I'm throwing my first ever Christmas Party and would really like some ideas!

[HorridCold]

Hi there,

We have decided to throw our first ever Christmas party at home for close friends and family. There will be a number of Children (our only child - so far- is DD aged 2) of various ages - newborn right up to 10 so I'm looking for some ideas.

We thought we would do retro-theme food so this is what I've got so far. Bear in mind that even though it's retro, it's posh retro food...

Prawn Cocktail (these will be individual portions made in Xmas muffin cases)
Posh Sausage Rolls (homemade - different flavours)
Egg & Cress Rolls (freshly baked rolls)
Cheese & Onion Hedgehog
Cheese & Pineapple Hedgehog
Ham & Mustard Rolls (mustard can be put on separately) (made with freshly baked gammon ham)
Cheese & Onion Rolls (posh onion relish)
Turkey & Cranberry Rolls (made with roasted Turkey)
Homemade Mince Pies
Homemade Pavlovas
Banoffee Pies

Other food ideas please?!

Then for entertainment, my sister has offered to do party games and a disco for the children in the lower ground floor of the house to give the parents a break (the older ones may wish to stay upstairs with the adults). She will also set up the Karaoke system in the lounge and there will be Xmas music.

We thought also of giving the children some paper-chains to make.

One of my friend's husband's is going to dress up as Father Christmas and give each of the children a present.

What other ideas can you wonderful MNers come up with for the party - I'm stuck...

[LordOfTheFlies]

Is everyone going to arrive at the same time or is at more open house?

You need to bring the food out in stages so that late comers (or anyone who comes back for second/third helpings will have good choice of food)

Crackers, crisps, french bread.
Heinz tomato soup in a little cup for children,especially if they go outside and need quick warm food.

A DVD in a quiet room (Polar Express, Christmas Carol)

Lots of candles in jars in the garden

Buckets of sand in the garden for any smokers

Oh and your menu doesn't seem to have any CHOCOLATE- grave oversight

Hot chocolate, bottle of squirty cream and marshmallows

[HorridCold]

Oooh LordOfTheFlies, good point - what about a chocolate fondue - very retro!! Or I could go modern as I know people who have the mini chocolate fountains...

Love the idea of the Xmas film for the kids aswell (Scrooge with Albert Finney is my favourite), something like Polar Express would be brilliant!

I think people will arrive around the same time but we will keep some food back for the stragglers. I was thinking of doing a big pan of Tomato Soup. We've got a Camping stove so could actually put it on the dining table to keep it warm. Obviously near the back of the table to avoid little hands...

Also Mulled Wine - although I'd need to get a recipe...

Love the candles in jars idea in the garden aswell. We've got two boisterous dogs so we're going to see if we can take them to someone elses house for the afternoon/evening, that way we can decorate the garden nicely...

Oooh mini jacket potatoes aswell. Asda do them in trays of 8 I think for £1. They're tossed in salt and olive oil so those would be great too.

Thank you so much!

[clawsatELVES]

LOTF, you really are queen of the Christmas thread, aren't you? Kudos.

I agree with the 'issue' of not enough chocolate, but IMHO, choc fondues and fountains are more trouble than they're worth. I speak as a lazy chocoholic. Horrid, HORRID to clean, and they get clogged/knocked over etc etc. Keep it easy for yourself and have choc cake or something like that. You could fashion them (mini ones) into little reindeers perhaps? Or cake pops?

Other observation is you cannot have a party without sausages! Yes you have sausage rolls, but you NEED mini sausages. Get a tray of minis, and oven them with soy sauce/honey/Sesame oil and seeds. They are delish and they will go. At a rate of knots.

Spiced nuts? Really yum.

[clawsatELVES]

NB am nervous at idea of camping stove on table. Maybe a big Thermos?

[HorridCold]

CSE, Thank you! Will definitely go with the Chocolate Cake (or even Chocolate crispy cakes - very retro!) and see your point about the fondues/fountains...

Also good idea for the Thermos - I was picturing disasters with lots of children around!

LOVE the sausages idea - they sound amazing. So do you use just the standard frozen party-sausages? I assume you don't use pre-cooked ones...

[CDMforever]

A gorgeous xmas bevvie and sooo easy to do is Pimms Winter, a kind of mulled wine affair.
I usually chuck in a cinammon stick to make the house reek of xmas!!
Not sure about retro but today I got out my xmas bible..........Nigella Christmas for the first time this year and she's got some luverly ideas.

[CDMforever]

DH has just had a nosey at this and shrieked "For god's sake, its august!!".
What a strange man..........

[clawsatELVES]

OP I used the normal 'cocktail' ones, from frozen. Have not used the pre-cooked ones, but who knows, they might work too!

LINKY TO NIGELLA RECIPE

But CDM reminded me, in aforementioned Xmas bible, she also does a Cranberry, citrus and soy-glazed version. I've not tried these as the first lot are so nice. NB I am veggie, so I personally eat them with Quorn bangers which are delish but make the meaty ones for everyone else.

Anyway, for the Xmas twist, she does mix of 125ml sweet chilli sauce, 60ml cranberry sauce, 60ml soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark brown sugar, juice of 1 line and of 1 clementine - for c.50 mini sausages. And she recommends using a throwaway foil tray if you are lazy.

How odd, I already had my Nigella and my Delia Xmas books out today also!

[clawsatELVES]

CDM - he is a numpty. Suggest you cook - in December - his very favourite Xmas thing and then REFUSE to let him have any, saying you planned it back in August and he mocked. Then march around, laughing evilly. In an evil manner. Is evilly a word?

