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Morgan Manages Mommyhood

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Christmas Tree Pasta Dinner

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Christmas tree pasta is a fun and simple way to bring the holidays to dinner time. This simple holiday pasta is super kid friendly and uses just a few ingredients.Add some extra veggies by using hidden veggie pesto sauce or just use butter for a simple version everyone will adore.

A PINABLE image with green spaghetti shaped into a christmas tree

This post was originally posted on December 3, 2016 and has since been updated. 

When I was creating the post for my spooky eyes pasta lunch box for Halloween, I had a pot full of green noodles.

Introducing: Christmas Tree Spaghetti!

Like any good blogger, I thought – could I turn this into a tree?

Thankfully, I had a few ingredients in my fridge that I thought might work to create one, so I went for it.

And OH MY GOODNESS you guys – it’s the cutest darn tree I ever did see.

The process is ridiculously easy, which we all know is VITAL for the busy holiday season.

How to make Christmas tree pasta

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First, you’re going to cook up some spaghetti, toss it into a bag and shake it with some food coloring. Just like we did with my favorite Chicken Boo-dle Soup. This is a really fun task for kids to take over!

If you want, you can add some pesto right about now – my hidden veggie pesto sauce would be perfect!

Decorating your Christmas Pasta:

Then we’re ready to decorate! There’s really no limit to how you can decorate your tree.

From a simple snowy version to a decked out one with string cheese garland, the options are endless. I think it would be super fun to make a “tree trimming” party and serve the toppings in different bowls and let kids go crazy.

I would recommend shaping the pasta into a triangle for them, especially if you have littles.

a collage of different ways to decorate christmas tree pasta with cheese and veggies

How to make these decorations

  • Plain tree with ornaments and a star. Add a handful to a plate and shape into a triangle. Cut a star out of the bell pepper using a small star-shaped cutter. Add halved grape tomatoes throughout the ‘tree’ to create ‘lights’. (You could use multi-colored tomatoes, but I only had red and like the red/green combo.) Add cheese chunk as tree stem.
  • Tree with Garland. Kick it up a notch by peeling sections of the string cheese and draping across the tree like garland.
  • White Christmas. Make it a winter wonderland by adding grated Parmesan cheese to the bottom and a little over the top of the tree. (My boys liked this best because, cheese.)

See? I told you. Easy peasy. I can’t imagine you’ll find another Christmas themed dinner that will be this fun or this easy. You kids will request it every year! I think it would be so fun as a Christmas Eve tradition.

Christmas Tree Pasta Dinner

Not only is this fun holiday dinner fun, it’s super easy! Make it a family affair by serving it family style with the decorations in separate bowls and letting kids “decorate” their trees themselves!

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Christmas Tree Pasta Dinner

Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Holiday, Kid friendly
Keyword christmas, fun food
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1 lb of spaghetti I used spinach pasta since my boys would never know the difference.
  • Green food coloring
  • Grape tomatoes
  • Yellow bell pepper
  • Slice of yellow cheese I cut a chunk for a block of yellow cheddar
  • String cheese
  • Grated cheese

Instructions

  1. Boil spaghetti until just barely al dente before draining and running under cool water.
  2. Drain well and toss into a zip top bag with about 20 drops of green food coloring diluted in about a teaspoon of water before shaking until the color is fully dispersed.
  3. If using, add pesto.
  4. Scoop onto a plate and arrange in a large triangle shape.
  5. Add a rectangle of cheese as a trunk, and position halved tomatoes throughout your tree as ornaments.
  6. Slice a cheese stick into thin lengths and adorn tree as garland.
  7. Cut a chunk of bell pepper with a star cookie cutter and add on top of the tree.
  8. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan as snow.

Looking for more easy ways to encourage your kids to eat more fruits and vegetables? Grab your FREE copy of Eat the Rainbow – 10 fun and easy fruit and vegetable snacks that will take less than 1 minute. Your kids will be begging to eat these fun fruits and vegetables.

