This Elf Decorations post is full of ideas for a festive, holiday party.
Nostalgia: nos·tal·gia – a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.
When I think of nostalgic things in my life, many things come to mind, but when I was planning this Elf Christmas Party, one of those things was brought to the forefront.
Who remembers soda coming in glass bottles?
I remember having the eight packs of glass bottles in our back entryway growing up. I also remember my grandmother having them in her fridge. Not only do the glass bottles bring back memories of my grandmother, but they make me think about the bottle toppers she had. I can still see the drawer full of them in her kitchen.
She could never finish an entire bottle of soda, but when she wanted some, she poured herself a glass and then would put the bottle topper on it to keep the soda “fresh” for the next time she wanted a glass.
I wish I had those bottle tops now because Sams Club carries the 24 Pack Coke de Mexico Coca-Cola in glass bottles!! They are made with real sugar and no high fructose corn syrup. You can bet I will be searching for bottle tops at yard sales now! 🙂
When my kids saw the Coca-Cola bottles, they couldn’t wait to try soda the “old-fashioned” way. 😉 I was just as excited to have them try it. It is always fun to show them ways we used to do things when we were little.
To celebrate this nostalgic goodness, I set up an Elf Christmas Party for the kiddos. I wanted to make fun elf decorations and I started by making the Coca-Cola bottles “elf party-ready”.
To do this, I used green, red, yellow and black paper. I also used white pom-poms and hot glue.
I started by wrapping the base of the bottle with green construction paper. Then, I made small cone shapes from the green paper for the hats. I hot glued a white pom-pom to the top of the hats. Then, I cut a triangular pattern from red construction paper and glued that to the base of the hat. Next, I made an elf belt with a strip of black paper and a buckle cut from yellow paper.
When I think of elves, I think of them working feverishly in the workshop. I thought it would only be fitting to have this party incorporate some “work” by setting up a craft for the kids to do. They need to be busy little elves too. 🙂
Each place setting had an elf hat to wear, an elf plush toy in a stocking (to take home), a paint brush and a pine cone. The kids were going to be busy painting the pine cones to make them look like Christmas trees.
With all of the hard work they were going to be doing, I knew they would need a snack to keep them going.
Elf Munch to the rescue.
Ingredients For Elf Munch:
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9 c. corn, wheat or rice toasted cereal (or a mix of all three)
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1/2 c. peanut butter
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1/4 c. butter
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1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
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1 tsp. vanilla
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2 c. powdered sugar
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20-30 (or however many you like) original Bugles
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1/2 c. vanilla frosting (or more if you use more Bugles)
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Green food coloring
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Small marshmallows (you need one for each Bugles you use)
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Wax paper
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Red sprinkles (optional)
To make the elf hat part of the Elf Munch, melt the frosting in the microwave for 15 seconds. Mix in the green food coloring to the shade of green you like. Dip the Bugles in the green frosting and shake off any excess. Then, stick a small marshmallow on the tip of the Bugles. Set on the wax paper and let the frosting set.
Once the frosting is set, they are ready or you can add a little more “sparkle” to the base of the Bugles. (I did that to some of them.) To do it, I put a small amount of vanilla frosting in a bowl and put it in the microwave for 5 seconds. Then, I dipped the base of the Bugles in the frosting and then dipped it in the red sprinkles.
To make the rest of the Elf Munch:
In a large bowl, place the 9 cups of cereal and set aside. Next, melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a saucepan. Once it is all completely melted and smooth, remove from heat and add the vanilla. Pour the chocolate mixture over the dry cereal and stir carefully until it is completely covered.
In a large resealable bag, pour the chocolate covered cereal mixture in and then slowly add the powdered sugar. Seal the bag and shake until all of the cereal is coated. Pour the mixture into your serving dish and add the elf hats you made earlier.
Another great treat to serve at your Elf Party is Coca-Cola brownies!! This is one of my favorite recipes because it only takes two ingredients and is super easy!
All you need is your favorite boxed brownie mix and a Coca-Cola!
Mix the brownie mix and Coca-Cola together and bake it according to the directions on the back of the brownie box. That’s it! They come out perfect every single time too! I have made them with Diet Coca-Cola and Cherry Coca-Cola too!!
A tablescape is the perfect place to add all kinds of elf decorations. I filled our table with greens and reds.
I found these Christmas trees at a yard sale this summer.
They were the perfect centerpiece for this party.
These lanterns light up and look really cute at night.
Of course, no Christmas party is complete without the infamous candy cane place card holders.
They are super easy to put together with three candy canes and some hot glue.
Every now and then, I get to set up a party when my kids aren’t around. This is so much fun because they get to come in and see it for the first time all decorated and ready to do. They get the surprise just like their guests. Don’t get me wrong….. I love to have them around helping too, but it is nice to surprise them once in a while.
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When my daughter saw the elf decorations, she said, “Mom, I wish I could invite everyone to all our parties.” I don’t know who “everyone” is, but I was so happy she was happy and excited. 🙂
Mission complete.
If you are entertaining this holiday season, the 24 packs of glass bottles of Coca-Cola are perfect for all your holiday occasions. They bring back many memories for so many and they will make new memories for those who have never experienced Coca-Cola from a glass bottle.
Do you have memories of soda in bottles? What are they?
I found some fun elf decorations online that you can add to your party:
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If you liked this Elf Decorations Party post, you will also love these Christmas ideas:
90 Homemade Christmas Ornaments
What a fun Elf Party! Those bottles are adorable and the Elf Munch and Coca-Cola brownies look like delicious treats. #client
AC