When my son was two and a half years old I took him to the Teddybear Tea at a hotel in San Francisco. It might have been at the Ritz but what I remember most was the gingerbread doorway. While we waited for the tea room to open we marveled at the edible doorway. It was decorated with icing and candies and in the windows were giant chocolate sculptures. I felt as though we had discovered the real Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory. My son was thrilled with the entire day and I decided that this was a concept I would take home and do the following year. So, in December 1999 I collaborated with my husband and mother inlaw on the Gingerbread Baby Holiday Party. The day began with a reading of the story on my mother inlaw’s porch while I handed out goodie bags to the kids. They drank cocoa and listened intently. When the story was finished we opened the front door revealing the candy and cookie clad house. We did not have to explain to the children what to do.
I spent about the same amount of money on this entire party that I had spent the previous year on tea for just me and my son. The added bonus – he and many many of his friends got to celebrate together. The following year we changed it up to a chocolate gold coin filled Thomas the Tank Engine party. For several years I continued this “inverted piñata” theme for my children’s parties. I have always found with young children magic is relative.
