Kids Christmas Cookie Party

    With the christmas season fast approaching I am always thinking about fun things to do with my kids that they can enjoy with their friends. One idea I came up with a few years ago is having a christmas cookie decorating party. My son and his friends love this idea and we always get rave reviews from his friends parents and siblings as well.

    I let Will invite a few friends (usually around 5) as well as their parents and brothers and sisters over to our house for an afternoon of playing and decorating. It starts out with Will and I spending hours that morning making up dozens of sugar cookies, he helps mix and roll the dough, and use cookie cutters to cut out christmas shapes. I bake them and let them cool ( very important part, make sure they are fully cooled!)  When his friends arrive they all head into the playroom for some free time and the moms and dads all enjoy a nice coffee before the chaos begins haha.

    I set up a table with the cookies on several plates, all within reach of little hands, as well as bowls of goodies ... candy, jelly beans, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, sprinkles, etc along with bowls of icing tinted christmas colours. I give all the kids a plastic spoon, plastic knife, and a few napkins and let them decorate their little hearts out.. so much fun!!!

    I tell the parents in the invitations that Will sends out to make sure the kids are dressed in clothes that are appropriate as they are going to get very messy and dirty,  as well as ask them to bring a container to take the cookies home in, at least the cookies that make it to the door, alot tend to get eaten as they are being decorated haha. Also I put a plastic table cloth on the table and drop cloths under the table for easy cleanup.

    I am really looking forward to this years party, as are Will and his friends, and this year my 2 1/2 yr old is getting into it as well, she has already given me a list of friends she wants to have over, by the time the baby is old enough to invite her friends over I may have to rent a hall to hold the party in haha.