Winter birthday parties for the faint of heart.

Moms of "winter babies" can relate: it's January or February, it's your kid's birthday, and you have no idea where to have the party because you intiated that one-kid-for-each-year-you're-old rule, and now your kid is seven, which means oh-dear-lord-that's-a-lot-of-kids-for-my-German-size-home panic is setting in. Add in some good-old guilt about being so far from most of your kid's relatives, and you have a recipe for disaster.

You can either brave it and have a party at home (German kid party ideas in a later post) or you can go my cowardly route and search for somewhere to host your party.

Some tips ahead of time:

- When picking a location, be aware that it is unusual for German kids to travel for a birthday party. We have held three parties within 3-4 miles of where we lived, and in all three cases, some parents have expected us to provide transportation since the party was "so far away". This year, we had a lovely mom show up with her booster seat under her arm and say she assumed we would at least be driving all the kids home. This will limit your choices of party venues tremendously. For us in Neuss, winter party locations are few and far between, especially for the younger set.

- Put together a gift basket for the convenience of other moms. We have used MyToys in RheinParkCenter in Neuss, but it is pretty straight-forward anywhere. More and more stores are offering this service, including Real and bookstores. Amazon.de wish lists are also common although birthday gifts tend to be below the €20 threshold for free shipping, so be aware of that. I have been told from German moms that €10 is the absolute limit for gifts, so be sure to provide affordable options (and not buy a €20 gift when your kid is invited somewhere).

- German kids usually open their gifts at the party. I am not 100% sure why American parties have moved away from this, but if you are having a party here, you should plan accordingly.

Our short-list included:

Ice skating rink in Neuss. This seemed like a fun option, but my girl wasn't having it, unfortunately. Maybe next year!

UCI Kinowelt in Neuss (Hafen) Your choices here are limited by the movies that are being shown. The only negative review I have heard about this place is that you often can't choose the film until the current schedule is announced, and sometimes the selection isn't great, so be sure to do your research there. Otherwise a great idea.

We ended up having our party at Zick Zack in Kaarst, a craft store which has opened up its classroom for birthday parties. It was a short-ish party at just over two hours, but the kids did enjoy it and it was something different. The store has a thick folder of craft ideas for different age groups, and our group of mixed ages really enjoyed the craft my daughter selected. It was a good in-and-out option, and our craft cost €10 per child, so it was also reasonably priced. Spaces are limited and fill up fast, though, especially on the weekend. If you would like a more detailed review straight from the horse's (=my) mouth, let me know. There is a new second location in Ratingen.

For older kids, there is a more expensive option offered at the indoor skiing venue at the Jever Skihalle
I think this might be our choice next year. Pools also offer parties, but I would wait until the kids were more experienced swimmers.

I will be posting my "controversial" review of Logo Lino in Neuss within a few days. (Spoiler alert: No. Never. Ever.)