Host a Holiday Party for Kids

Gingerbread House Making

Raise the roof … with a gingerbread house-making party.

Great news for gingerbread enthusiasts!  Loblaws / Great Canadian Superstores sell premade houses complete with icing bags and candies. Partygoers can let their imaginations go wild.  When complete, you simply package up their creations in the boxes they came in.  Be sure to add a few extra candies to the table.  For party favours, consider giving each a kid-sized Christmas apron or a big gingerbread cookie with their name on it.   

Kids' Christmas Party Cookie Exchange

Cookie making is a fun Christmas tradition, but who has time to make more than two or three kinds? Here is a great idea.

Ask guests to bring two dozen of the same type of cookie to the party, plus enough copies of the recipe for each attendee. Display the cookies on a table, with the recipe cards and the child’s name next to each tray.

Then, each child loads up an empty plate with two of each type of cookie. While making their way around the table, the children also should pick up a copy of each recipe. Set up a station where the kids can then decorate covers and bind the recipes into small cookbooks as a memento of the party.

Crafty Christmas

It wasn’t all that long ago that Christmas gifts were made, not purchased. Bring back the tradition by hosting a Christmas craft party.

You could focus you keepsake crafts from hands and feet.  Or, you could chose from some of other easy crafts and decorations.  Instead of making actual gifts, the kids also could make wrapping paper and Christmas cards at the party. 

The crafts should be enough of a favour, but you could also send these creative kids home with a blank artist’s notebook and a set of Crayons or Christmas themed pencils.

Party with a Purpose

It’s natural for kids to associate Christmas with receiving presents, but help them find the deeper meaning by reaching out to those who are less fortunate.

Throw a party with a purpose either by focusing on a charitable theme or simply asking guests to bring nonperishable food, winter coats or other donations to a regular Christmas bash.

You could decorate the main table with a large stack of canned goods shaped like a tree, trim a tree with scarves as garland or hang strings of mittens above every doorway.

A Caroling We Go

A night of Christmas caroling can be cold, but it sure warms the heart.

As guests arrive, hand out songbooks you’ve made with copies of some favourite carols and gather everyone around the piano or stereo to practice. If the party is for young children, stick to two or three short songs they can easily memorize.

Go over some safety guidelines before heading out, such as walking with a buddy and staying on the sidewalk.

Bundle up, hand everyone a candlestick and bobeche (older kids only) and then spread holiday cheer by singing door to door. Have the kids take turns presenting neighbors with a plate of cookies before moving onto the next house.

Someone should stay back at the house to make sure hot cider, hot cocoa and other warm treats await the carolers when they return.

Rock Around the Christmas Tree

Break from tradition with a Rock ‘n’ Roll kids' Christmas party.

Spray the kids’ hair with temporary red and green dye when they arrive (with parental permission, of course) and brand everyone with some temporary Christmas tattoos.  Push aside the couches, hang a disco ball and let the kids dance to holiday songs.  If you’re up for it, rent a karaoke machine.

When it comes to food, what rock star doesn’t love pizza? Tie yours to Christmas by making mini pizzas in holiday shapes. To do this, cut the dough with cookie cutters before adding the toppings. For favors, send everyone home with a music-themed tree ornament, such as an electric guitar or drum set, or a CD burned with some of the Christmas songs.

Polar Express P.J. Party

Whether it’s the book by Chris Van Allsburg or the movie starring Tom Hanks, The Polar Express is a beloved Christmas story.

On invitations made to look like train tickets, invite kids to come to your house dressed in pajamas. Serve hot chocolate (a nod to a particular scene from the story) and a train-shaped cake.

Read the book or show the movie, then send everyone home with a jingle bell, a reference to how the boy in The Polar Express finally believes Santa Claus is real.

Trim a Tiny Tree

Sure, decorating the Christmas tree in the living room is fun, but kids often love having trees in their bedrooms, too.

You can sometimes find inexpensive, small, artificial ones at craft or discount stores. Buy a bunch, then invite kids over for a tree-decorating party. Or, have the kids make their own decorations at the party.

Serve a tree shaped fruit tray for fun.   

Christmas Around the World

Give your kids’ Christmas party an international theme by hosting a Christmas-around-the-world party.

Assign a different country to each child, being sure to include Turkey, the homeland of Saint Nicholas, Germany, which is partially credited for the tradition of decorating a tree, and Mexico, where families hold neighborhood “posadas,” or re-creations Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem. Research how other cultures celebrate Christmas, too.

Ask everyone to bring a side dish that represents the culture assigned to them, sing songs that tie to the countries, such as Stille Nacht (Silent Night) in German, and teach the kids to say “Merry Christmas” in different languages.

Christmas is a magical time of year, due in large part to the joy it brings to children. Yes, it’s a busy time, too. But squeeze a kids' Christmas party into your schedule and both you and the kids are sure to get into the holiday spirit.

