Yes, I know its abit late now but here's some ideas for next year, and for your present giving, I thought alot of the ideas where great previously by the way. Get the e-mail addresses of the parents who children you want to invite, and send a e-invatition, ask them to e-mail the reply. yes electricity, but no paper or fuel in postage and no hassel. wrapping presents, use newpaper, old magizines, they are going to rip it any way, paper bags, for some reason my state you have to have your wine in brown paper? like no ones going to guess what you just brought! or if you have fast food for some reason, save these for wrapping but get your children to decorate them, at the age they are, people think it really cute, make cards out of old paper and pictures in mags, get your kids to make papier mache plant pots and decorate them, if for an adult, stick in a packet of seeds you know they like and if a child, a couple of seeds could be a bean, pea, nesturtium, radish something that shows a result quickly, and some planting medium in a bag, the bags I use are the ones manufacturered bread comes in! Party Favours same thing as presents except you could present something growing athough maybe difficult in October, I am sure someone will come up with an idea, all I can think of is lettice and even my veggie loving children won't eat that! and brussel sprouts just too big, haha!, keep the party simple, my boys love picnics and love indoor picnics even more, I actually produce a more authentic picnic indoors than out, cos I don't have too lug the picnic basket around! rug on floor etc, old fashioned games such as pass the parsell, wrapped in newspaper easy to rig so every child wins a prize, prizes well, I just keep the merriad of rubbish my boys have accumilated over the year in favors, which they examine and then discard, currently I have 9 pensils, 6 mini tubs of playdough, 10 erasers, 6 flying discs and 1 tub of assorted beads from frendship braclets. once you start looking for ways to reuse stuff it becomes easier and easier, your brain just seems to make new connections you will find yourself hovering over the trash can with a used item, thinking, I wonder! today our washing machine died a death, repair man could repair but only if we where prepared to spend $600+ we brought a new one for $420 and on looking at our old machine, I kept saying could it be a composer, husband (who is not a natural recycler but buys second hand most the time and is a great bargin hunter) could it be a fire pit, get away says I! look on the garden forums and sure enough people have used old washing machines for both these purposes, so yes! if I was really really green I would have had it repaired (well I would probably have a wash board and Mangle) but I live in the real world and needs must but there can ways to do it. BTW paper mache pots can be planted straight in the ground and decompose, but I would only do this if decorated for flowers not food! last but by no means least, don't force you ideals on any one by asking them for green toys and paper, it will only get backs up, for example do not judge them, just as you should not expect to be judged for your decisions, it was my birthday the other day and ony one person asked what I wanted, a watering can, okay I expected a big cheepo one and recieved a dinky red posh one, put it does the job and looks pretty, I also got cut flowers which have lasted very well, 3 weeks and counting and as they die off, into the compost they go, a huge scented cantle which is now in the energancy draw for power cuts etc, the pretty cardboard tub it came in will become something to keep sewing bits in or I will put someones gift into, the bags other gifts came in have been squirelled away for rewraping presents for others, and the wrapping paper is in my boys craft box, the Best buy Voucher...oh I used that today towards a new washing machine! Grurr! Just do what you can, we don't need to be tree huggers, and force our opinions, lead by example, and use what others waste, the link I enclosed is of a childrens TV program I loved in the 70's in the UK last verse sums it up We're so incredibly, utterly devious Making the most of everything. Even bottles and tins. Pick up the pieces and make them into something new, Is what we do! Here is a link that might be useful: Wombles

One word: CRAFTS! For the over-3 kids: I'd comb the local crafts store. Get the usual drawing and coloring items, construction paper, scissors, and pipe cleaners, glue, foam balls, etc. Add stuff from home like toilet paper and paper towel rolls, and buttons. Beads and cording are a huge hit for girls, since they love to make jewelry. Craft stores will have all sorts of neat things like foam visors and tiaras with foam shapes to glue on... there'll be lots of Christmas stuff out by then, too. You can also buy a large roll of paper (like butcher paper) and roll it out on the floor and let them go at it with the crayons and markers. If things can get messy you can add paints and glitter. Don't forget bags for them to take their creations home. The 3-and-under crowd have to be constantly supervised anyway, but you can give them edible crafts. One idea is to put out pointy ice cream cones, green tinted frosting, and small candies... the kids can coat the cones with the frosting and stick candies on them and they look just like Christmas trees. (Have enough for older kids, too, because they will want to do this also.) You can give the little ones the crayons, paper, and coloring books, too, of course. If there aren't too many kids, they can decorate a gingerbread house that you've already put together. A craft area attracts kids like a magnet and I've never met a kid who didn't like to be creative. My daughter and her friends made beautiful flowers from a bag of assorted "petals" and pipe cleaners. When we added beads they used those as heads and made beautiful fairies with petal skirts! If the weather's good, all the kids can be led on a nature hunt and gather leaves, sticks, and pinecones to go in and use for crafts, too. Cheers, from SwampWitch p.s. Recruiting parents for organized games would be good to do after they've had sugar. There are many books with great kids' games ideas and most don't need any extra props.

Perfect Caroline!!! Thanks for the pictures - it's a nice way for me to start my day. Harry can make wearing a party hat look elegant! LOL!!! Belated happy birthday to both Harry and BG. Sedona will be 5 on April 1st - I think I'll just have to have a party for her. ~Betsy

I'd suggest having it at home also. Once you get started on these toddler parties, you end up being invited to every one and you have to buy a present too. It gets expensive very quickly. Could you possibly temporarily remove furniture from maybe the living room, dining room or child's bedroom to make more room? I think an indoor camping theme might be fun (without the sleepover). You could make tents out of sheets and blankets and have the kids play in there. Any other theme you might have going, like bugs or Elmo could be worked into it too. You could have hot chocolate and other appropriate foods. Fake foliage and stuffed animals could be used to dress up the area. I'm suggesting this because someone gave my two boys a play tent for Christmas and they love it. They'll take toys in there sometimes and play instead of running around the house. Have fun with whatever you do.