Ice Coach does a great job with it. The competition is known for two things: super cool medals and amazing gift bags.
She's got the medals down pat: they're these neat plexiglass skates with boot details and the competition name etched into them. As I said: super cool.
It's the gift bags she's struggling with this year. She included a figure skating book last year and the obligatory gloves, but she's running out of ideas and the competition's coming up soon. She needs to start ordering this stuff!
Update: From reader PrettyBowtie: At my last fun skate, all the "beginner" skaters (as in, this was their first solo skate in public) were given a brooch for their jacket. Gold skater doing a layback for the older skaters and something sparkly with diamontes for the younger ones. Everyone proudly shoved their badge straight onto their jacket.
Update: From reader Cathy: My girl got some leg warmers from mondor in her last competition bag.
Update: From reader Denise: Just a suggestion for the medals--an address label with the event name applied to the back of the medal (or perhaps the ribbon in the case of a plexiglass medal). We have dozens of medals without identification on them. At the time you receive them you think you'll remember what events your kid skated, but you don't. I have tried to go back and mark them but by the time I get around to it, I've forgotten what she skated. Love medals from the competitions that engrave the event on the back of the medal (I know it's pricey but they're permanent). My daughter's synchro team skated at ISI Nationals last year and even their medals weren't marked. Annoying. In 5 years who's going to remember what division and event they skated?
Update: From reader Becky Wright: One of My favorites was a fleece blanket with the club name embroidered on it. My daughters favorite is every Year at the Atlantic City "Sun, Sand and Skate" competition the goodie bag is a sand pail and shovel for the beach. They also go to the casinos for donations so the pail is filled with decks of cards,mints,hand lotions, tissues etc... The girls love it!
Update: From reader Sk8nLane: My daughter was at a basic skills competition and the bag included all the necessities such as lip balm, hand cream, band aids with a holder and, hair tie, tissues etc. In today's economy I think the families may appreciate useful items. I loved having that to replenish her skate bag.
Update: From reader Kate: If somebody has a monogramming sewing machine, you can get fleece blankets at Ikea for like $2. I've done them for wedding favors before. They're darling.
Update: From reader Anonymous. It's clear Anony understands competition chaos: Mini sharpie markers so that the kids can make sure their hard guards have their names (and label bottoms of trophies or backs of medals), coupons for restaurants close to the rink, and zipper pulls are some of the things I've seen that have been handy.
Update: From reader DramaQueen: TISSUES!!!!! I know this sounds weird, but trust me, during practice ice, someones going to get a runny nose.
Update: From reader Anonymous: Towels for drying your skate blades. These, too, can be picked up at a low price and get someone you know or a business to monogram them at a reduced price or for free!
Update: From Advisory Board member Jillybean (Ice Girl agrees: candy!): I just asked my daughter what her favorite goodie bag items have been, she first answered "candy!" She did say that she likes it when they give her a bottled water. We've seen granola bars, hair stuff and lip balm. One competition we went to gave the kids a small photo album with the name of the competition on it.
Update: From reader Anonymous: Blister band aids. A disposable camera so the skater can have pictures to remember the day!
Update: From reader Anonymous who wants us all to remember that boys figure skate, too:
LOL, I would say please don't forget the boys :) DS has gotten M & M lip balm, purses, pink things, I could go on and on LOL. Nothing is more disappointing than getting a goodie bag that nothing in there is appropriate. He's now at the age that he can laugh, but I think it still makes him a little sad.
Update: It's official. Reader bethalice is a genius. How about a screw driver? DD once had screws in her skates that came loose, so I stuck a screwdriver in her bag. Several times other skaters needed to use it to tighten their screws. Now we just leave it in there. I bet you can get some inexpensive ones from a dollar store.
What is the coolest thing you've found in a goody bag? Have you ever put one together? What do you include? How about unusual ideas for goodies as well as sources to buy items?
As always, if you have a question for Ice Mom or the Advisory Board, please send it in! If you have an idea for a post or you would like to write a guest post, that's cool, too! E-mail me at icemom.diane@gmail.com.
At my last fun skate, all the "beginner" skaters (as in, this was their first solo skate in public) were given a brooch for their jacket. Gold skater doing a layback for the older skaters and something sparkly with diamontes for the younger ones. Everyone proudly shoved their badge straight onto their jacket.
