Party Favors Are So Back

Over the past decade, a photo dump or multiple-thumb-taps-long Close Friends story have been the best takeaways from a really good party. But as 2026 has unofficially been the year of bringing back whimsy (see: eccentric shoes and bedazzling everything), it’s barely surprising that party favors are so back. What’s more whimsical than leaving an event with a gift?

I still remember my childlike wonder when I left a classmate’s mermaid-themed eighth birthday bash with a live goldfish. (The mother of a pair of twins wasn’t thrilled.) It was special to leave a party with something unexpected, and that pleasure is still achievable in adulthood — though perhaps the live pets should be left behind. Handmade party favors lend a particularly special touch.

Their newfound popularity might be another offshoot of the rise of “grandma hobbies.” As screens continue to infiltrate every aspect of life, logging off and getting creative — needlepoint, pottery, desserts — can provide a much-needed break. You can only display so many paint-by-numbers canvases in your own home. Who has the wall space, anyway? Instead, DIY a little something for your guests the next time they come over.

Need inspiration? One TikTok creator named Adeline used acrylic markers and a box of blank matchbooks to create hand-drawn favors for her birthday party. Another creator, Tanya Soto, added colorful gems to mini liquor bottles and attached thank you notes.

Not every gathering needs to feel stuffy.

For her 30th, Yu Ling Wu designed candy bar wrappers with her face on them on Canva then attached them to her favorite Tony’s Chocolonely treats as sweet takeaways. Custom Bic lighters are another popular partygoer gift choice according to the hundreds of TikTok videos showing off different personalized party favor designs.

For a party I hosted recently, I filled small tins with flaky salt that attendees could easily throw into their purses and later use to season their food, do a witchy ritual, or chase a tequila shot. Every time they bust it out, they can think of me and the event it came from. The impact extends beyond that one night.

Party favors are an opportunity to bring levity back to hosting. Not every gathering needs to feel stuffy. They show off your personality as a party host, while also leaving your guests with a small token of appreciation for getting out of the house and attending your event, be it a dinner party, happy-hour soiree, or just low-key gathering in a bar with a sticky floor.