Holiday Party Planning
For peace of mind, begin planning your holiday bash six to eight weeks in advance. This will allow you time to gather all the supplies that you need, including holiday party decorations, gifts, and menu items. Planning ahead also gives your guests time to RSVP and make travel plans, if needed. Don’t panic if you find yourself short on time; you can still plan a great party! Planning ahead simply reduces the risk of conflicts with guests’ plans and may increase your holiday party’s attendance.
To simplify the rest of the party planning process, check out our Party Planning Time-line, and read the paragraphs below for information on selecting holiday party supplies, holiday party crafts, holiday favors, and more for your child’s party.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And these holiday party ideas and winter party ideas – including holiday party invitations, winter party activities, holiday favors, and more – will turn your home into a winter wonderland!
Holiday Party Supplies and Favors
If you plan to use paper tableware and holiday party supplies, our Suggested Party Supply List may be quite helpful. Please note that you may not need everything on the list; it is intended only as a guide. White is always a good color for winter parties. For more of a Christmas feel, integrate red and green. For Hanukkah, think blue. No matter what your color scheme, simple balloons and pretty pastel streamers work perfectly.
Holiday Party Invitations
For Christmas:
* Fold a piece of green construction paper in half, and cut out the shape of a basic Christmas tree. Decorate the front with stickers in the shapes of ornaments and candy canes. Draw thin lines of glue from one side of the tree to the other and sprinkle with glitter to resemble garland. Write the party details inside.
* Purchase solid colored ornaments and write the party details in a circle around the outside. Package these in a box with bubble wrap and mail to your guests.
* Attach a card-style invitation to a candy cane and mail in a padded envelope.
* Include in the invitations if you would like guests to dress “festively”, i.e. in red and green.
Christmas Party Ideas For Kids
Christmas Party Planning
With everything on your “to-do” list during the holidays, planning
a class, company or home party will require plenty of time.
Try to give yourself 4-6 weeks to prepare. This will allow time for on-line orders, invitation responses, Christmas party planning, shopping etc.
For stress free party planning, order your holiday party supplies on-line.
Busy Mothers Tip:
Keeping a supply of holiday partyware on hand transforms a last minute get together with friends, or even an after school snack into a festive occasion!
Christmas Party Invitations
A simple Christmas tree or star, cut from colored cardstock paper, inviting your guests to share the holiday spirit will do.
Add some glitter or sequins to the envelope
Christmas Party Games and Activities for Kids
Directions:
Wrap the packages before the party.
1. Divide the children into teams.
2. Each team will receive a wrapped gift box, wrapping paper sheet for each player tape and possibly ribbon.
3. Place these items on a table or the floor for a gift wrap station.
4. To play the game, a team member will leave their group, run to the gift station, unwrap the gift, rewrap the gift, and run back to tag the next team member. The first team to have each member wrap the gift wins.
FIND THE CHRISTMAS STAR GAME
1. Hide star ornaments before the party.
2. Divide the children into teams and send them searching for an ornament.
1. Before the party, place enough Christmas treats (Candy canes, chocolate kisses, erasers) for all of the guests in a small box and wrap it.
2. Then place the parcel into a bigger box and wrap that as well. Then again and again until there are several layers of wrapping.
3. To play the game everyone sits in circle. Play Christmas music while passing the “parcel” around from player to player.
4. When the music stops, the player holding the parcel unwraps one layer.
5. Then, play the music and begin passing again.
6. Continue to play until the last layer is unwrapped and the treats are handed out.
SNOWBALL RACE
You’ll need:
* Styrofoam balls or balls of white yarn
* Spoons and mittens for each team
Directions:
1. Play this game as you would any relay race: divide into teams.
2. Each player takes turns putting on mittens and balancing a “snowball” on a spoon while racing to the other side of the room.
