recently read post about opening presents (on this board i think) and got this in my email today from Family Fun and thought people might like the idea. It is a cute way to open presents at a party.
Musical Gifts by Kim B.
I watched in shock as a dozen small children, clutching packages big and small, suddenly engulfed my petite daughter. Bows and tissue flew in the air as my five-year-old was surrounded by her friends, all clamoring for her attention.
All I'd said was that it was time to open Ally's birthday presents, but you'd think I'd yelled "fire" from the reaction I got. I've never seen children move so quickly.
As I pulled Ally out from under the pile of glittery wrap and polka-dot ribbons, a friend of mine took over. A more seasoned parent with two older children, she had seen the birthday gift-giving frenzy that seems to overcome most young children and she had a solution.
"Come on, let's get ready to play musical birthday gifts," she said as she began drawing chairs into a circle. "Everyone grab their gifts and get ready."
She pulled a chair to the front of the room, declaring it the birthday throne, and offered my daughter a seat. Then she turned on some music.
The rules were simple, she explained. When the music stopped, the guest who found herself without a chair to sit in would get to give the birthday girl her gift. In return, the guest would be given a favor bag to take home.
The room instantly quieted down as the children realized the game might be more fun than creating mass chaos with paper and string. Instead of the usual moans and groans, the first child to go chairless flashed a big grin as he plopped down next to Ally.
"I'm first," he said excitedly, as he eagerly offered up his gift. "Everyone knows the first gift is best."
He helped Ally open her present and the other guests watched while sitting in their chairs. (Really.)
After she thanked him politely, he started checking out his loot bag as the music began again. And so it went.
The quiet respite in between gifts made it easier for me to record her gifts for thank-you cards and gave us a chance to make sure no gift cards or trinkets were lost in the ruckus.
And, amid the gift-giving excitement, it gave the birthday girl a chance to breathe. Which meant I could breathe easy, too.
Musical Gifts by Kim B.
I watched in shock as a dozen small children, clutching packages big and small, suddenly engulfed my petite daughter. Bows and tissue flew in the air as my five-year-old was surrounded by her friends, all clamoring for her attention.
All I'd said was that it was time to open Ally's birthday presents, but you'd think I'd yelled "fire" from the reaction I got. I've never seen children move so quickly.
As I pulled Ally out from under the pile of glittery wrap and polka-dot ribbons, a friend of mine took over. A more seasoned parent with two older children, she had seen the birthday gift-giving frenzy that seems to overcome most young children and she had a solution.
"Come on, let's get ready to play musical birthday gifts," she said as she began drawing chairs into a circle. "Everyone grab their gifts and get ready."
She pulled a chair to the front of the room, declaring it the birthday throne, and offered my daughter a seat. Then she turned on some music.
The rules were simple, she explained. When the music stopped, the guest who found herself without a chair to sit in would get to give the birthday girl her gift. In return, the guest would be given a favor bag to take home.
The room instantly quieted down as the children realized the game might be more fun than creating mass chaos with paper and string. Instead of the usual moans and groans, the first child to go chairless flashed a big grin as he plopped down next to Ally.
"I'm first," he said excitedly, as he eagerly offered up his gift. "Everyone knows the first gift is best."
He helped Ally open her present and the other guests watched while sitting in their chairs. (Really.)
After she thanked him politely, he started checking out his loot bag as the music began again. And so it went.
The quiet respite in between gifts made it easier for me to record her gifts for thank-you cards and gave us a chance to make sure no gift cards or trinkets were lost in the ruckus.
And, amid the gift-giving excitement, it gave the birthday girl a chance to breathe. Which meant I could breathe easy, too.
