1. Instead of giving Christmas gifts to our neighbors, we invite them to our home (backyard) for a Marshmallow snowball fight. They have some cute snow invites on Evite here. It would also be lots of fun to break up the winter doldrums and get people together or even a great winter outdoor birthday party!

2. I buy plenty of bags of the super large Campfire marshmallows (found them at Smith’s and Walmart) and I divide them evenly into two large reusable bags. You need at least 2-3 marshmallows per person playing.

3. We map out a playing field in our backyard. Some years we have snow and other years we don’t. That is the greatest thing about the tradition…it is super fun either way. One warning if the ground is wet but not snowy, the marshmallows can be sticky, but they wash off easily. The field should be big enough to allow for space but small enough for everyone to stay engaged.

4. We split into two teams and play dodgeball style. There is a line in the middle and if you get hit by someone on the other team, you cross over to their team. If you catch a marshmallow in mid-air, the one who threw it comes to your team. To keep it safe, the marshmallows should be thrown below the shoulders. It really is so much fun for little kids, big kids, teens and adults. We all played together and had a great time.

5. After the play is over (it can go on for as long as you like), we gather inside for hot chocolate and hot cider and some yummy Christmas goodies (s’mores bars to keep with the marshmallow theme and white chocolate Oreo peppermint popcorn, and white chocolate dark chocolate popcorn). Everyone leaves with a Christmas card and some new friendships. It is a fantastically fun tradition. This last year, I kept everything outside….it was awesome and no boot marks to wipe up! We had a hot chocolate bar (hot chocolate in a large thermos the kids could dispense themselves) with lots of fun toppings, cookies, Rice Krispie treats and marshmallow, caramel popcorn. Yum!

We have done it in hot, Arizona weather and snowy Michigan cold, with 2 families indoors, with a bunch of families inside a gym, with 50 people outside, with little kids only, with teens and adults…it is equally enjoyable every way. It would also make a great winter (or even summer) birthday party!