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?????

A huge thank you to IlanaK for organising it, and everyone else for all the fabulous extras - the wonderful food, bubbles, storytelling, pass the parcel (ds entranced by his chocolate frog!) and, of course, Father Christmas. We both had a lovely time. He's never really enjoyed a party before so I was thrilled. And weren't all our children just LOVELY? Really enjoyed putting faces to names/pseudonyms too.
Sorry about the money - will happily chip in a bit more if you are coming up short. Seems most unfair that the person who organised it so brilliantly also paid more!

IlanaK, that was a wonderful fete that you organized. Thank you so much! We had a lovely time, and really enjoyed meeting everyone.

Thank you everyone for a lovely party - especially santa (he was great!) and, of course IlanaK for organising everything. Aloha, totally agree, the children were all, indeed, lovely!

we had a lovely time. thank you ilana.

Thanks Ilana and for everyone involved with the organisation, the food, the games, the art ( as DS1 puts it ) and the tidying up. We had a great time. And Ilana I loved your fudge, I smuggled a couple of pieces home with me

PS: Santa says " MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE "

PPS: He says hes bookable for next year.

Ilana - thank you so much.

We had a lovely time (well, not sure if dh enjoyed himself - I think he was a bit overwhelmed, but he did a great job of baby feeding until he went off to the football)

Now whilst everyones children were lovely (and it's so nice to put faces to some of the dd/ds's) I have to give a special mention to Tigermoths two. The youngest is just cute and gorgeous, but the oldest is possibly, no definately, the most lovely child I have ever met. He is not only polite, but intelligent (though his reverse psychology didn't quite work on my two year old) helpful and incredibly gentle for a soon to be teenage boy. It was a pleasure to meet them both.
(Oh and TM - tell him that dd said " not on train anymore Mummy, he gone home" as we pulled out of Kings Cross)

thank you for my water prufrock

Sorry we escaped without saying a proper goodbye to everyone but ds was about to scream the house down. Ilana, thanks so much for organising it and thanks to everyone else for being so friendly. Merry Christmas everyone

Thanks for all your hard work Ilana. Also thanks to everyone for the card making, reindeer games, storytelling, santa, pass the parcel, delicous cakes and everything else. It was a top afternoon.

It was lovely to see so many people there. I do hope we can get another Corams Fields afternoon sorted out and that everyone who was there on Saturday can come along again. I had some lovely conversations with people I knew and people I had met for the first time, and hope to have more of them! I will bring the bubble machine, I promise.

Prufrock, I am extremely touched by your message about my sons. I am so glad my oldest was on form when we met you. He is good company usually, and he was in an especially happy, co-operative frame of mind after his football game on the astro turf. He will be so chuffed your dd said his name!!! Thanks for letting my youngest son ride on the buggyboard. It fulfilled a long time ambition of his I hope the rest of your journey home went smoothly, and hope your gorgeous ds had a sound sleep last night.

we had a brilliant time yesterday!!
thanks to ilana for arranging everything and to all the others of course for distributing!

shame we had to leave early but it was a bit much for ds

could only talk to half the people
but maybe next time

I second everyone else's comments about what a lovely party it was, thanks so much to Ilana for organising it. Good to see old friends and make some new ones, putting some names to faces and meeting some adorable babies and boddlers.
Feel our Santa was one of the best I have ever seen, Kaz he was fab. Hope he knows how much we all appreciated his very convincing and genial turn.
Also rather impressed with Yuleicorn's dd's prowess at pin the tail on the reindeer ().
Have always been a big fan of Tigermoth's boys too. Show him this thread sometime Tigermoth, your ds1 is a star, and ds adores your ds2 as well. Highlight for him was catching up on some footy action and finally almost running as fast as him!
Looking forward to the summer party already, rain or shine Coram's Fields is a special place - especially when packed with Mumsnetters and their rice salads, blueberry cakes and chocolate crispies. Hope to see you all again, and many more, next time

Yes ks - I hadn't realised it was going on.

Ilanak - fantastic - you are a star and many thanks. I too am one of those people who didn't pay. Remembered on the tube coming and going - no good to you though so I really appologise. I'll cat you and need to send you the money.

Prufrock - will send you a decent mail soon - its bedlum here at the mo.

Biketastic - fab meeting you and will cat you soon - should talk more about awful working people, think we have loads to share!

Aloha - Really wonderful to meet you again and like Biketastic think we should share more of those dreadful stories.

WHO DID THE RICE??????????????// I WANT/NEED THE RECEIPE - PLEEEEEAAAASE.

WOULD ALSO LOVE THE BERRY CAKE RECEIPE PLEASE. BEG BEG BEG

Loved meeting everyone but like many others didn't feel I made it round to talk to all and was frustrated but agree with Ks that you get to talk to more than at a meal.

Unicorn - am definitely NOT bringing my dh next time. Bless him he did TRY to socialise for at least a whole minute before using the kids as an excuse to run off again - Oh well I do love him really, just glad to know that other people have similar dh's and I wont be the only one turning up at the summer do on my own (with the girls of course). How is dd1's tooth?

ks, My oldest son spent the afternoon on the astro turf pitch at the far end of the playground. He was playing football with the assorted boys he met there. I know my youngest son was in the playground with marina's son and for a while there was another informal match going on. I think a dad joined in. Don't know all the details - must ask ds2. He so much enjoyed seeing your son again, Marina. I thought your ds looked faster on his feet I will pass on your comments to ds1

Thanks for all the nice things said about santa - he is dead chuffed. He's another escape with the kids at the first opportunity, so as he put it " he liked having a role"

I've got a smart Addis plastic container with a green lid that someone left behind--might have had a salad inside? It's safe and sound in Stoke Newington making friends with my manky old tupperware.

Ooh, yes, can we have a summer party too? What a fab venue, I have been past Coram's Fields a zillion times and never realised there was a playground there.
Really enjoyed myself. dh was in the pub!

My DP was quite over his hangover when we got back

BTW, who was with the nine-day old baby? BIG respect to you, girl. Sorry DD2 cut up so tragically rough when I dared have a cuddle.

Many thanks Ilana, we had a brilliant time. (My dh wants me to point out the bulging carrier bags he left with were full of our own stuff, we weren't nicking the left-overs!).
Odd coincidence, flicking TV channels on Sun evening, turned up a programme talking about Coram and the foundling hospital.

Kaz, hadn't realised FC was your dh - he was brilliant! And coped very well with my handwriting being so illegible he didn't know which child my present was for

arabica..think that tupperware box is mine, but consider it added to your collection now!!!

I'll bring it to the next meet-up!

Yes, Ditto everybody's comments Ilana, thanks for arranging it all !! So sorry we arrived late and thereforte missed Santa......he sounded a real treat!!!

billiejo.xx

Finally got the chance to log on so a very belated thank you to Ilana for organising the party. I was there in the summer and think the venue is so nice and well suited to this kind of meet up. As others have said, Father Christmas was fantastic, a real pro. DD loved pass the parcel - how nice that everyone got a present , must remember that idea.

It was me who made the rice and curry dressing, when I get home I will post with the recipe (which is very easy). Glad it went down well, it is a real staple in our house.

Thanks again - and although I paid my money I am more than happy to cough up some more. It was well worth it!