not opt for something fun and unusual instead? Buckets and Goodie Jars are a fun take on the tradition. A mason jar filled with chocolates, cookies, jams, desserts, candies or scented bath salts can be given away as a party favor. You can decorate the jar with a ribbon and personalize it with a name tag. Pinterest will provide you with a lot of ideas on this. Colorful buckets can be used at children’s birthday parties instead of the traditional paper bags which often tear or break open and can get wet from spilled drinks and such. You can buy colorful Metal Pail Bucket Party favors from Amazon. It costs Rs. 259 per piece.

Return gifts or party favors are suitable for a variety of occasions like weddings, receptions, baby showers, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, birthday parties, Christmas and New Year’s parties, corporate events, office parties, product launches etc. Depending on the occasion they can be given as a way of saying thanks, as a memorabilia, or as a form of networking or marketing.

If you truly want to surprise you guests then breakout from traditional ideas and go for some quirky return gifts or party favors. Let your creativity flow and reuse things around the house to put together return gifts which go beyond the usual goody bag. Look to the internet for ideas. Check out websites like marthastewart.com, Pinterest and DIY websites which will give you fun, original and pocket friendly party favor ideas.