Thank you for hosting a Truth in the Tinsel Swap Party! I hope this page gives you some practical tips and ideas for planning and executing a fabulous party.
Let’s start with a quick definition of a Swap Party, ok? It’s basically like a Cookie Swap where you bring 4 dozen of one cookie and walk away with 4 dozen different cookies after swapping with the other guests. Instead of cookies, we’ll be swapping craft supplies. Each guest will bring the craft supplies needed for each day’s craft in a little bag, ready to pull out for each day of Truth in the Tinsel. You won’t actually be crafting at the party, you’ll just be bringing all the supplies packaged up so the kids can make them during December! It makes your holiday less stressful and way more fun!
Here’s a link to my past parties and some other posts I’ve written about them:
How To Plan Organize & Rock a Truth in the Tinsel Swap Party (a guest post by my friend Sunny Cote)
Tips for a Truth in the Tinsel Swap Party
2015 Party Recap (+ a fun craft!)
Now, here’s my Top Tips for you…
Sign Up/Registration
There are 2 main ways to have your guests register:
- Have interested guests sign up and RSVP by a certain date. The host will then divide up the crafts between the guests and contact the guests with what they are bringing.
- Set up an online registration where guests pick the crafts they are bringing.
The positive for assigning the crafts is that there is no confusion on the guests’ part. They just follow the directions and do what they are told.
The positive for letting them sign up is their comfort level of buying and making the craft bags. And it’s less work on your end.
The most important thing about signing up for the party is that you aren’t counting crafts needed by the amount of guests. You are counting crafts needed by amount of CHILDREN the guests have. For example: if you have 10 friends coming to your house and each of them have 2 kids, you will need to prepare enough crafts for 20 kids.
Assigning Crafts
This is where it can get a little confusing. Here’s a few options:
- If you have 100 children represented, have each guest make 100 of their assigned day’s craft. (See this here.)
- Have each guest bring 24 of their assigned day’s craft PER CHILD. For example, I have two kids, so I’m going to sign up for two sets of 24 crafts. (See this here.)
Again, this is all going to depend on your type of party and the amount of guests. You’ll have to decide what is easiest for you and how it works best for your guests.
Making It Fun
We don’t want guests thinking this is a Thing They Have To Do. Instead, make the party a fun experience! Provide yummy food or host a potluck of everyone’s favorite Christmas snack. Give a little swag to your guests (maybe the Truth in the Tinsel colored print from the pack? or a small Starbucks gift card? or a bottle of glue and ribbon to get them started?). Plan a fun Christmas game or make an easy Christmas craft. Let it feel like a fun night out–not a help-the-teacher night.
Making It Serious
The Swap Party is to help parents get ready to lead their kids to Jesus with the Truth in the Tinsel ebook. Use the Swap Party to help lead those parents to Jesus!
If you are hosting this at your church, ask a pastor or leader to give a devotion about Christmas, parenting or never giving up on doing good.
If you’re hosting this at your house, use our conversation starters to open discussion about Christmas, Advent and Jesus. At the end of the party, grab your crafts or join hands and pray for the children who will experience Jesus this Christmas. Use this time to draw closer to Him!
A Swap Party not only gets families ready for celebrating Christmas, it can also bring mamas (and dads, too!) together with other like-minded families. This can be a time to support each other. Encourage your guests to continue talking through the month–at church, via a private Facebook group or email. Knowing someone else is doing the same things with their kids every day is always a big help!
Final Tidbits
-There are 3 crafts that require food (day 12 has rice, day 15 has flour and salt, day 23 has cinnamon and applesauce). You will need to decide if you want to include those crafts in your sign up or not. In the past, I have eliminated day 15 and 23 because I didn’t want some poor mama to have to measure out tablespoons of cinnamon into little baggies!
-Make sure you have a firm RSVP date so you can guarantee all the crafts assigned.
-Instruct your guests to purchase the Truth in the Tinsel ebook. If they don’t have the book, they won’t have instructions for the crafts, the Bible references or the talking points, printables and extra activities. Point them to https://truthinthetinsel.com/shop
