Keep young revelers in good cheer with food, fun, and traditions designed just for them.

Offer Child-friendly Fare
Tara Barton serves an appetizer that she says is a big hit with her young guests. She mixes crumbled bacon, minced scallions, and mayonnaise, spreads it on little squares of bread, and toasts the squares under the broiler. "We call them Bacon Thingies, and adults love them too," says Tara. At their annual Christmas Progressive Party, Sheri Rarick and her neighbors in Canal Winchester, Ohio, kick off the evening with a kid-pleasing hot-chocolate bar, complete with add-ins such as whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and marshmallows.

Set Up Some Kids-only Fun
Kim Wigginton and her neighbors equip some small tables with easy diversions, such as crayons and paper, or stock a craft station with pipe cleaners, pom-poms, craft foam, and so on. For more hands-on fun, kids can create their own take-home memento by crafting a jingle bell bracelet, a classic FamilyFun Christmas craft.

Maximize the Magic
Plan big events such as gift exchanges and visits from Santa for the celebration's halfway point. "At the start of the party, all of the children are excited, so you don't need to pump them full of additional adrenaline. And at the end of the evening, they're starting to get a little tired and wind down," says Sheri Rarick.