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Hosting a winter birthday party
Throw a party for your little one's birthday or just to celebrate the season.
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Happy birthday, winter babies!
Winter parties can be tough on parents — a group of kids stuck inside, hopped-up on sugar, yikes!
To help make your child's birthday party a success, we recommend a few tricks. Read on to get inspiration for wintery games and festive treats, plus a handy schedule that will help keep you sane and the little sweeties smiling.
For more birthday party ideas click here
A version of this article was published in our January 2013 issue with the headline "Snow Day," pp. 60-3. -
Stay on schedule
Kids’ parties can be tricky to plan, so we’re offering a timeline to help you keep things moving. If one activity takes less time than we’ve allotted, just move on to the next.
10:00 a.m. Welcome guests at the hot chocolate bar.
10:15 a.m. Enlist parents' help with crafts assembly.
10:40 a.m. Do a snowball toss. Use three “balls” per turn, so the line moves quickly.
11:00 a.m. Serve little sandwiches as a snack.
11:20 a.m. Freeze dance. Non-dancers can help you with the music.
11:30 a.m. Treats! Serve pull-apart cupcakes and hand out loot bags. -
Make hot chocolate
Find a quick and easy white hot chocolate recipe to serve to the little ones.
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Serve a snowman cake
Start with your favourite cake recipe or cake mix. (Two boxes should give you enough.) Ingredients: White icing, mini marshmallows, orange icing, orange sugar crystals, one sugar cone, large chocolate wafers, five chocolate sandwich cookies.
Follow our three simple steps for the Pull-Apart Snowman Cake:
1) Frost cupcakes with a thin layer of white icing. Press marshmallows onto icing. Arrange cupcakes in a large circle.
2) Pour orange sugar crystals onto a plate. Apply a thin layer of orange icing to the sugar cone, then roll in sugar crystals. Place cone in the middle of the cupcake circle to make a nose.
3) Arrange the chocolate wafers on the cake to make eyes, and use the chocolate cookies to make a smile. -
Pass out snack-size sandwiches
Whip up ham-and-cheese or jam sandwiches, then cut into winter-themed shapes with large cookie cutters.
These are perfect for little tummies! -
Try this party game
Create “snowballs” by rolling up socks then folding back the cuffs to secure.
Have kids take turns throwing the “snowballs” into a basket to score points. -
Hand out snowflake loot bags
Drop a special treat into a brown paper bag. Fold down the top of the bag; fold a doily "snowflake" overtop. Punch two holes through both and tie with ribbon or string.
Now you're ready to hand out the wintery loot bags to all your little guests! -
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