3. Drop the snowball into a bucket, return to the team, pass the mittens and go to the back of the line.
4. First team to complete the race wins!
SANTA TRIP
1. Players sit in a circle.
2. The first player says,”On Christmas Eve I’m traveling with Santa and I’m going to take (something starting with A )”.
3. The next player repeats the first object and adds an object beginning with B continue the game through the alphabet.
4. If there are more players than 26 letters…start again at “A”.
Do you plan on having Santa visit your party?
A few things to keep in mind…
Little children may not be comfortable with a Santa visit allow them the option to do another activity while Santa visits.
If you are hiring a Santa Claus to come to your party, make sure he has references or is booked through a reputable company. Feel free to ask how much experience he has.
Will he pass out gifts that you provide? Candy canes?
Read The Night Before Christmas or other story? Sing jingle bells?
If your Santa is a family member or friends… you’ll find a Santa Claus costume here!
Christmas Snacks for Kids
Whether your child is a kindergarten who can help sift flour or pour pre-measured cups of sugar into a bowl or an older child who can break open eggs and help gather, measure, and mix ingredients, you will love working together to make some yummy Christmas snacks for kids for a party, or just to share with friends and family. Enjoy these delicious classic and favorite recipes for Christmas snacks for kids and special Christmas treats. There are even recipe variations for Christmas snacks for kids who have food allergies and intolerance.
Making and sharing Christmas snacks for kids and Christmas treats is one of the many things that makes the holidays so special. And the best part is that grade-schoolers are old enough to help make tasty kids Christmas snacks and treats.
Christmas Stocking Crafts
Silverware Stocking
These stockings add a playful touch to the dinner table throughout the holidays. They also make it easier to hang on to everything you need when maneuvering through a buffet line. You might see similar items in home decor catalogs, but you can make your own for a fraction of the cost. A beaded initial adds a personalized touch.
Instructions
1. Use the template to cut two stocking shapes from the felt, then cut the cuff and toe shapes from the patterned fabric. The cuff is a long rectangle with the two long edges folded under and ironed for a clean look.
2. Glue the two stocking shapes together at the edges, leaving the top of the stocking open. Fold a 6-inch length of rickrack in half and glue the ends just inside the stocking’s top. Glue the cuff and toe in place.
3. String beads onto the cord. When the string of beads is long enough to form your letter, knot both ends. Draw your letter onto the stocking with glue, then press the string of beads onto it.
A Stocking Countdown Calendar
We gave the traditional Advent calendar a creative kick, turning it into a festive garland that reuses your kids’ colorful socks. Tucked inside are notes, games, and goodies for kids to receive — one sock for each day leading up to the Jolly Old Elf’s visit.
Materials
# 25 socks
# Marker
# 25 mini clothespins (available at craft supply stores)
# Stocking hangers, painter’s tape, or pushpins
# 6-foot length of cord, string, or ribbon
Instructions
1. To make your “calendar,” fill the 25 socks with small treats, using our list of suggestions or your own ideas.
2. Use a marker to number the mini clothespins with 1 through 25.
3. A Stocking Countdown Calendar – Step 3 To assemble the calendar, use stocking hangers, painter’s tape, or pushpins to temporarily hang a 6-foot length of cord, string, or ribbon within easy reach of a child. Clip the treat-filled socks to the cord in numerical order, then each day have kids remove one to discover their surprises.
Ballet Slipper Stocking
Materials
* Scissors
* 2 pieces of white felt, each 24 by 12 inches
* 3 pieces of pink felt, each 24 by 16 inches
* Long sewing pins
* Large-eye sewing needle
* Pink embroidery floss
* White embroidery floss
* 2 ½ yards of 7/8 -inch pink ribbon
* Clear tape
* 9 inches of white twist cord
Instructions
The basic stocking:
Click here to download the ballet slipper stocking pattern.
1. Cut 1 stocking shape from each piece of the white felt.
2. Cut 2 shoe shapes from 1 piece of the pink felt and 1 stocking shape from each of the remaining 2 pieces of pink felt.
