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A Fancy Holiday Dinner Party... For Kids?
The holidays are here and it's time for food and fun. For a
different twist, why not host a fancy holiday dinner party...
for your kids and their friends? Our whole family had so much
fun with this that it's become a yearly tradition.
A fancy dinner party for the younger set has many benefits. Your
kids learn to plan, organize, shop, clean house, be good hosts,
and everything else that goes along with hosting a party. They
get to dress up in their finest clothes, practice their
"company" table manners, and learn dinner conversation. This is
a night where kids are king, and boy do they feel important!
You can certainly make your own rules, but this is how we do it.
First, the kids create an invitation list. 8 kids is the maximum
our table can comfortably hold and I can comfortably cook for.
Next is the hard one - trying to pick a night when there are no
extracurricular events we've already committed to. The kids then
make formal invitations on the computer and mail these out. I
admit I tend to lecture a bit about what the RSVP in the
invitation means and how important it is to always respond when
someone asks you to RSVP.
While we wait for our invitation responses, we decide what will
be on the menu. The kids come up with two choices each for the
main dish, sides, and dessert. They pour over my cookbooks
(mostly just look at the pictures), pick recipes, and make up a
shopping list. One of the things they pick out is an easy
appetizer that they will make themselves ahead of time. Mom and
Dad shouldn't do all the cooking!
On the day of the party, the kids set the table with our good
china and lots of candles. Rather than taper candles, we use tea
lights in small glasses as a safety precaution.
On the eve of the party, all the kids dress up in their finest
attire. This alone, makes the night feel so special. As a
surprise, I create fancy dinner menus and "laminate" them with
clear contact paper. Mom and Dad take on the role of chef. Not
only do we do the cooking, but we are transformed into French
waiters with dubious accents and are dressed the part. We don't
hover around the table, but disappear back into the kitchen when
not needed.
It's a new thing for many children to sit at a table, order
their own food off the menu, and be responsible for themselves
without any grown ups telling them what to do. And they love it!
In order to promote good table conversation, I write up some
conversation prompts on paper scraps and put them into a bowl.
While they are waiting for their meal or dessert to be served,
they read their prompt out loud and answer it. Examples are "If
you could get on an airplane right now and go anywhere in the
world, where would you go and why?" or "What do you think would
be the worst job ever to have?" or "What do you have sitting on
the dresser in your bedroom right now?" Of course, all the kids
chime in with their answers!
We've come to think of the fancy holiday dinner party as a
Christmas gift we give our kids. We are there to serve them, no
strings attached, and they enjoy it immensely. The other
benefits for them are learning how to host a gala and all that
it requires - planning and organizing the party, making seating
arrangements, learning how to set a fancy table, planning the
food, etc. While this is maybe not at the top of the list, it's
just something nice for children to learn. Every year the flavor
of the dinner party is a little different, because they grow and
change. This makes every year so special in my eyes.
If this sounds like fun to you, give it a try and adjust it to
fit your family. I guarantee it will be a night to remember for
all of you. Don't forget to take pictures!
Peggy is the editor of the popular Cookin' Kids Newsletter.
Interesting themes, fun facts, silly clip art, easy recipes, kid
jokes, cooking terms, and safety tips make this newsletter a hit
with kids! Learn more about it at
http://cookinkids.com
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