Glowsticks / Bracelets

mandy0221 · Post by **mandy0221** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:04 pm

Does anyone know a good website or catalog I can find glowsticks at? I was debating handing these out this year for Halloween. I looked on Ebay but would rather buy from a company.

Haunted Horseman · Post by **Haunted Horseman** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:39 pm

Doesn't Oriental Trading have a large assortment of Glow things?

mandy0221 · Post by **mandy0221** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:52 pm

I tried but perhaps I was looking in the wrong area

mandy0221 · Post by **mandy0221** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:54 pm

I did find some on there - I was looking under Halloween the first time. But they are kind of expensive $12.00 per dozen. Does anyone know of any less expensive ones?

MHooch · Post by **MHooch** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:31 pm

Nope, all I've seen have been right around a dollar. They have a huge selection of glow-stick paraphenalia at my local Dollar Tree.

Tapsgirl · Post by **Tapsgirl** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:16 pm

orental trading, i know at our local dollar tree has them and some really cute Halloween stuff thats where i got most of mine!! so your looking to pay right around a dollar for them

jadewik · Post by **jadewik** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:10 am

I got mine from http://illuminationz.com/. Their prices are extremely reasonable.

There are positives and negatives to purchasing either glow sticks or glow bracelets. Bracelets are thinner and the tubes break open easier. However, they're more easily put 'round a wrist or looped together to make a necklace than glowsticks, which generally have a cord that loops through a hole on the glowstick. You almost have to wear it 'round your neck. Glowsticks are also more expensive than glow bracelets. You can get twice as many bracelets for less than the cost for half as many glow sticks.

I ordered 1k glow bracelets and paid $72 including the shipping. I got my order within 3-4 days. 1k bracelets should last me 2-3 years (they have a long shelf life).

I pilot tested my glow bracelets last weekend with my husband's nieces (5 y/o and 3 y/o), whom I've nicknamed "The Hellions" for various reasons. I also tested them this weekend on a church camping trip. Based on my experiences I have a few suggestions...

I recommend you only order 1 colour. I ordered assorted bracelet colours, but this weekend when I was handing them out at the camp site all the kids wanted to "pick a colour". Granted, if you have a bunch snapped or your ToTers are spaced fairly well, you can take time to do colour requests. Just in a kid intensive environment, the number one question that was asked was "can I have a (colour) one?"

Also, I recommend snapping the bracelets yourself (it is quite fun)... because if glow bracelets are "folded" when they're snapped, they will break open and you don't want to be liable for any potential damage to costumes, clothing, or furniture... etc... though something like that might be covered under renter's or home owner's insurance if someone decided to be stupid about it.

One last thing... you might want to have an alternative thing to hand out to kids 3 and under. The kids you pass these out to need to know not to eat the plastic connector piece. Since the plastic for the bracelets is so thin, if the child isn't past their oral phase... they might inadvertently break it open... the fluid is non-toxic, but it does stain clothing if it isn't cleaned up immediately (and sometimes when it IS).

I don't think there are 100 connectors in each tube of 100, as I seemed to run out of the plastic connectors rather quickly... There is a ball connector that takes 12 glowsticks to create included in the packaging... perhaps I'll crack another tube open and count the connectors...

Also, green and yellow glow sticks are brighter and last a little longer than pink/purple, orange, blue, or red.

If you have any other questions... let me know. I'd be more than happy to answer questions or take photos of the merchandise I obtained through illuminationz.

Larissa · Post by **Larissa** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:16 am

Make sure you check all the stuff at Oriental Trading - if you just search "glow," they have some stuff cheaper than $12/dozen. Also, click on sale & then on 75 Year Sale - there's lots of stuff there you can buy in bulk that could be fun, like rubber duckies.

jadewik · Post by **jadewik** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:19 am

Oriental isn't worth its salt when it comes to prices. I couldn't find anything reasonable for bulk purchasing. They can't beat 5-10 cents per bracelet, that's for certain!

If you're looking for "neat", Oriental is great. They have those colour changing bracelets that sounds nifty or the braided ones... or some that are stamped with things like "Happy Halloween"... but, once again, if you're limited by budget... they're not very cost effective.

midnight kitty · Post by **midnight kitty** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:34 am

try celebrate express. i've ordered quite a bit from them and their prices are reasonable

mandy0221 · Post by **mandy0221** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 9:33 pm

Hey jadewik thanks for the heads up - its really helpful. I may have to look into that place.