Either that or... yep, leave him

[HorridCold]

Ahhh thanks ladies (assuming you both are - LOL), that is brilliant - I will definitely start using some of those recipes!

CDM, I agree with Claw, I suggest you start a thread in 'Relationships' and see how quickly someone tells you that your DH is emotionally abusive!

Anything else you can think of - let me know...

[CDMforever]

Thank you ladies, I gather that its not just my DH that is so Yuletide-Challenged!

I have considered leaving him because of his CAS (Christmas Aversion Syndrome) but as he tends to fund all the festivities that may not be the best idea.....

claws LOVE the idea of cooking his favourite thing now then witholding it!

Not sure what that is though... he does like the Jamie Oliver Boxing Day Turkey and Leak Filo Pie, but it is rather involved. Actually, he's the one that cooks it, as well as Christmas dinner.....Maybe he doesn't have CAS, or just during the late summer......

BTW was in Thorntons today and heard an assistant discussing the arrival of their chocolate advent calendars!!!!!

[Thefoxsbrush]

Re chocolate fondue- we normally put chocolate pudding desserts/yoghurts in bowls and then surround it with strawberries, marshmallows and cocktail sticks to dip them in. We have a (adults only) Christmas cocktail and canapes party every year. Can't wait for this year as we've moved out of a flat and into a house so lots more space :-)

[JennyPiccolo]

you could do chocolate cupcakes decorated like little christmas puddings?

[LordOfTheFlies]

I think I'll have to divorce my DH as well, he didn't get in the least bit excited when I told him I had £82 on my Nectar Rewards. Just wait til he comes sniffing round for a bottle of Christmas brandy and it'll be
"Oh Flies, you've got all those points haven't you.And you'll need a 1 litre bottle of Three Barrells for the pudding"

Back to chocolate though.For DDs birthday I did a dippy fondue in the microwave- plain chocolate, small tub double cream, tablespoon syrup and a splash of vanilla essence.I've got one of those heated serving trays to keep it warm.
We had mini gingerbread men (it was in June ), marshmallows, strawberries. You'd have different fruit in December.
Not as messy as the fountains. Just spoon into individual bowls. Or use on ice -cream

[HorridCold]

These are fantastic ladies, thank you so much.

I am the cupcake queen JennyPiccolo and my friend is excellent at decorating them, so that sounds fab. We'll make some holly leaves out of green icing and use Choc chips on the top as the currants - brilliant idea!!

Love the Black Forest Gateau suggestion aswell - I'd mentioned having one of those (a normal boring one) and my Mum said 'oooh no, horrid' but yours WholeLottaRosie sounds awesome!!

Also the fondue recipe sounds brill, I'll definitely go with one of those...

I spoke to my sister last night (who has offered to do the children's entertainment...). So she's going to do a Xmas pass-the-parcel, a Xmas disco and also host the Xmas film showing.

Have you got any more suggestions to keep the really young ones 2-3 years amused? Maybe a couple of shower curtains on the floor with lots of crayons and print off some xmas pictures for them to colour for their parents? What do you think?

It will only be for a couple of hours anyway, just to give the parents a bit of a break and then everyone will be back together again.

[HorridCold]

WholeLottaRosie, a FANTASTIC idea!! That is just brilliant, thank you!

[Clandy]

This party sounds fab already HC please can I come?? love the idea of Santa coming!! And pin the nose on rudolph. For older kids we used to play a game at Christmas dinner where you are given a piece of tin foil and have to make a reindeer without breaking the foil or adding bits etc (adults will like too ) and could have a little competition and prize...?

[acatcalledbob]

Chocolate solution .... a huge pile of rocky road chunks dusted with icing sugar and decorated with sugar or plastic snowmen.

We do a Christmas party every Xmas eve for 40-50 people and although the food is different (huge home-cooked ham, cheeseboard, jacket potatoes, lots of salads, mince pies and rocky road), the rocky road is always a hit, keeps for a couple of days so you can make it in advance and needs no cooking. World's best rocky road recipe is here although I usually add dried cranberries and pistachios because I can't help messing with improving things

[cumbria81]

errr...can I be the first to point out that it's August?

[HorridCold]

Cumbria81 - I'm surprised that you're the first actually - but since I purposely posted it in the Christmas section thinking that all those people that think it's crazy to start planning for Christmas already would ignore it I will ignore your comment statement!

Clandy, you found me! Of course you can come - hopefully we'll be displaying proud bumps by then! Although, I don't think we'll make them part of a Xmas game... Thank you for your input!

acatcalledbob, I've never made Rocky Road so will definitely be giving that one a go - will clearly need to practice before then though, to make sure it tastes Ok!

[HorridCold]

Comment statement - I really should preview my posts...

[DottyDot]

could someone be commissioned to make reindeer dust with the little ones (although ours still like doing it and they're 9 and 7 ). So each Christmas eve we have a bit of a get together with friends and at some point or other someone will get the kids together, stir porridge oats in a big bowl with lots of glitter - they each put a load in, then parcel it up into small (sandwich) bags for them to take home and sprinkle in a trail outside their house. The oats sparkle and leave a mess for ages afterwards

[Clandy]

Ah HC I am sooooo excited about Christmas it's such a fab time with little ones around we will be sporting gorgeous bumps we could dress them up as Christmas puddings

I agree with your comment bout posting in here so all the scrooges out there can find us