Before the recent financial crisis, there seemed to be no limit to how much parents would spend on their son’s or daughter’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah. It seemed to be a “can you get over this?” situation. where one party was more extravagant than the next. The decorations were exaggerated, bigger and more elaborate places were used, bands with 10, 11, 12 members, food from the best chefs and party details that were unforgettable, all without a budget in mind.

We went to a Bat Mitzvah that was held in an airplane hangar. This place obviously started as an empty space, they had to put a floor in the entire hangar, bring in tables and chairs, ovens for the chefs, lighting for the whole area, build walls around the area in use, sound system, set up areas of parking and god knows what else to make this a usable place to host a party. They made an elaborate video, which included a trip on a private plane and many other scenarios. They had a great band and then to close the night they played the original or what’s left of the original “Village People”. They had all sorts of things for the kids to win, electronics, clothes, etc., etc. They handed out various party favors when the whole thing was over. The party was absolutely amazing! It was over the top, absolutely! A great time was had by all, absolutely!

Was it necessary to do all this? How can someone count someone else’s money or tell him how to spend it? But I can guarantee that, since the last financial hit, there are far fewer such parties across the country than there used to be.

With parents cutting back on the size and crafting of a party to give, they’re also cutting back on what they spend on their party favors. While supplying party favors is our business, and of course we make more when people can spend more, we understand and appreciate what’s happening in the country. We also understand that it’s not about how much you spend on your party favor, but what you give away and how you print it (which will be covered in another article).

Your budget is your budget, spend what you feel comfortable spending. Take beach towels for example, this is a great gift, but depending on how you decorate the towel, it can get a bit expensive. In this case, think about printing with a one color print instead of embroidering them. Another example is a drawstring bag, you can get one for $7.00 or $8.00 or one for less than half that cost. The more expensive one maybe has an extra pocket or a sleeker design, probably, but in these financial times you have to think if it’s worth the extra money? In some cases it will be, in most the least expensive item will work just fine. Your child has his or her heart set on a sweatshirt—think crewneck versus a hoodie with pockets—less expensive but highly desirable as party favors.

But don’t make the mistake of choosing your end-of-the-night gift solely on cost. 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 get this over with.” You can get something less expensive but still have some use for your child’s friends. Why even buy something cheap just to give away something at the end of the night that will be thrown away the next morning? A good online party gift company should have a great selection of bags and other items that are less expensive, but with the right decor would still be appreciated by your child’s friends. Of course, if you’re really on a budget, think about making a white t-shirt with a one-color print that’s cheap and can’t be worn with another t-shirt, whether it’s for sleep or sports.

Just remember these are 13-year-olds, if they want to receive a party favor at the end of the night, definitely. Do they really care how much it costs? Absolutely not. They just want something they can use.