Ella turned 7 last week – I still can’t believe that! It’s kind of tricky having a child with a birthday in December. I always feel like I am throwing something together for her at the last minute. This year I decided that I really wanted to plan a memorable birthday party. She came up with the idea of having a PJ party. And then when I hosted a giveaway for Libby Lane Press – I saw Nicolle’s adorable PJ & Pancake invitations and decided that would be a perfect party theme!
So Saturday morning 17 first graders came over for a delicious breakfast PLUS some crafts!
I think my favorite part of this party was putting together a Hot Chocolate Bar. I came up with TONS of topping ideas. I bought some pretty square vases from WalMart, but I have seen some similar ones at the Dollar Store too.
Here are the toppings I used:
- Crushed Chocolate Mint Oreos
- German Chocolate Marshmallows
- Cookies and Cream candy bars chopped up
- Mini Chocolate Chips
- Caramel Balls
- Pirouette Cookies (two different flavors)
- Mini Marshmallows
- Gingerbread Marshmallows
- Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows on stripey straws
- Candy Canes
- Whipped Cream
I had some glass footed vases and I put some of the toppings in those too. I also used a really cute Snowman Hot Chocolate Dispenser for the hot cocoa.
I found these pretty free printable tags that Cathe Holden made for WorldLabel.com.
We also made a Pancake Bar with two different kinds of pancakes, three kinds of syrup, whipped cream, confetti donut holes, sausage and fruit kabobs.
The kids loved it!!
After we ate, we cleared off the tables and gave each child a colored pillowcase. I used some fabric markers from Tulip, along with some I Love to Create fabric glitter paint. The kids loved making their own creations on their pillowcases. I was so impressed with their creativity!!
It was a really sweet party that Ella will always remember!
xoxo
PS — If you are looking for some ideas for Handmade Gift Ideas
this season — check out the over 500 that have been linked up at the
Handmade Gift Link Up!! And come over and win some beautiful twine from Twisted Sugar Twine!!
And I am so flattered and excited to be sharing my “Favorite Things” over at one of my favorite blogs today — 320 Sycamore!! If you don’t know it, be sure to put it on your must-read list!!!! Come over and share YOUR favorite things!!
PPS — I am linking this party up to The CSI Project’s — Birthday Challenge.
Hi
love your hot chocolate party, where did you get your little glass container for cookie
love them,
thanks
Meryem
So funny that you planned a p.j.’s and pancake party! I had the same idea which I thought was unique! Just goes to show that there are no “new” ideas! Love your adorable invitations and hot chocolate bar! Did you put your daughter’s candle on her pancake? Was thinking of making a cake from the pancakes, but I worry that I’m serving too much sugar. Anyway, hope our party is just as successful! Looks like Ella had a great time!
I have an Ella too who turned 8 December, 11…..is your Ella on the 10th, crazy? I had to laugh when I saw this invite because I thought oh perfect I’ll just use the same invite next year. Such a cute idea! Love it!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this idea! My four year old’s birthday was December 17, and I agree… December birthdays are SOOO hard! This is SUCH a cute idea though! I seriously may steal this for next year!! So creative and fun!
jen!!!!
i missed this post when it was first up! ohmygoodness all the details are fabulous. you know i love a party! how fun to have them doing a craft as well. those toppings look awesome. that pancake bar. so stinkin’ fun!
i know she must of been over the moon excited!
xo
kellie
I’m pretty sure you won Coolest Mom of the year award :)! What a great party idea!
Super fun! Gotta put this one in my bag of tricks! 🙂
This looks like such a fun & memorable party!! I’m sure Ella LOVED it, and will always remember it!
xoxo
Oh Jen! I LOVE this party idea. I’ll be pinning this for sure. I love the hot chocolate bar idea. You said you used paper straws – were they plastic or paper. If they were plastic, where did you find them??
Thst looks like so much fun!
I want a pancake and pj party! That looks so fun!
I absolutely love the idea of a pjs and pancakes party. I must remember it when I have kids. I am curious, how in the world did you have table space for 17 first graders and all that food?
My daughter’s bday is Dec 2, so that will be a great idea for her in a few years (she’s just 2 now). Going to file this away for the future. And I love that you did it in the morning!!!
I know!! it was over by noon so we were still able to do some other things too. I loved doing it at that time 🙂
xoxox
Oh my cuteness! I definitely need to steel this for one of my girls’ b-days… although with all my kiddos having summer b-days we might need to do a Smoothie Bar!
I love the idea of a smoothie bar!!!
xoxox
Such a fun party and what a great mommy and daddy you guys are….merry christmas!!
Haha.. what a great idea! Love all your cute little signs and details!
Super cute party! Love the Hot Chocolate Bar!!
This is so cute!!! I’m putting it in my mental file cabinet.
Super cute idea, Jen! How fun to wear pajamas and I love all the food and hot cocoa bar options. those girls must have been in heaven!
Super cute! I just did a “thrown together” bday party for my 6 year old, and it wasn’t nearly this cool, so great job! 🙂 Haven’t blogged it yet, but we played pin the horn on the unicorn and I turned wooden horses into unicorns for them to color.
So fun and cute!!! I had a Pancake and PJ party for my 5 year old this year too….I love the hot chocolate bar you added!
