Polar Express Party - Train Cake

Polar Express Party-appropriate for a winter birthday or a Christmas party  With the movie "The Polar Express" coming out, there is a lot that one could do to turn it into a memorable birthday party.    Invitations could be printed on card stock paper from the computer, saying "Do you believe?"  Inside could be a boarding pass, also printed off of the computer.  Inside, specify that they children wear their pajamas...after all, isn't that what happens in the story? 

The children could meet at the house.  On the lawn could be a "ticket booth", made of a small table with a cloth on it so that you can't see the legs, with a box on top that has the bottom cut out and is turned sideways...it would be painted.  A sign for "Tickets", and an adult dressed up in overalls, a bandanna, and a train hat would be perfect. 

The children could each be given their "token" for the train (chocolate money?).  A tape could be playing train "sounds" in the back ground.  Inside the house, have balloons and snowflakes hanging from the ceilings.  The table could be covered with a red tablecloth, with snowflake and train confetti all over it.  There are several options to the party ware...  Christmas, train, or solid colors. 

Instead of the traditional party hats, Santa hats, or engineer hats from the dollar store would be appropriate.    In the story the train "ride" consists of having hot chocolate and truffles...with the birthday cake, serve hot chocolate with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a candy cane. 

The cake would be a train...I've seen ones where you bake the "cars" in a tiny loaf pan...one car for each child.  The table cloth should have "track" taped onto it...made from construction paper, and the train could sit directly on that track.   

During the cake and festivities, a special guest arrives at the front door.  Who is it but...Santa!  He wishes every child a merry christmas, and hands each child a bag of "magic reindeer food", guarenteed to magically guide his reindeer to their houses.  Take a picture of each child on Santa's lap.  Then just as he's about to leave, he gently pulls out a jingle bell for each child, with a note saying "May you always here this bell ring-as it does for all who truly believe".   

Party favors for the goodie bags could include any of the following... engineer's hats train whistles Bandannas white chocolate truffles (as in the story) packets of hot chocolate snowman "poop" (marshmallows) candy cane train engines (from the dollar store) framed picture with Santa jingle bell  

After the cake and visit from Santa, pile the kids in the car and top it off with a trip to see the movie.   :)