The Sweetest Gingerbread House Decorating Party You've Ever Seen
Swap out the formal and stuffy holiday party for everyone's new favorite tradition — a relaxed afternoon with your girlfriends and their kiddos. Just imagine: the attire (holiday pajamas), the menu (brunch), and the activity (gingerbread house decorating). Jenny from Jenny Cookies hosted the ultimate kid-friendly holiday get-together complete with a hot cocoa bar and the prettiest holiday setup you'll see this year. She's sharing her best brunching and gingerbread house decorating tips, from festive table runners that are actually just wrapping paper (think of the easy cleanup!) to the personalized "Dress Santa" plates that double as activities to keep the little ones occupied. Don't forget to snap a pic of each child showing off their gingerbread masterpiece in front a Christmas-chic backdrop; you'll treasure these sweet moments for years to come.
The Reindeer Invites
Personalize this seasonal stationery from Tiny Prints to include helpful party details like arriving in pajamas or asking guests to bring their favorite decorating candy to share.
A Festive Holiday Brunch
A cheerful breakfast and gingerbread house decorating party in PJs is a sweet way to celebrate the season with your friends while kids eat and play.
Holiday Hot Chocolate Mocktails
Set the tone for a seasonal pajama party with a festive hot chocolate cart complete with candy cane stirrers.
A Mini Christmas Tree Tablescape
Kids appreciate having their own special place settings as much as they enjoy coordinating decor.
Holiday Bar Cart
Put your bar cart to use even at a child-friendly party with hot chocolate mocktails.
The Pajama Attire
Change up the typical formal holiday party dress code for something more kid-friendly like their favorite holiday pajamas!
The Drinks
Bottles of milk garnished with minidoughnuts and holiday paper straws add a special touch to each place setting.
The Wrapping Paper Table Runner
A clever trick for kids' parties is to use theme-appropriate wrapping paper as the table runner. The bright pattern makes your table pop and the easy cleanup will be a welcome treat.
Personalized Holiday Plates
As an extra treat, you can have personalized plates made at Dylbug for each child that also double as escort cards and favors.
Holiday Home Decor
Have a festive spot ready for the kids to patiently wait as the moms transform their holiday brunch spot into a gingerbread house decorating station. Just a few seasonal throw pillows can transform a room for the entire Winter season.
The Mini Brunch Menu
Serve your little guests bite-size brunch complete with mini pancakes, waffles, cinnamon rolls, scones, and doughnuts, eggs, sausage, and fruit.
The Personalized Santa Plates
The fun thing about these plates — besides from being personalized with each guest's name — is that they can serve as both a place setting and activity. Let the kids dress Santa and Mrs. Claus with their meal!
The Guest List
Just imagine a festive brunch with your closest girlfriends and their sweet kids.
Mini Serving Sizes
By opting for a menu with lots of choices in bite-size portions, you'll be able to accommodate even the pickiest of eaters.
Healthy Brunch Options
A brunch menu is always a great choice because it allows you to serve fruit, eggs, and protein along with more indulgent treats like pancakes and cinnamon buns.
A Creative Menu and Place Settings
When your place settings double as an activity (like Santa and Mrs. Claus plates the kids can decorate with their servings) everyone wins!
A Laid-Back Atmosphere
It's the holidays after all, so encourage kids to get creative and even play with their food. It gets their juices flowing for decorating the gingerbread houses after they finish eating.
A Hot Cocoa Bar
The only thing that could make a holiday party even better is a hot chocolate bar complete with candy canes and snowmen marshmallows.
Laughing Santa Claus Mugs
Who wouldn't want to sip some hot chocolate out of these adorable Santa Claus mugs?
Hot Chocolate Accessories
Dress up your hot cocoa with festive mugs, snowmen marshmallows, and peppermint sticks.
Matching Pajamas
Whether you encourage siblings to wear their matching holiday pajamas or have everyone come in their own favorite pair, the photos will turn out adorable.
Snowmen Marshmallows
If you didn't know these snowmen marshmallows and peppermint drink stirrers existed, you'll never be able to look at a plain cup of hot cocoa the same.
Muffin Tray Candy Holders
Not only do cupcake trays look adorable for a brunch decorating party, but they are also an easy way to organize your gingerbread house candies and sprinkles for kids to share.
Pastry Bag Ties
Be sure to either use rubber bands or pastry bag ties to keep icing in the bags. Kids have a tendency to squeeze the middle of the bags, which will cause the frosting to end up everywhere.
Photo Backdrop
After each guest completes their gingerbread house masterpiece, snap an individual pic of them and their work of art while standing in front of a festive background.
Let the Decorating Begin
The older the kids, the longer they will spend decorating and the less mess you'll have to clean up. You'll be amazed at their dedicated concentration.
Secured Pastry Bags
Save yourself the mess and make sure to tie the ends of each pastry bag and explain to each child not to squeeze too hard in the middle, or else you'll have an icing explosion to deal with.
Decorating Supplies
If you serve brunch before they start decorating, your little guests will spend less time eating the decor and more time focused on their gingerbread houses.
The Activity
Set up already made gingerbread houses at each place and let the kids decorate them without having to first build them. This will prevent any upset party guests from wobbly gingerbread houses collapsing.
Personalized Gingerbread Houses
Help each child write their names in frosting. They'll love being able to decorate "their" gingerbread houses and you'll appreciate being able to tell them apart at the end of the party.
Gingerbread Decorating Supplies
Organize the variety of sprinkles and candy into muffin trays set up across the table. Everyone will be able to reach their favorite treats without having to struggle or argue.
Make a New Tradition
Host this little get-together year after year and you'll love having the darling photos as they get older.