London - Christmas Children's Party

[IlanaK]

It was suggested today at the summer picnic at Coram Fields that a Christmas children's party would be a nice idea. I am more than happy to organise this but want to gage opinions first. Coram Fields would be a great venue again assuming we could get it. Here are some questions for you to answer or put suggestions if you are interested.

1. Venue - would Coram Fields suit everyone again or can you think of somewhere else?
   
   
2. Would you want to attend during the week or on a weekend?
   
   3)I was thinking of a bring a dish or two party (sort of like today) and we would decorate the hall all christmassy and have christmas crackers for the kids, etc. Also maybe some inside christmassy activities such as art stuff, games etc. Is this ok?
   
   
3. WOuld anyone want it to be more multicultrural - a seasonal party? I am Jewish so I would certainly understand if people preferred this.
   
   
4. OK - the big question is cost. I know that today was free and people just made donations to Binkie as the hall cost £32. However, for a proper christmas party I think we would have to charge. My reason for this is partly the venue - if say 15 families came (about what came today I think), that is £2 per family for the venue. Also, there would be some cost for the crackers, decorations, etc. How would people feel about this?
   
   Ok, so, this is just an idea at this stage, but if we want to do it I am guessing we have to book quickly. If people aren't interested, then I will not be insulted! However, I am happy to do it if people want to come.
   
   What do you all think?????

[biketastic]

We would love to come to a christmas party. Have no issues re multicultural stuff, whatever people want. As long as we get balloons, it will be fine!
Will also be ok with cost around £5 ish, and can do food etc as necc.
I think Coram fields is great, really impressed with today.
We will all be inside I should think for xmas as will be colder etc, so size will be important, but I reckon it should be fine.
Will santa come?

[IlanaK]

Well, I asked dh to be santa and he gave me an adamant no! SO if someone else's dh can do it, I can provide the costume. But that does raise another question - what about gifts from Santa? I had thought £3-£4 would more than cover the cost of everything else, but not with a present as well. If we want to do presents from Santa I think we would have to say more like £5.

[binkie]

I really like the idea of a multicultural seasonal party - for itself, and also because if it were the case that CF (or other venues like it, though I don't now think I know of any as good) were completely booked up through December it would always leave the alternative of a "winter" party in January.

We'd love to join in - but because of work it would have to be a weekend. And of course we would contribute.

[prefernot]

HI Ilana, nice to meet you today. And you biketastic.

I'd definitely be up for a Christmas party and I think it would be good to do it with all the 'trimmings' i.e. a santa AND gifts. If it costs £7 or so each that's not that much is it?

Coram's Fields is fine by me.
Weekend is better for me generally.
Can bring a dish or two.
I'm Jewish too so haven't grown up with Christmas though dp has and dd will.
Already answered the 'costs' question.

[IlanaK]

Yes, I hsd thought that it might be booked up on the weekends already. I will try calling tomorow or Monday and find out if there are any dates left. We could always do it in Janurary, but I thought the magic of Christmas, HAnnukah (Which is early Dec this year), etc would be nice.

I think £7 is more than we would need. If we do pressie, my local book shop is closing down and has some lovely children's books for 99p that would make nice pressies.

[SueW]

Hawkins Bazaar does some brilliant sotcking fillers like small packs of crayons to bubbles to 'severed toes and fingers' (sweets!) for under a quid if you were planning to buy for everyone in advance for a lucky dip.

Hope you have a fab time.

[Metrobaby]

Ilana we'd be interested in this too. Happy with estimated cost and we'd prefer a weekend too.

[Earlybird]

Ilana - great idea. It's likely that we'll be taking an extended Christmas break as we didn't holiday this summer. So, I'm not sure we'll be around for a December holiday party. But, if we're here, we'd love to come, and would be happy to contribute to costs.

Good to meet you today!

[JanH]

re the presents, whenever my kids were in a big but informal party we brought our own presents (labelled) with us and handed them over for Santa to give back. That way you can spend as much or as little as you want.

It sounds like a great party, if I was around and had littlies I would be up for it!

[lydialemon]

Up for it too!

Our toddler group does its Santa pressies the way JanH suggested, but we have a price limit - so there is no pressie envy between the children (or parents )

[Welshmum]

And me. Happy with any sort of party at all really. Weekends are better for us and I thought Coram Fields worked very well.

[tigermoth]

A weekend christmas party at Coram Fields would be fab. Very happy to contribute something.

The end of the christmas term can be busy for us with school events - fairs and concerts on December Saturdays. Perhaps make it early in the month?

A Sunday might be better?

[Kayleigh]

This is a great idea, would be more than happy to contribute. Love the idea of Santa too.

