Potluck dishes filled the serving table but dinner was not served immediately. To the bartender’s delight, grown-ups were bellying up, but after the intial excitement of ginger ale with a cherry, kids were getting bored. I gave each child two sheets of newspaper-sized newsprint and showed them how to turn their papers into sailor hats. Preteens helped “new” cousins while big brothers and sisters made hats for preschooler siblings to decorate. Children almost forgot their growling tummies parading around the room with grandparents proudly pointing out grandchildren. Everyone wore name tags but large names written in crayon on the hats were easier to read and the children loved being addressed by name.
When Standing Around Gets to be Old Hat
