Christmas themed Birthday Party- need ideas

[Crystal0608]

So...I booked ds's party months ago but I'm just getting around to the details. I'm bored right now, so jotting down notes to start my planning. His bday is a week before Christmas and since I KNOW Santa personally, he usually stops by at the end of the party and the kids go crazy and ds's loves it. I've decided to do his party entirely Christmas themed (non-religious). I have 55 minutes of party time before the kids get changed for the pool and get an hour of indoor swimming for party guests only.

DS will be 8, most guests will be 7-9, prob half boys and half girls- maybe 20 kids. Thought about the title Santa's Workshop Party, but maybe something more creative. We love the movie Elf and I want to incorporate the quote "We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup." from Buddy the Elf. DS also liked last year at school where they had Polar Express day at school (wore pj's to school, watched the movie, got jingle bell necklaces) so I want to add that theming in as well.

Setting is in a party room, white fold out tables & chairs, plenty of room for kids and parents but not much space for lots of kids to run around. Will be playing fun Christmas CD. Lots of red and green balloons, red or green tablecloths on all tables.

When kids arrive, we'll do crafts first. We'll make jingle bell necklaces (already have ribbon cut) while reading Polar Express and reindeer candy canes (make kits up in bags ahead of time). If I can find a good deal on Santa hats or elf ears I'll give these out. Santa will stop by during Polar Express when the kids do the jingle bell craft.

Next will be the cookie decorating station. Premade sugar cookies, lots of colored icing and popsicle sticks, toppings of m&m's, candy corn, etc. Can't figure out how to fit in the syrup? Maybe I could put labels on the juice packs? Would you just plate the cookie with a squirt of colored icing and topping on the individual plates or put the icing and toppings in the center in rubbermaid containers and plastic spoons? I know to bring lots of baby wipes. These will be in lieu of cupcakes.

Opening presents- this only takes ds about 15 minutes.

Time to leave and head to the pool.

Is all this doable in 55 minutes?

Also, need a creatively worded invite including:
It's his 8th bday
Wearing pj's
Santa will be there for parents to take pics if they want
I'm feeding them lots of sugar and sugar only
Its a christmas themed party- Santa's Workshop, North Pole, whatever
Bring swimsuit & towel
and nicely worded that invite is for invited kid only and I have to have a firm headcount to determine # of lifeguards required.

Thanks in advance for all suggestions!

[Boo'sMom]

Good Luck....my oldest DS was born one week before Christmas, if i tried to incorporate Christmas into his birthday party, I'd have been burned at the stake.

[Crystal0608]

Yeah, luckily mine loves it at least for a couple more years.

[CarolinaBlue]

Originally Posted by Boo'sMom

Good Luck....my oldest DS was born one week before Christmas, if i tried to incorporate Christmas into his birthday party, I'd have been burned at the stake.

LOL!! I don't blame him......my birthday is 2 days before Christmas and I feel the same way! I still can't get DH to understand why I don't like my b-day presents wrapped in Christmas paper.

[jen0610]

Originally Posted by CarolinaBlue

LOL!! I don't blame him......my birthday is 2 days before Christmas and I feel the same way! I still can't get DH to understand why I don't like my b-day presents wrapped in Christmas paper.

DH knows that IF he ever did this, his gift would be handed right back to him. I'm a Christmas Eve baby and my mom always made a point that the two, Christmas and my birthday, were to be two seperate celebrations. No combining of the two. Dad's family tried it once, I was 3 or 4, and it did not go over well, at all!!

DH and I got married 12/21, so we have that celebration thrown right there into the mixture. We had 1 person wrap their wedding gift in Christmas paper. It came from one of his friends, who knew all about the keep 'em seperated issue. He thought it would be funny. The gift was handed to DH to open and when it came to write out the thank you note, DH did it. The guy who did it, was and still is a class A donkeybutt. He didn't like me then and still doesn't like me now. He did to be a wise butt. He lived at home and his parents were invited to the wedding as well. Their gift was wrapped in wedding paper, so you know he did it to just irrate me.

If you son is game for it, make it your theme. But you just might be suprised how many of his friends, even at 7-9, aren't on the whole Santa track. They may have been previous years, but you just never know at what exact age they switch to the dark side.

[4nana]

Since your DS is going to be 8yo and his BD is a week before C'mas, he and friends will probably enjoy the C'mas festivities on his BD. However, as he becomes older, don't expect to get away with it . I do think you have a lot planned for 20 kids in a short amt of time, but doable. You know they can only move at a certain pace with all their excitement of a party.

Our DS was born on C'mas eve and we have always done our best to seperate the two, as it's only fair he has a special day like eveyone else in our family. We always do a big family get together on C'mas eve . The years he's home we celebrate his BD w/dinner, cake and BD gifts up until 7pm or so ~ after that tree is lit and everything becomes C'mas ! Heaven forbid, no C'mas wrapping paper on BD presents . I get sad even thinking about it, as he is military and this year he wll be in AFG on his BD.

[Rora]

OP- as an Elementary School teacher, I think you're cutting it close with time but you SHOULD be okay. Figure 15min for the craft + Santa, 15 for presents and the rest for the cookies!

This party looks fun!!