Throw Yourself a Pity Party—This One Might Actually Be Fun

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When Dallas native Jordan Jones moved to SF, she unexpectedly found herself without a social life. Instead of pouting, she remembered advice her mom gave as a young girl: "It's much more fun to give than to receive, and it's not what's at the party, it's who's at the party that counts." With this lesson in mind, Jones threw herself a pity party (literally). It sparked an idea that's now her startup: Packed Party. The first product offered was the "Pity Party" ($45) to bring cheer and kindess to any lonely girl's doorstep.

Now there are six package options on tap, including the "You Don't Need Him Anyway" ($45) for break-ups and "Birthday Beb" ($45). Send one to a bummed out friend, or know that there's zero shame in sending yourself a festive care package.

To keep things exciting, what's inside is kept a surprise, and the contents are updated every eight weeks. For hints, take a look at Packed Party's Instagram. A peek at the Bridesmaid package ($47) shows fun trinkets and a book of toasts to get your girlfriends in the wedding party mood. Expect to find 4-5 pieces in each box, depending on the sizes of the items.

One item included in every package is a pretty note card. "We include a card stock letter-pressed card in every package with playful language about what the party is, why the package has been sent, and who did the sending as a way to make it that much more personal," Jones tells us.

OK, but can't anyone make a more personal care package on their own? "Of course, the idea of a care package has long been around," Jones says. "But our concept to take highly personalized and themed party packages is a new spin on it all. Ensuring people really understand what our goal is, and who we are as a brand, is key to our business."

And that goal is to provide solutions not only to the recipient but also to the purchaser. The packages offer creativity and thoughtful expressions of love and concern, but without the time and effort required to personally source the individual items.

Despite the efficiency angle, Jones' really does seem to want to spread cheer: "I want to promote kindness and confidence through our packages and make it okay for people to throw themselves a party—or be kind enough to start the party for someone else with one of our packages."
· Packed Party [Official Site]
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