Happy Birthday, Jesus party!

Birthdays are very popular in our home, especially ever since the twins' birthday.  So I decided for us to have a party for Jesus, to try to really emphasize the whole point of the season in the way that seems hit home for them right now!  

                                                

We had brunch, made easy by everyone bringing an item (that was required to be simple) to contribute.

 

Any birthday party has to have cupcakes!  I got the idea for the peppermint tray from Southern Living this month.  It took about 10 minutes.  Just unwrap round peppermints, place them on parchment paper in the size of your cake platter, then melt in a 350 oven until melted together.  Let cool completely, and it pops right off!  So fun.

 Anxiously awaiting our guests in her party outfit- pajamas.  I wanted the morning to be as low-stress as possible for all the moms, so the kids all wore their pajamas.

There were two types of ornaments to make...

 The first and easiest were the button snowflakes.

There was also plastic ornaments to paint.  At Abby Jane's camping birthday party, I gave the kids glass mason jars to decorate with stickers and collect plastic bugs in. Several were shattered on various garage and tile floors in the days following the party, so no more glass objects will be sent home from the Gross household in years and parties to come!

 I had a difficult time helping all my people with their crafts at the same time, as they didn't quite follow my plan of helping children in stages.  This resulted in Miss Kristin helping Joy paint her ornament.  She wins for bravest party guest- Joy and acrylic paint is a pretty scary combination, though I think the only part of her that got painted were her fingers!

 Miss Katie and Carlton...

 The three year olds enjoying their treats in the playroom!

 Cupcake time! I love the cheeks full!

 Cooper belongs to Miss Lyndsay, and he is the spitting image of his dad in this picture.

 Miss Kristin read The Story of Christmas to the kids. This is my hands-down favorite Christmas book as it gives a simple, clear description of the story, then it ends with, "We give gifts at Christmas to show God's love, and to say, 'Happy birthday, Baby Jesus!'"

 Here is exquisite Clara, the youngest party guest.

 My makeshift ornament-hanging line, one of those things I didn't plan ahead for until I was handed Abby Jane's wet ornament!

This was such a sweet morning, and I would love to make it an annual thing, letting the exact party plan change with the kids' ages and stages each year. My mom has an infamous collection of nativity scene costumes that she has dragged out for the cousins year after year- maybe it will make an appearance next year at the birthday party! It will have to be a surprise!