How to Throw a Nutcracker Christmas Party with the Meri Meri x New York City Ballet Range

Of all the Christmas ranges that arrived this autumn, the Meri Meri x New York City Ballet Nutcracker is the one people stop at. Sugar plum fairies, toy soldiers and Clara's Christmas tree, all drawn in the colours of the actual ballet's costumes, on plates, napkins, a garland and the most beautiful advent calendar we have ever stocked. A Nutcracker Christmas party works for a December birthday, a Christmas Eve tea, a post-ballet supper, or just Christmas Day with a six year old who has seen the film. Here is how we would do it. 🩰

The Nutcracker Christmas party table 🎄

The table is built from three plates. The Meri Meri x New York City Ballet Dinner Party Plates x 8 are scalloped cream with the whole cast around the rim, the Meri Meri x New York City Ballet Side Party Plates x 8 have a single dancer in the middle of a holly wreath, and the Meri Meri x New York City Ballet Tree Shaped Party Plates x 8 are Clara's tree, green with a pink bow on top. Stack all three at each place. Then the Meri Meri x New York City Ballet Large Party Napkins x 16 with the red scalloped edge, or the Nutcracker Ballet Soldier Christmas Party Napkins x 16, which are shaped like the soldier himself, and the Meri Meri x New York City Ballet Christmas Party Cups x 8.

The colours are cream, a soft red, pine green and a dusty pink, so a plain white cloth is right, with ranunculus or a bowl of clementines in the middle. Nothing glittery. The range does the work.

Nutcracker Christmas party decorations 🎀

The Meri Meri x New York City Ballet Party Garland is the piece: a string of dancers, soldiers, mice and trees in card with velvet ribbon, long enough for a mantelpiece or the wall behind the table. For a children's party, add Hootyballoo's Nutcracker Pom Pom Christmas Garland 2M, which is a row of little soldiers with red pom poms, and Party Deco's Giant 3D Standing Nutcracker Foil Balloon by the door. He stands up on his own, is almost as tall as a five year old, and is £4.99.

The Nutcracker Christmas party cake 🧁

You do not need to bake a ballet. The Meri Meri x New York City Ballet Nutcracker Cupcake Kit x 24 is twenty-four cases and twenty-four toppers, soldiers and sugar plum fairies and trees, and it turns a tray of shop-bought cupcakes into the centrepiece. For a proper cake, Hootyballoo's Nutcracker Christmas Cake Topper Set goes on top of anything iced white.

Nutcracker Christmas party activities and party bags 🎁

The Nutcracker Colouring Placemats x 8 are the activity and the table setting in one: eight placemats printed in gold line with the whole story to colour in, so the children are busy from the moment they sit down. For the party bags, the Meri Meri x New York City Ballet Nutcracker Temporary Tattoo Sheets x 2, the Meri Meri x New York City Ballet Shaped Stickers and, for the birthday girl, the Embroidered Nutcracker Christmas Hair Clips x 5, which are five embroidered felt clips in a box and a proper present on their own.

The Nutcracker advent calendar 🎭

If the party is in early December, or the Nutcracker child is yours, the Nutcracker Theatre Christmas Advent Calendar is the thing. It unfolds into a stage with pink velvet curtains, a new character arrives every day, and on Christmas Eve there is a charm bracelet. It sold out in November last year. We wrote about all ten Meri Meri calendars in the advent calendar post.

Shop the Nutcracker Christmas party 🛒

Everything is in our Nutcracker Christmas collection, and the rest of the season in Meri Meri Christmas. The New York City Ballet range is a one-season collaboration and is not reordered, so if it is on your list, order it in November. Free UK delivery over £40 and next-day delivery on everything in stock.