This year we tried something different, the older kids get to host a Christmas party. Luke had his last night. We had about twenty kids, boys and girls. This was the first official boy/girl party at our house. (The Halloween parties have both sexes but there are so many kids at different ages that it doesn't count.) I think it was a success.
We started the night with a taco bar. I decided that would be fun and easy, which it was. I had also set up the chocolate fountain. That was a big hit!! The kids had a lot of fun gathering around the fountain, eating and talking. After a rousing game of Christmas Pictionary, we did a white elephant gift exchange. Once the rules were explained, the kids had at it. There were many chaotic moments but overall it was a lot of fun. I think most of the kids liked their final gift. There is always going to be the disappointing gifts that no one wants but we only had a couple of those.
I had to teach my kids what a white elephant gift is. There have been a couple of parties this season where the kids have had to take a white elephant gift. The first time, Heather came downstairs with a toothpaste box, inside was two sticks of gum and three Crystal Light packets (the kind you add to water bottles), she asked me to help her wrap it. I took her back upstairs and gave her some other options to choose from for possible gifts. The next day Luke came and asked if he could wrap up an old dirty sock or a dirty rag for a gift. Once again, I explained to him that a white elephant gift is supposed to be creative junk or inexpensive item, not dirty laundry. He came up with the idea of wrapping two batteries with a note that said, "toy not included." I thought that was pretty clever so I let him go with it, (we did add a giant candybar, however.)