Okay, so tell me – which version do you like best? When do you start thinking about Christmas? Let me know in the comments!

If you like this Christmas pasta you may also like..

Christmas Smoothie (Grinch Smoothie

Snowman Mashed Potatoes

Christmas Tree-sadillas

No Bake Christmas Treats

Christmas Cookies for kids

13+ Spooky and Safe Ideas for a Virtual Halloween Party for Kids

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Looking for tips for how to throw a virtual Halloween party for kids? We’ve got you covered with how to have a fun, safe Halloween party that feels special. 

With so many schools going virtual this year, Halloween will surely be a different experience. While the traditional school Halloween parties will probably not be happening, there is still fun to have. 

virtual halloween party guests in costumes taking a selfie
Photo of creepy couple man lady cuddle hold telephone make selfie video, call friend wear black dress death costume mask sugar skull roses headband suspenders isolated blue color background

Spooky Ideas for Virtual Halloween Party for Kids

If you’re looking to throw a virtual Halloween party, this is the place to be! While I’m focusing on a party for kiddos, this would also work for a virtual office party or just a get together with friends. 

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Invites for your Virtual Halloween party

If you’re throwing a virtual Halloween party for friends, send a fun invite! I love these from Etsy. Snail mail or virtual, an invite is a fun way to set the tone. 

Costumes

Of course, encourage everyone to come in costume! Whether they’re full out or just a fun hat, a costume is a great way to bring the fun. 

Send out snacks and treats

If you’ve got the budget, make a little package of little crafts, snacks, and other Halloween fun to celebrate the holiday with!

Decor contest

Start the fun by voting on who decorated their space best! Invite guests or students or decorate the area behind them to get everyone in the spooky mood. You can send out a fun little gift or a virtual gift card if you want “real” prizes.

Zoom backgrounds

Or alternatively, if you’re using Zoom encourage guests to try a fun and spooky Zoom background for your virtual Halloween party. Here’s a good option for how to. 

Send a kit for activities – bingo, decorating pumpkins, etc

Want to win the virtual Halloween party planner of the year award? Send a kit out ahead of time with what you plan to do – and maybe even some treats! Stuff an envelope with mini crafts, Halloween themed toys, and candy. Also think about adding activities like a bingo board!

Individual Halloween Crafts and Activities:

Scavenger hunt. 

If you’re looking for something to do during your socially distant halloween party, consider a scavenger hunt! Kids can take a list and scrounge through their house to find the times. Keep it vague like “a pumpkin orange item” to make it both spooky and so no one feels left out. 

Sing Songs

Grab a spooky playlist and sing along with your students! Here are some of our favorite Halloween sing a longs. 

Halloween Songs for Kids

Virtual Halloween Party Movie night

If you’re craving a movie night, check your listings and find a scary movie to watch together! Scare off ghosts by watching virtually together so you can spook eachother and laugh about being scared.

Here is a fun post on how to watch movies online together.


Lip sync 

How about a lip sync battle? Play a spooky playlist and have everyone lip sync their favorites. Go one at a time or all together and vote on who had the best performance.

My favorite school friendly songs for kids:

Karaoke 

Got a group of outgoing kiddos? Try karaoke! Use some of the great karaoke videos on YouTube and play them, then let guests try their best to belt them out.

Dance contest

Who doesn’t love a great dance party? Blast some jams and let everyone dance it out – a great alternative to sitting in front of a screen all afternoon. Play some of our favorite kid dance songs or some Halloween songs for kids. 

Spooky trivia

If you’re looking at older kids, how about trying some trivia? Search the internet for some fun and interesting Halloween trivia. Here are some good ones ot get you started.

Bingo

We played Bingo at my son’s in person party last year, but it would be such a great option for a virtual Halloween party. Email, snail mail the guests a Halloween themed board and have the host call out the cards until someone (or everyone!) gets bingo. 

Looking for more Halloween fun

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