ReplyDeleteMy girl got some leg warmers from mondor in her last competition bag. She has a competition this weekend so I will report back what they did for goodie bags if anything.
ReplyDeleteJust a suggestion for the medals--an address label with the event name applied to the back of the medal (or perhaps the ribbon in the case of a plexiglass medal). We have dozens of medals without identification on them. At the time you receive them you think you'll remember what events your kid skated, but you don't. I have tried to go back and mark them but by the time I get around to it, I've forgotten what she skated. Love medals from the competitions that engrave the event on the back of the medal (I know it's pricey but they're permanent). My daughter's synchro team skated at ISI Nationals last year and even their medals weren't marked. Annoying. In 5 years who's going to remember what division and event they skated?
ReplyDeleteOne of My favorites was a fleece blanket with the club name embroidered on it. My daughters favorite is every Year at the Atlantic City "Sun, Sand and Skate" competition the goodie bag is a sand pail and shovel for the beach. They also go to the casinos for donations so the pail is filled with decks of cards,mints,hand lotions, tissues etc... The girls love it! That might not be practical for this competition but still a cute idea. I have also seen printed water bottles, here is a source that has reasonable prices:http://www.sportsbottleworld.com/000236.htm
ReplyDeleteKeep us posted!
Becky
My daughter was at a basic skills competition and the bag included all the necessities such as lip balm, hand cream, band aids with a holder and, hair tie, tissues etc. In today's economy I think the families may appreciate useful items. I loved having that to replenish her skate bag.
ReplyDeleteHi, PrettyBowtie!
ReplyDeleteI like the brooch/pin idea. It's classy and skaters will keep them.
Ice Mom
Hey, Cathy!
ReplyDeleteMondor leg warmers? Holy cow. They cost $10-12! I think that might be out of our price range.
Thanks for promising to report back. Good luck to your daughter in the competition!
Ice Mom
Hi, Denise.
ReplyDeleteI love the mailing label idea for the backs of medals. You're right. I have no idea what some of the medals Ice Girl has are for.
She does, I think. Or she makes it up, either one.
Ice Mom
You're kidding me, Becky! Embroidered fleece blankets? Who can afford that kind of goodie?
ReplyDeleteI do like the sand pail and shovel, though. That's clever.
One year someone gave superballs/bouncy balls in the goody bag. What was that person thinking? Those balls were everywhere!
Ice Mom
Hi, Sk8nLane!
ReplyDeleteI really like goodie bags that have practical things in them, too.
Once at a competition, the gals put trays of bobby pins, hair ties, safety pins, hair spray and gel samples, etc. in the locker rooms. That was a beautiful thing.
Ice Mom
I agree on the practical items like tissues, hair elastics and in one there were little gloves- they went straight into the skate bags for when they were needed- and they were.
ReplyDeleteIf somebody has a monogramming sewing machine, you can get fleece blankets at Ikea for like $2. I've done them for wedding favors before. They're darling.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a skating gift bag{had no idea they existed}, but I like the idea of useful things. It's the little things that people always forget. Also, the water bottle seems like a good idea, since it cuts down on plastic bottles everywhere.
Mini sharpie markers so that the kids can make sure their hard guards have their names (and label bottoms of trophies or backs of medals), coupons for restaurants close to the rink, and zipper pulls are some of the things I've seen that have been handy.
ReplyDeleteHi, ive never competed before. Could you explain to me what the goodie bags are?
ReplyDeleteHey, Anonymous.
ReplyDeleteOften when figure skaters check in at a competition registration desk, the volunteer will give the skater a goodie bag. It's usually a bag with some sort of souvenir of the competition.
At a fancy competition, Ice Girl once got a neat backpack. At another, she received a fillable water bottle with band-aids, a granola bar, some bobby pins, and gloves.
It's just something small that kids would enjoy for coming to the competition. Kind of like a party favor, but without the noisemakers and balloons.
Great question, Anony! Thanks!
Ice Mom
TISSUES!!!!! i know this sounds weird.
ReplyDeletebut trust me, during practice ice, someones going to get a runny nose.
Towels for drying your skate blades. These too can be picked up at a low price and get someone you know or a business to monogram them at a reduced price or for free!
ReplyDeleteI just asked my daughter what her favorite goodie bag items have been, she first answered "candy!"