3. Lay out the pink stockings, toes pointing in opposite directions, with a white stocking on top of each one.
4. Pin a pink shoe on top of each white stocking.
Ballet Slipper Stocking -
Step 6 Using the pink floss, whip stitch (see page 131) along the inner edge of each shoe, sewing through the pink and the white felt. Leave the outside edges unsewn
Pin together the stockings so the shoes are on the outside, then whip stitch together the layers using the white floss along the white edges of the stocking and the pink floss for the shoes. Leave the top unsewn.
At the top, sew together the front 2 edges, then the back 2, with the white floss.
The Trimmings: Cut the ribbon in half, tie it in a bow, and then sew the knot to the stocking.
* Crisscross the loose ribbon down and around the leg of the stocking and tack the ends flush to the top of the heel.
* Tape the ends of the cord to keep them from fraying, then sew the cord to the stocking for hanging.
Bare Foot Christmas Stocking
Materials
* Scissors
* 4 pieces of gold felt, each 21 by 20 inches
* Red felt and red embroidery floss
* Green felt and green embroidery floss
* Purple felt and purple embroidery floss
* Long sewing pins
* Large-eye sewing needle
* Gold embroidery floss
* Pony beads
* Clear tape
* 9 inches of red twist cord
Instructions
The Basic Stocking:
* Cut 1 bare foot shape from each piece of the gold felt .
* Cut 5 circles from the colored felts for the toenails.
* Place one foot on top of another and pin the toenails in place.
* Using the matching floss, whips titch (see page 131) around the edges of each toenail, sewing through both feet.
Pin all 4 feet together and use the gold floss to whips titch around the edges, sewing the feet together. Leave the top edges unsewn.
At the top, sew together the front 2 edges, then the back 2.
* Fold down the top to make a cuff.
The Trimmings: Thread pony beads onto a 24-inch piece of colored floss, wrap it around the ankle, and tie together the ends.
* Tape the ends of the cord to keep it from fraying, then sew it to the stocking for hanging.
Classic Stocking
Materials
* Scissors
* 2 pieces of red fleece, each 24 by 16 inches
* 2 pieces of white faux fur, each 24 by 16 inches
* Long sewing pins
* Large-eye sewing needle
* Red embroidery floss
* White embroidery floss
* Sheet of yellow felt, 9 by 12 inches
* Yellow embroidery floss
* Fiberfill
* Fabric paint
* Clear tape
* 9 inches of white twist cord
Instructions
The Basic Stocking:
Cut 1 stocking shape from each piece of the red fleece and 1 from each piece of the faux fur . Be sure to cut the fur stockings so that the toes point in opposite directions with the fur sides up.
Pin together the stockings with the fur stockings on the inside, furry sides in, and the red stockings on the outside.
Whistitch (see page 131) around the edge with the red floss to sew the shapes together, leaving the top unsewn.
At the top, sew together the front 2 edges, then the back 2, with the white embroidery floss.
Fold down the top to make a cuff.
The Trimmings: Cut 2 star shapes from the yellow felt.
Use the yellow floss to whipstitch around the edges, sewing the stars together. Leave a small section unsewn.
Stuff the star with fiberfill, then finish sewing the edges.
Write your child’s name on the star with fabric paint and sew it to the edge of the cuff.
Tape the ends of the cord to keep them from fraying, then sew the cord to the stocking for hanging.
Christmas Activities and Crafts
Homemade Christmas Ornaments
A Wreath for All Seasons
We all know that first impressions count, so why not help your front door put its best face forward? This decoration extends a warm welcome to guests and allows your family’s personality to shine. Starting with a store-bought grapevine wreath, you can have the whole household get into the act of customizing the embroidery-hoop ornaments in endless ways (we suggest a few easy techniques here).
