mixed bag

noun

, Informal.

1. an often unexpected assortment of various things, people, or ideas:

   The concert was a mixed bag of works from three centuries.

mixed bag

noun

1. informal.
   something composed of diverse elements, characteristics, people, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of mixed bag¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Idioms and Phrases

A heterogeneous collection of people, items, activities, or the like; an assortment. For example, The school offers a mixed bag of after-school activities—team sports, band practice, a language class . This idiom calls up the image of a sack full of different items. [First half of 1900s]