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?????

This is developing a theme isn't it - a Christmas art party - getting more appealing by the day.

Better make sure everyone knows to bring aprons!

Ok, here is a summary for those that don't want to read through the whole page:

London Children's Christmas Party on Sat 18th Dec at Coram Fields (near Russel Square) from 12:30 onwards.

People coming so far:

biketastic
binkie
prefernot
lydialemon
metrobaby
welshmum
tigermoth
sis
aelita
blu
marina
ks
merrygoround
hoxtonchick
prufrock

So far for activities we have:

1. colouring festive pictures (I will provide)
2. card making with ks and marina 3)decorating biscuits with sis 4)pin the tail on the reindeer with marina

We still need a santa and also volunteers for one more activity and also decorations.

Everybody will bring a dish of food to share.

I will provide music, bubbles and general organisation!

Hope I haven't left anything out.

If you need a bubble machine, I might be able to borrow one from work.

I wish my oldest son was a little older then I'd volunteer him for santa, but he hasn't got a gruff enough voice or a very big knee for sitting on. He'd make a keen santa's helper though.

Happy to have no balloons and crackers, to make it pop and bang free. With boys like mine, the less temptation the better!

I could provide streamers instead?

oh he'd make a FABULOUS elf tigermoth, go on, go on, go on!
Dh won't do Santa either, I checked. He very impertinently volunteered another Mumsnetter's dh though, so I am going to mail her to see what he thinks...

Haven't been able to read this entire thread but the party sounds lovely and I'd love to come with DD (who will be approaching 11 months by then) and hopefully DH. Please add my name to the list and let me know what's been decided about tickets and payment. DD isn't at the 'activity' stage yet but we'll be happy to bring food.

Tigermoth - thanks for volunteering the streamers. That would b e great! And if you can get a bubble machine, that would probably save me puffing away, but don't waorry if you can't.

Zinger - welcome and I will add your name to the list!

Can I add my name to the list? Will be bringing dd (7) and ds who will be nearly 2. Don't know if dh will be able to come though.
Will happily bring food and do anything before the event that will help.

I could actually do some face painting as another activity but I'm a bit worried that if dp isn't coming dd will find it a bit hard if I'm sitting down doing lots of painting and not giving her any attention! She's a bit clingy right now and always is a bit more so in a 'party' type situation. But if dp can come then I'd be happy to paint some little Christmassy elf faces on our little darlings ...

What does anyone think about having a Christmas story-telling session? It often provides a bit of a relaxed moment for little ones to sit down a while. Or we could do some songs?

Oooooo - face painting would be great! But don't worry, it could always be a last minute addition if your dh comes. Story telling would also be lovely along with some singing. Are you volunteering to lead it? I can bring some christmassy stories along.

New revised list of who is coming:

biketastic
binkie
prefernot
lydialemon
metrobaby
welshmum
tigermoth
sis
aelita
blu
marina
ks
merrygoround
hoxtonchick
prufrock
posey
zinger

Activities:

1. colouring festive pictures (I will provide)
2. card making with ks and marina 3)decorating biscuits with sis 4)pin the tail on the reindeer with marina 5)possible face painting with prefernot
3. dancing to music with bubbles added 7)pass the parcel 8)story telling/singng session

Looking at the list of names, it certainly seems that we will all only need to donate £2 towards the cost of the venue. Great! Looking forward to it!

Ilana, yes, I don't mind telling some stories. Might need a little tipple first to get me in the mood! Maybe we could have 3 of us for this, doing a story each? And we can all do songs.

Is anyone allowed to come to this? I don't really know that many mumsnetters so I don't want to gate crash!
what time of day would it take place?

Yingers74 - of course you can come! Many people have not met the others if you see what I mean! It is a chance to put faces to names and make some new friends. It starts at 12:30pm as this is when the room is available from. Please join us!

Prefernot - I will read some stories with you if you like

Ilana - sorry I haven't had a chance to check out this thread until now - but unfortunately we won't be able to make it . It sounds like its going to be a great day and the MB household are gutted that we will be missing it.

i can get my hands on bubble machine.
It gets better and better!
Asked DH about santa- I'm afraid the answer (predictably) is NO

Hello,
have just seen this thread , we would love to come too. My Dh would happily be santa but I think he is too short to be convincing. He is however a fantastic chef/caterer so any particular food requests let me know.

possibly 2 bubble machines then!! sounds good

binkie, I forgot to say a bit thank you for the fruit jelly recipe yu posted on the other thread, so thanks!!! We will be making some this weekend I hope

Marina, I have yet to tackle ds about the possibility of being an elf. I'll who gets to be santa first and then take a vote on asking ds or not.

Cori - welcome! We would love to have your dh as santa. Height really isn't an issue as most of the kids are little ones so he will look really tall anyway!

Metrobaby - sorry you can't be there Maybe next time!

So the revised list now looks like this:

biketastic
binkie
prefernot
lydialemon
cori
welshmum
tigermoth
sis
aelita
blu
marina
ks
merrygoround
hoxtonchick
prufrock
posey
zinger
yingers74

Ecxellent!

Hi, can I come too? I would love to meet some MNers and am v glad there are to be no bangs and pops--not cos my DS is sensitive, but I personally have a balloon phobia (v embarrassing at Xmas and b'day parties). I would be happy to volunteer myself for story-reading and tidying up duty.

Sorry DH has said no to being Santa. That said he would make a good elf.
Anything else we can do?

Cori - shame about dh not being santa, but if you are volunteering something, maybe you could help with decorations? Tigermoth has already volunteered to do streamers and as we are not having balloons it would be nice to have some sort of other decoration to make it festive. Can you do this?

Arabica - welcome! Thanks for vounteering for stories and tidying up! Could you bring some black sacks for rubbish?

New revised list and info is currently at this:

biketastic
binkie
prefernot
lydialemon
cori
welshmum
tigermoth
sis
aelita
blu
marina
ks
merrygoround
hoxtonchick
prufrock
posey
zinger
yingers74
arabica

Activities:

1. colouring festive pictures (I will provide)
2. card making with ks and marina 3)decorating biscuits with sis 4)pin the tail on the reindeer with marina 5)possible face painting with prefernot
3. dancing to music with bubbles added (bubble machine - tigermoth) 7)pass the parcel 8)story telling/singng session (Ilana, Arabica and prefernot)

Decorations - tigermoth (streamers) and possibly cori?

Tidying up - arabica

We still need a santa!! If we get one, then parents to bring a pressie for their own child wrapped and labeled and santa will give it out. I can provide the santa costume.

If any of the above info is incorrect, please let me know!

Ilana, sorry it looks like dp won't be around that weekend so my face painting won't probably be possible.

Do we need a sack for Santa? I can nick a big one from the postroom at work maybe.

DD only a baby is it ok for very little babes to come as well?

prefernot - a sack would be great if we find anyone to do santa!

sweetkitty - please come! Your baby can keep my baby company (he is 3 months now). If you have a little one, think of it as more a party for you to get to know other families in london. And a chance to stuff your face with yummies as everyone is bringing a dish to share!

I could have a think about a pass the parcel. I suppose I'll need to know ages of children and stuff. Maybe we should have a couple of parcels.
My DH may well be able to bring a guitar for accompanying singing....not sure what xmas stuff he knows, but he is adaptable.