Materials
* Embroidery hoops (see tip below)
* Solid-color fabric or canvas
* Paintbrush and paint, paint pens, or other decorating tools (see instructions for details)
* Outdoor Mod Podge
* Greenery, faux berries, or other seasonal extras
* Grapevine wreath
* Floral wire
Instructions
1. For each ornament, measure the hoop, then cut a fabric circle that’s an inch larger in diameter. Sandwich the fabric between the rings of the hoop, then pull the fabric taut and tighten the screw. Trim any excess fabric.
2. Decorate the ornaments (see ideas below). Let them dry, as needed, then apply a coat of Outdoor Mod Podge for weatherproofing and let it dry. Attach the ornaments and greenery or other extras to the wreath with lengths of floral wire. For the greatest durability, hang the finished wreath in a protected spot.
3. Stamp simple shapes by applying acrylic paint to a halved apple or a leaf, then pressing it onto the fabric (practice on paper first). Add details with a paint pen.
4. For a 3-D effect, use strong glue, such as Crafter’s Pick The Ultimate, to adhere collage materials like the fishing line shown here (made from a bit of cord) and metal charms.
5. Acrylic paint and a brush are great for creating bold images like our pie design, and for livening up the hoop frames (paint them before adding the fabric). For more detailed designs, such as our horse drawing, use fabric markers or paint pens.
6. Create ornaments from photos — like the dog portrait shown here — with inkjet-printable cotton sheets (we used Jacquard brand, available at craft stores). Follow the package instructions to transfer a digital shot or scanned drawing to the fabric, then use a paint pen for extra flourishes.
Colorful Christmas Cats
Materials
* Wooden craft spoons
* Acrylic paint
* White card stock
* Glue
* Pipe cleaners
* Seed beads
* Fine-point permanent marker
* Green tissue paper
* Red beads or glitter
* String
Instructions
To make each one, first coat a wooden craft spoon with acrylic paint. Paint a patch of the same shade onto a piece of white card stock and let the paints dry.
Cut a 1/2-inch square from the card stock, then cut the square in half diagonally and glue the 2 triangles to the top of the spoon for ears. For a tail, curl a 6-inch piece of pipe cleaner and glue it to the back of the spoon. Glue on black seed beads for eyes and draw a face with a fine-point permanent marker. Add a holly collar by twisting two or three 1-inch squares of green tissue paper around the tip of a pencil, then glue them in place, adding a few tiny red beads or glitter for berries. Glue on more beads for buttons.
Make a hanger by tying a piece of string into a loop and gluing the knot to the back of the spoon. Let all the glue dry completely before hanging.
Popcorn Ball Ornaments
Like decorations stolen from Willy Wonka’s Christmas party, these ornaments are meant to be eaten. For a fun party activity, have children decorate their own.
Ingredients
* Small popcorn ball (one for each guest)
* Mini candy canes
* Colored sugar
* Frosting
* Mini M&Ms
Instructions
1. You’ll need a small popcorn ball for each person (ours are store-bought and about 3 inches wide). Use a wooden skewer to poke a small hole in the top, snap the end off of a mini candy cane to create a point, and gently press the sharp end of the cane into the popcorn ball far enough to make a loop, as shown.
2. For the sugar dots and lines, pour colored sugar onto a flexible paper plate (the flexibility makes it easy to pour the extra sugar back into the container when you’re done). Fill a pastry bag with frosting, or scoop frosting into a quart-size plastic bag and cut off one corner. Working on one dot or line at a time, pipe frosting thickly onto the ball, then press the ball gently into the sugar so that only the frosting touches it. Use frosting to glue mini M&Ms to the ball.
Retro Ornaments
These simple yet sophisticated decorations are made from cardboard tubes and pipe cleaners. Paint the outsides of the tubes before cutting them, if desired, or keep them unpainted for a natural look.
Materials
* Cardboard tubes
* Pipe cleaners
* Ruler
* Pencil
* Scissors
* Hole punch
* Thread or string
Instructions
1. For each ornament, flatten a 7 1/2-inch length of cardboard tube. Mark and cut it into 3/4-inch-wide rings; you’ll need 10 for this project.
