My kids’ favorite part of trimming the tree is sifting through the boxes of decorations to find their own, special ornaments to hang. Some are store-bought baubles that feature a favorite character, while others were made in the classroom. Their very favorite ones, however, are the ones they made at home, as each year we have an ornament-making craft day where glue and glitter mix with hot cocoa and cookies – all set to Christmas music.

This year, we’re inviting cousins and friends to join to create not only tree decorations, but childhood memories. If that sounds like the kind of holiday celebration you’d like to share with your own family and friends, these ideas may help you organize an ornament-making party for kids

Choose Your Ornaments

The first thing you need to do when planning this party is to choose the kind of ornaments your guests will make. Sites like Pinterest boast hundreds of ideas that make for beautiful images, but choosing the right craft for your party will depend on more than what would look best in a photo.

Some things to consider when selecting an ornament project for your party:

• The age and skill level of your guests. (Glass balls may not be best for younger children, while foam cutouts could seem too childish for tweens; if you have a mix of age groups, consider a mix of ornament types.)
• The space you will need to accommodate the supplies, as well as the actual work.
• Your budget (calculate the cost of supplies per guest).

• How much help you may need (if you choose a project where kids may require assistance, you will have to ask other adults to stand by and help).

Invitations

Colored cardstock, cut into the shape of ornaments make easy invitations that match your party theme. For extra dazzle, use a glitter pen to decorate them on the front, and then write the party details on the back of the invites.

The invitations not only tell guests when and where the party takes place, they are also the best place to give instructions to the parents of your guests, such as whether their children will need to bring any of their own supplies or wear a smock or old shirt in case ornament-making gets messy.

Add an RSVP date that allows you enough time to gather the amount of supplies that matches the amount of guests.

Set up the Ornament-Making Station

You will likely need a large work space, such as your dining table, where kids can gather to create their ornaments. To save time and avoid confusion, set each place with a set of the items needed to make an ornament, so everyone has their own supplies in their own workspace. Shared items, such as glue and scissors, can be placed in a basket in the center of the table.

If you don’t have enough table space to accommodate all of your guests at once, have them work in shifts. While one group is working on their ornaments, the other group can play holiday party games or watch a Christmas special in another room.

Decorate

Since it’s the holiday season, chances are your home will already be decorated, which saves you the effort of having to decorate for this party. However, if you wish to add a couple of ornament-themed decorations to go with the theme, consider simple ideas such as a bowl or vase filled with ornaments or dangling ornaments from the ceiling with festive ribbon.

Activities

Besides the obvious activity of the ornament craft, some additional ideas for entertaining the kids include:

• Tree-trimming party games.
• Watching favorite Christmas movies.
• Singing Christmas carols.
• Fun indoor winter activities.

Food

If you schedule your ornament party between meal times, you can use all of your table space for the craft project and not have to worry about finding additional space where guests can sit and eat. Instead of a meal, consider snacks such as milk and cookies or appetizer-style selections that can be consumed as finger foods.

Another easy option is to serve a Christmas cake, such as this snowman cake, along with hot cocoa and some coffee or tea for the adults.

Favors

The ornament-making party can also be considered a favor-making party, since the kids will take their projects home to hang on their own Christmas trees. If you wish to dress things up a bit, you can supply each guest with a decorative box or small sack (such as an organza satchel or mini Christmas stocking) in which to place their ornaments to carry home.