Making Memories

Decorating the tree  is one of my absolute favourite Christmas events.  It is an event for me.  I can spend the better part of an afternoon looking at all of the ornaments and memories my family has collected over the years.  There is  the bride and groom from the year we got married, one for each of the kids’ first Christmases,  some sand in a ball from our trip to Mexico and the many things that the kids have brought home from playgroup and school. 

Tree ornaments do not have to be expensive and can be homemade. For example, a travel souvenir such as a key chain can be turned into a Christmas memento ornament with a simple red ribbon tied onto it. Spend some timewith this kids this year, before or after Christmas, to craft some new memories.   Here are some that I really like.  

Here are some other ideas for meaningful Christmas tree decorations:

 
Meaningful ornaments:

·        Bride and groom to signify a wedding
·        A 'baby's first Christmas' ornament for each child inscribed with the year
·        Homemade ornaments with each family member's name
·        Country flags for each country your family has visited
·        Icons of sports teams you favour
·        Cotton ball snowmen made by the kids (one for each member of your family)
·        Angel ornaments to remember deceased loved ones
·        Decorated sea shells you've collected on holiday
·        Animal ornaments for your canine or feline friends
·        An annual family ornament (any ornament marked with that year's date on it)
·        Small framed photos of the children - so you can see how much they've changed from year to year
·        Ornaments the kids have made at school
·        Plain ornaments decorated with glitter and ribbons by the kids (fun indoor activity)

Impressions of a child's feet and hands are  always a wonderful reminder of the day when they were small.   I just love any craft that can incorporate a litte one's hands and feet.   Here are some great craft ideas using foot prints and handprints.  Don't forget the share a few with Grandma and Grandpa.

Santa FAQs

My Kids are starting to ask questions about Santa this year.  I have had to do some quick thiniking on my feet to make sure that they continue to believe.  Here is my list of Santa FAQs

How can Santa fly around the world and deliver all those presents in just a few hours?

Santa has a lot more than a few hours. He goes by time zones to make deliveries. There are 24 time zones on earth and therefore Santa has 24 hours to get to all the presents delivered.

How can Santa carry all the presents in such a small sleigh?

Santa doesn't carry every thing all at once. He has warehouses filled with toys at the North and South Poles where elves (like a NASCAR pit crew) check, make adjustments, reload, and get the sleigh ready for the next time zone trip.

How can Santa find my house in the dark?

Santa uses his GPS. (Global Positioning Sleigh) The sleigh communicates with satellites all around the world and automatically updates its position 300 times every second. The sleigh also keeps Santa continuously updated 200 times every second on which children have been naughty or nice.

How can Santa know if I've been bad?

Santa Net. Santa has a team of security elves monitoring thousands of computers. They see everything you do online on your computer. Santa also has the SSS (Santa's Secret Service) helpers all around the world reporting directly to him. These helpers make the naughty and nice list, keep the list updated and otherwise, just keep an eye on things in general.

Why do we leave cookies and milk for Santa.

Santa needs all the cookies and milk he can get. Climbing down and up chimneys takes a lot of energy. Santa spends most of the year putting on extra weight so that he will have the ability to stand up to the physical and caloric needs of making several trips around the world at Supersonic speeds. As soon as Santa leaves the North Pole, his metabolism starts rising and he starts burning off the extra weight. Santa and the Reindeer need the cookies and milk to keep up their energy during the trip. It doesn't necessarily have to be cookies and milk. Just about anything sweet will do. Santa loves cake and coffee or candy and cola. He also loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and root-beer.

Why do I need to be asleep when Santa comes?

Santa doesn't leave the North Pole until midnight. All good children should be in bed and sleeping by that time. If your not at least trying to sleep then you get moved to the naughty list. Santa has a lot to do and doesn't need any distractions in order for him to be able to stay focused. If Santa finds that you are awake, he will skip your home and move to the next home on the list. If there is enough time after all the other deliveries have been made, he may be able to swing back by your home. Do you want to take a chance that Santa may not be able to get back to you?

If you really were asleep and just happened to wake up and catch him, you don't get put on the naughty list. Santa understands. Accidents happen.

Easy Early Holiday Crafts and Decorations

It seems to me that the Christmas season starts earlier and earlier every year.  No sooner have we packed away our Halloween costumes than the streets are decorated for the holidays, the store decorations are up and the radio is playing Silent Night.  The wait is long for children and it is not easy to hold their enthusiasm for baking, crafting and decorating.  This year, I have some great ideas to allow the kids to start Christmas preparations early in small measure.   

Early baking with Play Dough and Play Clay

Christmas baking is the highlight of the season at my house, the laughter in the kitchen and the smell of sweet treats in the oven fill our home.  The kids love to measure, roll and decorate their creations one after another on the kitchen counter top.  It’s not even December and already they have the cookie cutters and rollers out waiting for our first baking session. 

This year, I have come up with an alternate activity to cultivate their culinary talent without filling my cookie jar with too many baked goods…. Yet! 

Today, I am making homemade Play Dough and Play Clay Ornaments.   The kids roll and cut the dough using the same tools and spend hours modeling and decorating.  What’s more is that they can also make up packets of the play dough as gifts for their friends. 

