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?

4. WOuld anyone want it to be more multicultrural - a seasonal party? I am Jewish so I would certainly understand if people preferred this.

5. 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?????

Ooops! Forgot the details!

Date and Time - December 18th from 12:30 to 4:30pm

Venue - Coram Fields near Russell Square tube station (large park and playground). We will be in the Band Room

Cost - £1 or £1.50 per family as the room costs £35 to hire

Activities:

1. colouring festive pictures (Ilana)
2. card making with ks and marina and Wills 3)decorating biscuits with sis and binkie 4)pin the tail on the reindeer with marina
3. dancing to music with bubbles added (bubble machine - tigermoth) 7)pass the parcel with chocolates inside (Ilana) 8)story telling/singng session (Ilana, Arabica and prefernot)

Decorations - tigermoth (streamers) and cori. Biketastic lights.

Tidying up - arabica and biketastic and EvaD

Santa - Kazz33's dh (yippee!) Bring your own present wrapped and labled for your child and Santa will give them out (limit £5 spent per pressie).

Savoury Foods:

1. crips, breadsticks, other finger type crunchy food (IlanaK) (unicorn and tigermoth- crisps)
2. raw cut up veggies and dips, hummous, etc (biketastic - veggies and dips plus salad pots)(unicorn - veggies)
3. cold meats - salamis, ham, chicken, sausages, etc (motherinferior and EvaD- sausages) (prufrock - chicken and cold meats)
4. sandwhiches or rolls (EvaD - egg and ham sandwhiches)
5. cheese (prefernot)
6. falafal - marina
7. australian christmas food - cori
8. rice salad - meerygoround

Sweet foods:

1. mini cakes or a large cake (ks and pixiemom) (billijo - rice crispie cakes) (tigermoth - flapjacks)
2. biscuits (hoxtonchick)
3. chocolates or chocolate bars (skmoo)
4. jelly (biketastic)

drinks:

1. juice (apple juice carton - prefernot) (sis - squash) (Kazz33 - orange and apple juice)
2. soft drinks like cola
3. water (zinger)
4. non-alcoholic sparkling drinks - yingers

Paperplates, cups, etc - (prefernot, susies)

As you can see this is by no means a definative list as I am lacking in imagination. If you want to bring something not on the list, please do.

When will Santa be doing his thing?

I'm not sure if ds will last right until the end (he gets very overexcited, and then overtired!- bit like me!!!!)

Ideally, if at all possible, it would be good if he 'appeared' halfway through the festivities!

But I guess it depends on mass opinion, and, of course, how busy Santa is!!

Ilana, I think what we did for the summer party was have the food tables in front of the windows that look into the playground - I think for your party-of-the-year there'll need to be more than three ...!

And there were six or seven tables in a kind of clockface arrangement round the top and other side of the hall, which was more than enough for that party, but again suspect you'd need a few more - sure there's room for that. The Coram's staff are really helpful and will make sure there is enough furniture, but I found I had to take the lead on the actual set-up.

I have such a clear image of Father Christmas emerging from that door in the corner (the offices & loos one) to squeals of excitement. Have FUN!!!

Oh yes please, a big vote from us for Fr Christmas looking in halfway through...we can't stay to the end, we have to be back home in time to fortify the babysitter and prepare for our one and only real night out together in 2004...

A table for biscuit icing please - the biscuits only take up a small amount of space but there should be enough icing tubes for four or five kids to do icing at any one time. If we are pushed for space then I am sure half a table will be enough.

Well as santas representative I think half way through would be a good idea as santas youngest might be getting a bit blitzed by then, maybe 2pm/2.30ish ?

How does that sound ?

That would be wonderful Kaz!

I know this is rather late, but are there any free places? i'd love to bring my bundles...and can contribute on the food/crafts front [hopeful emoticon]

Oh PLEASE can she come, PLEASE, PER-LEASE....

no pressure, or anything..

I will set my boddler on you if she can't come.

who thought up boddler, it's a terrific word

Sure, its fine for you to come - bundle. I have lost track now of who is and who isn't, but I am sure we will be fine

got the bubble machine! hope it works!!

thanks ilana, i'm officially excited

"Boddler" came from a friend's cousin...said friend is also a close friend of MI in RL, spooky eh. It is the perfect term for a tiny, attitudinally challenging, barely verbal, toddler.
Bundle, if we want to really freak people, can your dd2 still fit in to her Merry Berry big cardie? I have just finished dd's...
Great news you will be with us!

oooh, i am really looking forward to this. must sort out a present for ds. can i ask a dim question, are we going to have the food at the beginning or should i give ds lunch before we come?

