Am I crazy to think about an outdoor party in December?

[DebbieFiderer]

It's DDs birthday next week. Her original party plans have had to be shelved due to tier 2 rules. Our plan B was to get her friends together to do the planned craft activity separately but over Zoom. However something one of the other mums has said has put the idea in my head of doing it outdoors. The plan would be 4 kids, doing the craft activity (will probably take around 45 mins) then hot chocolate and marshmallows round a fire pit, tucked up under blankets. Am I crazy or could that actually work?

I'm thinking about it, DD is 12 just before Christmas. We're in tier 3 so I can't even treat her to a trip to our local café (with just our household).

Would love to do a fire, but don't think you can take do that in a public place?

It would be in our garden, I think that's OK under tier 2? But yes, in tier 3 you'd be a bit more restricted 😢 some parks might allow a BBQ though which might give some warmth?

In a garden it would be fine I'm sure, I'd go for it! (But then I'm a fresh air fiend!)

Maybe make a flexible date so you can keep an eye on the weather? At least these days people don't have busy calendars...

I'm planning to say that if it's raining we'll revert to the Zoom plan

It could work but I imagine some kids will need the loo/ get cold/ inevitably end up inside however briefly - I wouldn’t care but not strictly within the rules

Outside sounds like good fun. We were running Brownies like that until the light got the better of us in October.

DS's birthday is at the end of term. He's likely to have his best friend (classmate) over. It's no additional risk to them interracting at school. He likes having his birthday and Christmas excitement wrapped together and so much of that Christmas stuff is stripped away this year and I'm not ruining his birthday/ Christmas in a 2 for 1. It was hard enough dealing with an Easter Sunday birthday at the start of all this. He has ASD so these kinds of things are particularly important. It's not exactly an illegal rave and the neigbours aren't the types to go running to the phone because of one stray 9yo on site.

I think that 45 minutes being still in the cold fling a craft activity will be a bit grim.

Can you switch that out to something more active?

@ODFOx

I think that 45 minutes being still in the cold fling a craft activity will be a bit grim. Can you switch that out to something more active?

I was thinking the same.

I see your point about the craft activity but it's preplanned so I'm kind of committed. It might not take them that long and they can always take little breaks and run around. Also I'll have the fire pit going so they can warm up as needed. They are pretty hardy girls so hopefully won't be too much of an issue

I think it sounds great. But I agree about breaking the craft activity up into sections so they can run around and keep warm in between!

Hmmm....I think with parents dropping and increasing numbers, loo breaks etc it isn't in the spirit of the rules. (I have a child with a bday next week and one closer to Xmas so do get the disappointment from the kids...but they will survive one year with no party.) Do it on zoom.

Sounds like a plan! Crack on I say !!

It’s a great plan......and I’m going to steal it!