Here’s ours:
http://hisugarplum.blogspot.com/2011/04/pancake-pajama-party.html
We have 2 birthdays around Christmas as our house and it’s so hard to get parties in there along with all the other Christmas obligations. You did a wonderful job and the party is adorable! I love that it was in the morning! Seems so much easier to have a ton of kids over when it’s early and Mom still has lots of energy. Plus you get the sleepover fun without staying up until 2am. The decor is so cute and I love the pillowcases! Happy Birthday to Ella!
This makes me wanna come over in my pajamas! Thanks for sharing Jen!
This is adorable!!! I will have to remember this one!
What an adorable idea! I love the pj & pancake party idea! Very creative and very memorable!
Jen that is a seriously adorable birthday party! I love the hot chocolate bar! The birthday girl looks like she had a wonderful time!
Cutest party EVER!
What a great birthday party! I want a hot chocolate bar at my next birthday party 🙂
Oh what a FABULOUS idea! My Evelyn will be 10 in March and i am sure this will be a hit with her friends 🙂
What a fun and awesome idea! I know what we’re doing for my daughter’s birthday next year now!
What a darling party. The sweets stations look amazing. I’m sure the girls were all hyped up on sugar after (just as it should be)! Happy Birthday, Ella!
What a fabulous idea! I have a daughter that has an birthday that falls during Thanksgiving week. As a family we always celebrate big, but most of her classmates are busy or traveling during that week so we usually don’t have a party for her. After Thanksgiving is over then it is all the hussle and bussle of Christmas. This is a great way to have a party. I am so going to throw her a party like this this month!
what a cute idea! I wish I had done something like this as a kid…your such a good mom Jen~! xoxo
Jen,
My daughter’s birthday in Nov. 29th and I understand how you feel about a birthday squeezed in at the last minute. If it had been up to me, her birthday would have been in June or July and we would be able to have all kinds of different birthday parties. Aside from the obvious Hula or Luau cookouts, I had ideas for Firefly parties that take place in the evening, and sleep-overs in the back yard; treasure hunts looking for different flowers and leaves. There are so many more options in the summer and early fall before the weather turns and it isn’t major holiday time yet. Excuse the wording, but it sucks in late November and early December to put together a party with the whirlwind of Halloween, Thanksgiving three weeks after that, and then Christmas four weeks later. All the major events in a child’s life for the year are squeezed into a couple of months and then nothing (mostly) for the rest of the year. My sister’s birthday is Dec. 8th and my mom had a hard time as well. Oh, well; but given the option of (in my opinion) a badly timed birthday and not having one to celebrate at all, I’ll take the one I didn’t really one. Heavenly Father knows what He is doing even if I don’t. And on THAT note, it is a good thing I don’t because I would start to interfere and mess up everything.
Enough of a tirade; the pancake party idea is one of the best I have even seen. The concept is so simple and it can be as fancy as you want to make it. You are a genius!
Maureen
Maureen,
Have you ever thought about celebrating her 1/2 birthday? I have a daughter whose birthday usually falls during Thanksgiving week which means no friends available. I have often thought about celebrating her half birthday, but we’ve never done it. It sounds like you could put together a rockin’ summer party for her!
What a cute birthday idea! I will have to keep this in mind for when my girls are older.
I love it! The hot chocolate bar was the best!!
I hope you are well!! XOXO
~Becca
Completely cute! May have to do this for my girls bday (which was in November) which we still need to plan!!
Kelly
What a fun party, Jen!! With kids who have December and January birthdays, I feel your pain! We always have to have Natalie’s party the first weekend in December, otherwise I feel like people won’t come b/c they get so busy with holiday stuff.
This theme is awesome. I love it. 🙂
LOVE this idea Jen! I understand you feeling like you are just throwing something together, 2 of my kids have birthdays at the end of November and I thought that was challenging. Great idea, adorable invitations ~ may just have to use this next November!
What a fantastic idea! I love the idea of a morning party…definitely going to put this on my list of ideas on Pinterest for Kate’s next birthday!
Jessica @ Mom 4 Real
Thank you for sharing. We are having a family party this weekend. We are doing a Hot Chocolate Bar as well and your “creativeness” has helped me further mine A Ton. Thanks! Merry Christmas! Happy Late Birthday to your 7 year old girly. :0)
very very very cute!
I too have 2 girls birthdays in Dec. I feel like they get so much more because of their birthdays being so close to Christmas. I have had half-birthdays in June. It’s always a challenge, but this is a cute idea! Thanks!
Oh my gosh! How Cute!! I bet your daughter had such a fun time!! 🙂 I just love that hot chocolate bar!! What a creative idea! 🙂
Too cute! I love the bright vivid photography. Is it bad that I want to have an adult version of this?
That is too sweet!!! What a wonderful party!! I love coffee and hot chocolate bars, I used to do them when I did catering- they were always a hit! The pillow cases were such an amazing idea!!!
What a CUTE idea! I would love to have a party like that with my girlfriends! Thanks Jen, I really enjoy reading your great ideas!
What an adorable party!! Where did you get the snowman drink dispenser? My boys are having a snowman party next week and that would be perfect! 🙂
Laurie — I bought it at target. they have them in their Seasonal section right now 🙂
Your Snowman party sounds so fun!
xoxoxox
Jen
What a fun idea! I have 3 girls and they would love this. Thanks for sharing!
Adorable! Looks like the girls had fun 🙂
This is such an amazing party theme and very well put together without being over the top! I will be stealing this as a party idea for when my daughter gets older 😀
Thanks Pamela!! We had a fun time putting it together!!
xoxo
Jen