Coram's Fields is a great venue - perfect.
Weekend definitely
More than happy to bring food - maybe we should be a little more organised as to who brings what as we did have an awful lot over on saturday.
I'm also Jewish but dh not so we do both anyway.

Looking forward to it already !!

[aelita]

I'd love to participate too - good plan! DH is Jewish so might not come this time, but you never know...

[Blu]

I know, I know, I'm crap at attending anything at the moment - but would be up for a Xmas party, Coram Fields would get my vote, I would be happy to contribute ££ for venue, bring sharable food - and bring a present....(my suggestion would be either a secret santa in which we bring a present for the same age group as our own child/children(with pressies colour coded - red wrapping for 0-1yrs etc...) OR present labelled for own child with a price limit of £5.). W/E or a Wed or a Fri is best for me.

[IlanaK]

Ok, I called Coram Fields today. My first choice of weekend was 11/12 Dec but this was already booked up. However, they did have space on Sat 18th Dec from 12:30 onwards. I have provisionally booked this as I did not want to lose the space as they are very busy. I know this is close to Christmas and may not suit some people as a result, but on the other hand it will feel really festive being so close.

The cost is £35 for the hall. So I would really need to know how many families are coming before we can set a cost as it would have to be divided. I like the idea of bringing your own presents as then there is no added cost to the price of coming. Anyone's dh up to being Santa as mine has refused!?

I thought that as the weather could be very iffy, we could plan more indoor stuff. I thought maybe a few different families could volunteer to bring an activity. For example, I am happy to bring festive colouring sheets with crayons, pens etc to set up on one table (I run a day nursery so have access to photo copier etc). Perhaps we could do decorating biscuits again as that went down so well at the weekend. So if anyone has any ideas for activities, I would love to hear them! Also, maybe pass the parcel? I am happy to do this and wrap it with some sweets inside. I can bring a taperecorder with lots of christmassy tapes for dancing and if we add in some bubbles, this could be an activity in itself!

How does all this sound?

Ok, now for one more financial question: do we buy "tickets" to this ahead of time? My thoughts are that people may say yes to it now and then not come on the day. This would obviously put a cost onto either just me, or to others that are coming. I am not trying to be a meanie about this, just worried that not many will come and we will have a big expense.

I am very excited about this - and more than happy to organise it all. However, I am going away to Australia on the 20th November and am not back until the weekend before this party. So, if we are going to do it, I will n eed to organise everything (or most things) before I go.

How does everyone feel about the date - and also everything else?

[Marina]

Ilana, thanks for suggesting this! We would probably be up for it (couldn't make Saturday last time) and would be happy to bring food/activity of some sort.
Nice idea.

[IlanaK]

The more the merrier! I love the idea of making cards and I am sure the kids would love anything crafty! I don't think every family needs to bring an activity - in fact, it would be a problem if they did as there is not enough room. Perhaps maybe just 5 table activities, some dancing/bubbles, pass the parcel and food would be plenty?

[merrygoround]

Count me in too please - Coram Fields a lovely venue, and agree that so close to Christmas adds to the excitement.

Happy to do anything I can to help. Expect that the "tasks" may become clearer as time goes on, so will wait and see if there is anything specific I can volunteer for.

[lou33]

We will be in Thailand

[IlanaK]

Ok, as to things to volunteer for how about we do a list and people can then volunteer. I am going to assume that everyone will bring one thing to eat. I think this will be plenty so long as we have a variety.

1. 5 activities for the table suitable for all ages. People could volunteer for one each and make a suggestion as to what activity they would like to do.
   
   
2. Pass the parcel - I will volunteer for this. I regularly visit Costco so can buy the sweets in bulk!
   
   
3. Santa - need a volunteer for this (I can provide the costume)
   
   
4. Perhaps we could have 2 or 3 people volunteer for doing decorations? Maybe one could do balloons and one could do streamers or something.
   
   I suppose that the more things we can divide up as volunteers, the less the "ticket" price would be. Especially if we bring presents for our own children. We might even just get the cost down to venue only?
   
   What do you all think?

[biketastic]

sounds great!
maybe we could borrow some of the animals and make a christmas tableau with the kids. I can't wait to make ds a shepherd with a tea towel on his head.
Ok, just joking before anyone starts talking about sheep poo and choking hazards etc!
Secret santa sounds good, pass the parcel will prob go over ds's head, but I'll be up for it!
will see if dh will be santa...maybe.....

[prefernot]

Do you think we could have some music too? I know those Christmas Carols can be a pain but it would make the room very cosy and Christmassy.

I can do some paper chains and that kind of thing?

Asked dp if he'd be Santa and he said 'sorry, but no' in a firm voice. Anyway, he's 6,4' so the costume might look a bit naff on him.

[IlanaK]

Music is no problem. I will bring tape player and christmas tapes. My dh also used that very firm "no" with me!