A sick idea (this post has humor in the bag)

Recently, our daughter has been suffering from anxiety and panic attacks. (Ah the joys of being a teenager -- and the mother of a teenager!) However, instead of saying "I feel anxious" or "I'm panicking," our daughter uses the phrase "I might be sick" -- as in "I might throw up" -- to get out of doing things she feels uncomfortable doing. And it is amazingly affective, around other people. (We just tell her, okay, so if you need to throw up, throw up. You'll probably feel better. But she has yet to do so.)

So while at sleepaway camp this summer, our daughter went to see a doctor. And the doctor, who was incredibly nice, called us. During their conversation, our daughter told the doctor about her "might being sick." And the doctor, God bless her, calmly replied that if she felt like she needed to throw up, she should just find the nearest bathroom and go throw up -- or carry around a "sick" (aka barf) bag and discreetly excuse herself and go throw up in it. Not a big deal.

Upon hearing the story, which he loved, the spouse went online and Googled "sick bag" and "barf bag" -- and was (pleasantly?) surprised to find thousands of websites offering sick bags and barf bags, as well as a huge market for unused airline barf bags on eBay and a guy who collects barf bags from all the airlines. There are also barf bags for bachelor and bachelorette parties, for kids who get carsick, for pregnant women who get morning sickness, and for people who get sick at the thought of politics as usual. (Who knew barf bags were so popular?)

Among our favorite barf bags...

Lavendar Lulu Vomit Bags (So discreet! After all, why should barfing be ugly?)

The Margarita Party Barf Bags (For that special girls night out! Also comes in "Martini" for you guys!)

TravelJohn Disposable Vomit/Urine Bags (I may seriously need to get me some.)

Toxic Waste Barf Bags

I also came across the Barf Boutique, the go-to website for "funky designer & novelty gift bags made of genuine barf bags and, of course, real barf bags made for barfing." AWESOME.

Whether or not we decide to buy some for our daughter, we have the perfect gag gift for this year's holiday party!