ReplyDeleteShe did say that she likes it when they give her a bottled water. We've seen granola bars, hair stuff and lip balm.
One competition we went to gave the kids a small photo album with the name of the competition on it.
Another local rink picked up some water bottles (I saw them at Wal Mart) with a fabric carrier and painted their names on them. Way cute!
Hey, Anonymous. That towel idea is awesome. Call Ice Coach and let her know you can add her to your order!
ReplyDeleteIce Mom
Hey, Jillybean.
ReplyDeleteYeah. I think Ice Girl would be more specific: Chocolate!
I forgot about the photo album thing. I.G. also got a CD case with the competition's name on it, too. That was very good.
Thanks!
Ice Mom
Blister band aids
ReplyDeleteA disposable camera so the skater can have pictures to remember the day!
LOL, I would say please don't forget the boys :)
ReplyDeleteDS has gotten M & M lip balm, purses, pink things, I could go on and on LOL. Nothing is more disappointing than getting a goodie bag that nothing in there is appropriate. He's now at the age that he can laugh, but I think it still makes him a little sad.
One year our club gave away vitamin water regular water. The kids really loved that.
I know I'd probably get stoned to death, but I would prefer organizers skipped the candy. It's really hard for a child who's parents are limiting candy. (now that DS is older, it's not as difficult, he just throws it away his choice). Anyway, these are athletes LOL.
We never got this, but another skater at our rink said that she did. It was a coupon for a free t-shirt
from the vendor that was there with the competition logo shirts. If you wanted to get the skater's names on the back you could pay an extra $10 or so, but the shirt was free (or I think you could trade up to a better item for a discount). It was a great promo for the vendor and a nice gift for the skaters.
Those steel water bottles with the logo on it are great. Non-gender specific, though the logo on the one that DS uses has a girl on it (but it says regionals) so it's cool. :)
I love the blanket idea. DS got one of these for being a flower sweeper one year. He still uses it.
sk8rmom
Excellent, Anony! You're right, of course boys do figure skate and they don't want fluffy, pink frilly things or lip gloss!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment!
Ice Mom
I got a nail file with the competition name one it once, and while it struck me as terribly random at the time, I kept it in my skate bag and it did come in handy.
ReplyDeleteHow about a screw driver? DD once had screws in her skates that came loose, so I stuck a screwdriver in her bag. Several times other skaters needed to use it to tighten their screws. Now we just leave it in there. I bet you can get some inexpensive ones from a dollar store.
ReplyDeleteAlso, our competition has separate bags for younger and older skaters - I suppose the same thing could be done for boys and girls.
At a recent competition there was some vet tape in her bag. We had no idea what it was at the time. Still not sure what exactly to use it for. I am sure there is a very good use for it.
Hi, Kates!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I can see where a nail file would come in handy. Smart and probably not too expensive. We could put the date of next year's competition on it, too. Hmmm.
Ice Mom
IT'S OFFICIAL: BETHALICE IS A GENIUS!
ReplyDeleteI love that screwdriver idea. I picked up a cheap, some-assembly required one and put it in Ice Girl's Zuca. You wouldn't believe how much use I've gotten out of it.
Smart, Bethalice. Very, very smart!
Ice Mom
Would you please tell my teens that? LOL!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I am not too much of a genius because I still am not sure how dd is to use the vet tape. LOL
Honestly, bethalice. Does anyone know what to do with vet tape? I've never heard about it. Is it for dogs, horses, or wounded soldiers?
ReplyDeleteMaybe someone will educate us. Vet tape? Anyone?
Ice Mom
That : ? http://www.unbeatablesales.com/bci28965.html?utm_source=nextag4&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=BCI28965&srccode=cii_9324560&cpncode=24-75540227-2
ReplyDeleteThank you, Diane Mars!
ReplyDeleteSo...vet tape is used to hold bandages on? That makes sense.
Thank you!
Are you from Canada? French Canada? Je parles francais (j'etais etudiante d'echange en Belgique...il y a bcp. d'annees...) et j'adore ecouter l'accent canadien.
Ice Mom
This weekend, my daughter got a dress bag for a gift at a competition, it is actually useful! She got the silver medal BTW!
ReplyDeleteHey, Jumpingbeanmom!
ReplyDeleteA dress bag is a great competition gift! Thanks!
Congrats to your daughter on her silver medal! :)
Ice Mom