Winter Wonderland Party. My niece just turned four, and she asked if she could have her party at Aunt Bunny’s house with the tree, and reindeer, and snow, and Santa….and all of her friends.  Of course I agreed, and I promptly got to work on her Winter Wonderland Party.  

I shared some of the lighting tips from the party on the blog yesterday.  I wanted the whole party to shimmer and sparkle, so I hung lights all around the party tables.  

Since I am, by nature, drawn to a more rustic look, I went with a rustic look for this party.  I brought my pallet board bar into the living room, next to our gorgeous Christmas tree.  I used small LED lights and my snow flake banner on the front of the bar.  I also hung a few of the stocking party favors on the bar.  (I used this DIY)  I found an adorable stuffed deer head at Target and I KNEW it had to be the focal point for the backdrop, so I used my barn wood backdrop with Edison style lights around the top and sides, and the deer in the middle.  It was perfect!  The table had a crate full of hot cocoa, a simple cake, donut holes, chocolate chip cookies, and a milk crate with milk glasses full of tiny marshmallows, red gingham straws, and chocolate Caramel Creams.  Food tents from AndersRuff matched the theme perfectly. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next to the dessert table I set up a reindeer food station.  I was limited on space and tables, so I used a large sturdy box as a table surface.  I wrapped it in inexpensive buffalo check plaid wrapping paper.  I hung cello bags, and precut ribbon and tags from AndersRuff from tiny clothespins on the front of the box.  The kids were able to fill their cello bags with enough food to feed all of Santa’s reindeer. 

 

 

I set up our large dining room table with two activity stations; a place to write a letter to Santa on one side, and a DIY snowy ornament activity on the other.  I used a rustic wooden crate with LED candles and winter greenery to divide the stations.  The letter station had pre-printed letters for the kids to fill in, and a bucket with pencils.  Another bucket full of candy canes was nearby. When the kids were finished writing their letters to Santa, there was a special mailbox for them to pop their letters in and send them off to Santa.  I used inexpensive buffalo snow and clear plastic ornaments.  But, to help keep the mess a little more limited, I filled simple red cupcake liners with buffalo snow.  I also set out mini bells, snow flake stickers, and ribbon.  Gift tags from AndersRuff were also printed, cut, and left on the table in case the kids wanted to make the ornament for someone they love.  

 

 

 

 

 

Our kitchen counter was full of finger food style snacks.  The party was in the middle of the afternoon, so we didn’t serve a meal.  Next to the kitchen I set up my Snow Cone Machine, it was a HUGE hit with the kids and the adults.  

 

Out back, I set up an awesome bubble machine to mimic falling snow.  I hope the kids had more fun than I did!  

 

Each guest took home a stocking full of Finding Dori treats (It’s my niece’s current favorite movie), a candy cane, and a plaid deer ornament from Target.  I used Kunin Group Felt to make the stocking folds and hanging loops, but like the burlap stocking for our dog, everything was hot glued.  There were a dozen stockings, I hung three on the front of the dessert table, and the other nine were placed in my large Crates and Pallet Coca Cola crate with gift tags on them. I added a Beanie Baby reindeer and some battery operated LED moose lights to the crate as well. 

I am so smitten with this party, I seriously get all swoony when I look at the pics!