Simple Play Dough Recipe

2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar (optional for improved elasticity)

Mix and heat

Mix all of the ingredients together and stir over low heat. The dough will begin to thicken until it resembles mashed potatoes.

When the dough pulls away from the sides and clumps in the center, as shown below, remove the pan from heat and allow the dough to cool enough to handle.

If your dough is still sticky, you simply need to cook it longer. Keep stirring and cooking until the dough is dry and feels like Play Dough.

Try colouring the dough in holiday colours using food colouring or unsweetened drink mix.  Sometimes I add cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice as well.

OR you can make Play Clay ornaments that can be used year after year.

Play Clay Recipe

2 cups baking soda

1 cup cornstarch
1 ^1/4 cup cold water

Mix soda and cornstarch together blending well. Add the cold water and mix well until clay is smooth. Boil for 1 minute until it has the consistency of moist mashed potatoes; stir constantly. Spoon out on a plate. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to cool. Knead dough and roll out on waxed paper. Cut out designs with a cookie cutter or shape by hand. Let dry until hard, 1-2 days. Paint ornaments with tempera paint or water colors. Dry well and coat with clear shellac or clear nail polish. Hangers may be mounted on back with glue or pressed into dough before it dries.

Crafts with Christmas Cookie Cutters

Make your own wrapping paper.  Dip cookie cutters into paint and press them onto craft paper.  I like to use the big roll from Ikea, $4.99 for meters of fun.

Trace the cutters onto sponges. Cut out the sponges and sponge paint a Christmas scene.

Take photos from previous years, glue them to magnetic paper (found at photo stores or the dollar store) and trace with Christmas cookie cutter shape, cut out and hang on tree. 

A Starter Christmas Tree

Each year the kids are eager to decorate the tree. That is usually right after the Santa Claus parade in the middle of November.  Our solution is to offer a smaller artificial tree that they can decorate and put in their rooms. We have collected miniature ornaments over the years. They still love to create new ones.

Five ways to add new life and extra sparkle to old decorations

Grab your glitter and empty it into a cake pan. Paint balls with glue and roll in glitter.
Use themed stickers or scrapbook stickers to create a scene or glamour up your old Christmas balls.
Use markers to add a message to a ball or a whole new design.

Gather up some of your old beads and baubles that you no longer use. Lightly sand your Christmas ball and stick beads on with Modge Podge. 

Christmas Card Ideas

Greeting cards can be an ongoing project for young ones. Bring out the craft box. If you build the environment, they will come. It's always a pleasure to see their works of art.  Here are some ideas for great keepsakes.  Reindeer - foot is the body, hands are the antlers.  Christmas wreath- multiple hands attached to a cardboard cutout wreath.

Be sure to make every moment special this holiday season.  Send me photos of your creations and I will post them to my Facebook or blog.  I would love to learn more about your Christmas craft ideas and traditions.

The Holidays are Here

It seems like overnight the Christmas lights went up, the Holiday music was switched on and toy commericals began playing on tv.  All of  a sudden the Christmas season is here.  Ho ho ho. 

For once, I feel like I have it under control and I am armed with a list of time-saving, stress-busting tips:     

• Shop in stores that offer gift-wrapping services, so you don’t have to do it yourself.
• Use professional delivery services to send out gifts - even within the city. It’s economical, reliable, and saves you time.
• Keep your menus simple. Prepare a few signature home-cooked meals, and order the rest from your favorite restaurant or caterer.
• Get everyone in the family involved in decorating your home. It may not look picture perfect or polished, but everyone gets to join in on the fun, and it makes for great memories.
• Give gifts that are easy to wrap, such as books that need only to be tied with a ribbon and a card. Or give plants and herbs in nice terracotta pots. These gifts are not expensive, and don’t need to be wrapped.
• Don’t shop with your kids - they slow you down.  Instead, shop with your friends. They can give you great advice during indecisive moments.
• Bring a huge bag to stuff all your purchases into - it’s easier to carry just one bag, and you help save the environment, too.
  
• It’s easier and faster to stuff gifts inside gift bags, instead of wrapping each one.  
• If you are unable to buy gifts for everyone on your list, hand out personalized gift vouchers, such as “free movie and popcorn,” redeemable anytime.
• Despite the Christmas rush, try to find the time to do a quick workout or exercise. It will give you an energy boost and will help end your day on a high note.
• Teach your children to focus on what they intend to give this Christmas rather than on what they will receive. This will change the way they view Christmas and will teach them to quickly respond to people in need.
•  Discuss your holiday schedule with the kids. Show them a calendar, and tell them your planned activities. They are also enjoying their holiday from school and conflict may arise when they don’t get to do what they expected to do during their break. The rushed home life and endless parties can be very stressful for kids, so giving them a heads-up will help them manage their own expectations.
  
• Identify the tasks your kids can help out with during the holidays. The kids can wrap their own gifts (Don’t sweat the crumpled wrapping or uneven tape!) and label them. Older kids can help deliver gifts to neighbors by walking or riding a bike. Giving baked goodies? Ask them to help in the preparations and packaging.