Let’s face it – hosting Christmas parties with kids is a whole different ballgame.
Gone are the days of spending hours preparing a trendy new dish with 33 ingredients, or having a relaxing day at the salon pampering for a glamorous party (I mean who really has time for that with kids).
But rest assured, moms! You can still host a killer Christmas party, you just have to make these small adjustments to make it kid-friendly.
So if you’re looking to still celebrate Christmas with the famous “bring your own kids” clause, check out these suggestions below.
- Have A Kid Designated Area: Kids get bored quickly. And they can sometimes be needy when out of their comfort zone.
And if you’re trying to talk and catch up with friends, it can be difficult with kids hanging on your leg.
Consider making an area (preferably with a TV) a kid-friendly room.
You can have fun treats, Christmas movies, and toys for the kids to play with.
Of course, don’t leave the kids alone and secluded!
You can even hire a babysitter down the street to watch the kids in the kid area for a few hours, or help assist if other moms need a break.
And having a kid-friendly area will save you a lot of stress, and provide relief knowing your kids are safe and having fun.
You can also prepare a couple of games to play like charades and include the kids in on the fun!
- Prepare In Stages:One of the most stressful parts about hosting a party is getting everything ready.
If you have the date picked, start slowly getting everything together.
Have a Saturday afternoon in?
Pull out the serving platters from storage.
Kids went to bed early?
Go over last-minute details with your husband.
Now is also the time to solicit help from your savvy friend (or friends) to come over on the day of the party to help get everything ready!
Don’t forget the Christmas lights! Everything looks better with a string of lights.
- Strategize Your Cleaning:Yes, we all want to have a clean house, especially with guests coming over!
But don’t let hosting a party turn you into a frantic mess!
Of course, clean the areas guests will use – guest bathroom, living room, kitchen, etc.
But now is not the time to clean and organize every single closet!
Chances are, guests will not be in every single room of your home.
So save the stress (and focus your energy) on preparing the rooms that will get used.
You can throw your clean laundry in a bedroom and fold it another day.
- Fun Bonus Touches:One of the best parts about throwing a party includes getting to decide all the fun “extra effects.”
To stay in the holiday spirit, try something fun and festive like a homemade hot chocolate station, complete with candy cane sticks.
You can boil a big pot of hot chocolate, and have the added garnishes on the side – simple and inexpensive.
Or, try something fun like having a photobooth!
Cover a wall with Christmas wallpaper, solicit your kids to help make a cardboard frame decorated, and find fun props around the house.
These days, you can even buy polaroid cameras and have instant photos!
Hosting a party can be stressful (especially with kids), but if you try our suggestions it can help make your party a hit.
Don’t forget to document the big day with photos!
What are some ways you’ve hosted kid-friendly parties in your home?
Do you have any tips for other moms hosting their first party with kids?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.