Ilana and Prefernot, how many books are you bringing for the storytelling session? I've just realised I don't have any Christmas ones except a really long Bob the Builder story so am bringing some of DS' favourites like Captain Duck and The Gruffalo.

how far do i have to scroll to find out when it is / where it is / if i am allowed to come

I've taken the liberty of finding Ilana's post from yesterday with all the details of time, place etc for you Flumberrysauce (and anyone else):

"Ooops! Forgot the details!

Date and Time - December 18th from 12:30 to 4:30pm

Venue - Coram Fields near Russell Square tube station (large park and playground). We will be in the Band Room

Cost - £1 or £1.50 per family as the room costs £35 to hire

Activities:

1. colouring festive pictures (Ilana)
2. card making with ks and marina and Wills 3)decorating biscuits with sis and binkie 4)pin the tail on the reindeer with marina
3. dancing to music with bubbles added (bubble machine - tigermoth) 7)pass the parcel with chocolates inside (Ilana) 8)story telling/singng session (Ilana, Arabica and prefernot)

Decorations - tigermoth (streamers) and cori. Biketastic lights.

Tidying up - arabica and biketastic and EvaD

Santa - Kazz33's dh (yippee!) Bring your own present wrapped and labled for your child and Santa will give them out (limit £5 spent per pressie).

Savoury Foods:

1. crips, breadsticks, other finger type crunchy food (IlanaK) (unicorn and tigermoth- crisps)
2. raw cut up veggies and dips, hummous, etc (biketastic - veggies and dips plus salad pots)(unicorn - veggies)
3. cold meats - salamis, ham, chicken, sausages, etc (motherinferior and EvaD- sausages) (prufrock - chicken and cold meats)
4. sandwhiches or rolls (EvaD - egg and ham sandwhiches)
5. cheese (prefernot)
6. falafal - marina
7. australian christmas food - cori
8. rice salad - meerygoround

Sweet foods:

1. mini cakes or a large cake (ks and pixiemom) (billijo - rice crispie cakes) (tigermoth - flapjacks)
2. biscuits (hoxtonchick)
3. chocolates or chocolate bars (skmoo)
4. jelly (biketastic)

drinks:

1. juice (apple juice carton - prefernot) (sis - squash) (Kazz33 - orange and apple juice)
2. soft drinks like cola
3. water (zinger)
4. non-alcoholic sparkling drinks - yingers

Paperplates, cups, etc - (prefernot, susies)

As you can see this is by no means a definative list as I am lacking in imagination. If you want to bring something not on the list, please do. "

Thanks sis for doing that.

Arabica, I am bringing two christmas stories for 3+ and a few board books for younger children.

Hoxton Turkey, the food will be available from the beginning - as soon as people arrive and put it out.

Tigermoth - excellent about the bubble machine - do I need to bring bubbles or have you got some?

I agree about mid afternoon for Santa too.

I am bringing a few christmas cd's suitable for kids for the pass the parcel and also dancing. If anyone has any they would like to bring for variety, please do.

Just a reminder - DON'T put your kids in their best party clothes. It is raining now and even if it is dry tomorow, they will get dirty playing out on the equipment. Dress them casually!

I will call Coram Fields today and sort out tables and chairs. I will try to be their early to set up, but I will have 2 pre-schoolers (1 is a friend's) and a baby in tow (not to mention the hubby!) so don't panic if I am late!

See you all there!

prefernot: hope you read this in time! how would you like to share our imense responsibility for plates/cups/etc ????

Hi everyone,
I don't think my family will be able to come to the party tomorrow. I am so dissappointed, been looking forward to it for ages now.
We've all had bad coughs and colds for almost a week.
We're all getting better but I don't want to infect anyone else and I'm not sure of the incubation period.
I suppose it's always possible that we'll wake up feeling shiny and bright tomorrow and be able to come after all, especially as I have a few dozen fairy cakes waiting to be eaten.

We're in the same position as Piximon I'm afraid Please offer my place to someone else if there's still anyone on the waiting list; I'm still of course happy to pay my share.

Hope you all have fun!

OOOooh Alanak and all, I'm really stressing out. I'm making rice crispy cakes for tomorrow but have looked EVERYWHERE for chocolate that doesn't say "made in a factory that uses nuts". Is it ok if I still make them or does everyone think I should change my offering. It's not just cooking choc, I've looked at every brand going, Cadbury's, Bournville even nice Swiss ones.....what do you reckon??

Love billiejo