2. On each flattened ring, mark dots 3/4 inches in from each folded edge. With a hole punch, make holes at the dots.
3. Starting with the inner circle, string the rings onto a pipe cleaner. For the outer circle, twist two pipe cleaners together to make a double-long piece, then thread it through the outer holes in the cardboard rings. Twist the ends together and trim the excess. Hang with thread or string.
Beaded Ornaments
Sometimes a simple idea, like shaping strands of beads into ornaments, is all it takes to check off most of the people on your child’s gift list.
Materials
Pipe cleaners Transparent craft beads (5- to 10-millimeter diameters)
Instructions
1. Bend an end of a pipe cleaner into a 90-degree angle. Have your child thread on beads from the opposite end, stopping a half inch from the tip.
2. Twist together the two ends, and the strand is ready to shape into a star, a candy cane, or another festive object.
Variations:
Twist together the ends of two pipe cleaners for a longer strand, or attach short beaded lengths to add a striker to a bell or holly berries to a wreath.
Buildable Bird
Let your holiday greetings take wing! These two-piece avian ornaments can be tucked inside cards and assembled in seconds by the recipient. (You’re allowed to make one or two for yourself too.)
Materials
* Stiff felt (white for dove, red for cardinal)
* Tacky glue
* Silver sequins
* Black seed beads
* Large needle
* Embroidery floss
Instructions
Using our downloadable template as a guide, cut out the wings and body of the bird from stiff felt. For each eye, use tacky glue to add a silver sequin and a black seed bead.
Buildable Bird Step Use a large needle and embroidery floss to make a hanging loop right above the slot for the wings. Place the two pieces inside a card with instructions to slide the pieces together at the slots.
Candy Cane Signpost
Here’s a real treat for your tree: a candy cane-like ornament that points the way to Santa’s place.
Materials
* Large craft stick (ours was 4 ½ inches long)
* Acrylic paint: white, green and red
* Craft knife
* Permanent marker
* Glue
* Small green felt holly leaves
* Red mini pom-pom berries
* White glitter
* 5-inch piece of ribbon
Instructions
1. Coat a large craft stick (ours was 4 ½ inches long) with white acrylic paint and another with green paint. Let them dry, then add stripes of red paint to the white stick.
2. Use a craft knife to cut a 3-inch section from the green stick, notching each end to create an arrow shape, as shown. Write “North Pole” on the sign in permanent marker, then glue the sign to the red-and-white craft stick.
3. Next, glue on small green felt holly leaves and red mini pom-pom berries. If you like, add dabs of white paint, then sprinkle on white glitter for snow.
4. Finally, glue both ends of a 5-inch piece of ribbon to the back of the signpost for a hanger and let the glue dry.
Build-Your-Own Snowman
Let the folks on your list have some fun with this greeting that moonlights as a DIY ornament. And don’t worry, your friends and family don’t need to be craft experts to assemble it!
Materials
* 8 1/2- by 11-inch sheet of card stock or heavy paper
* Craft knife and scissors
* Glue stick
* Card stock in white, black, and orange
* 7- by 1/2-inch piece of red felt
* 6-inch piece of embroidery floss or string
* 6 large black seed beads
* Snack-size ziplock bag
* Clear tape
* A9 or 6- by 9-inch envelope
Instructions
* Fold the 8 1/2- by 11-inch sheet of card stock in half widthwise. Open the card and use a craft knife to cut a 6- by 3-inch rectangle from the front of the card (leaving a 1 1/4-inch border). If you like, glue the cutout inside the card, opposite the window, as we did below.
Build-Your-Own Snowman – Step 2 Cut 3 white circles, a hat (ours is 1 1/2 inches wide at the brim), and a 3/4-inch-long carrot from the card stock. (For easier cutting, use our templates.) Fringe the ends of the red felt strip and tie the floss or string into a loop.
Build-Your-Own Snowman – Step 3 Place all these parts plus the beads into the zipl