Catch That Lolly Man!

Dear Santa letters are over filling mail boxes, stores are playing Christmas carols, children are buzzing with excitement and anticipation and parents are being all sneaky sneaky… yes it’s that time of year again… Christmas Time!

Christmas for me as a child was one of the best days of the year, apart from my birthday of course. Now that I have children of my own, it’s all about making Christmas special for them. Giving them that smile that makes their cheeks sore, that present they have been asking for all year, and even making a big mess in the kitchen with the cookies and milk we leave for Santa and his Reindeers.

This year we are having a home Christmas instead of travelling to see family, which is nice to have sometimes. However since we won’t have as many people coming to Christmas Day, we decided to put our thinking caps on and come up with some fun ideas to keep the children and the excitement of Christmas day going. Things such as eating all day, swimming in the pool and such are normal, so this year we decided to put on a Christmas Play, Build a Gingerbread Man House and one I’m really looking forward to “Catch the Lolly Man”.

I remember chasing a lolly man as a child, but for the life of me can’t remember where or why.

Maybe we were just a bunch of aggressive children and attacked a man in overalls that had lollies…

Either way, it gave me a great idea and to those who have the energy should try it, so worth it! The laughs will be endless!

 

Lots of individually wrapped lollies!

'Christmas Catch Lolly Man Game'

 

 

Aim of the Game

 

 The children have to catch the lolly man if they wish to have the lollies he has sewn on him. You don’t want to sew them on to tightly or else it will be too hard to rip them off, especially if the Lolly Man is fast and makes the children work for their sweets. We played with one Lolly Man and about 12 children, but this year will be just 3 children.

There is no limit, all depends on how much sewing or stapling you wish to do.

 

You will need

 --> A pair of long overalls (I bought mine from a second hand shop for $2)

--> Lots and Lots of packeted Lollies or candy canes (Must be in individually packeted or it won’t work)

--> A sewing needle and some thread or Stapler and staples

(we chose the stapler and staples to save about 6 years of sewing)

 

--> Scissors

 

--> A video camera to tape the fun for later.

 

Get Comfy and Start Sewing or Stapling!

Sewing the Lolly Man Suit

If you aren’t making this game a surprise, get the children to help you! I did.

Lay the overalls down flat on the ground, and grab one lolly in its wrapper sewing only one or two loose loops onto the overalls or staple but again only one end. That way the lollies will be easier to rip off and will swing as the Lolly Man runs around (until he eventually gets tackled!)

Keep sewing the lollies all around the overalls, as many or as little as you like but mainly on the back and sides. You don’t want to encourage the children trying to dive at the knees and a crazy collision happens! 

Once it’s finished you have a Lolly Man Suit… Easy! To make it easier, use a pair of scissors and make some small slits in the overalls that way you can insert the stapler and continue to fill the lolly man suit up all over rather than just on the edges. (Just inform the person wearing the suit to wear clothes underneath as well)

 

Pick the person who is going to run around like a crazy man (In our case will be my brother or husband) trying to avoid aggressive children wanting their sweets, and bam! You have not only entertained the children but the adults who are watching as well, so don’t forget your camera.   

 

The Cat  is an extra addiction and optional.       

 

I cant wait to see the kids chasing the Lolly Man on Christmas Day, let alone my brother (designated Lolly Man Suit Driver) run from 3 aggressive Lolly Chasing Children...

 

Bring on Christmas Day!       

 

If you want to see more from "Its all about the Little Peeps"... Click Here!

 

Or to head back and see bits of everything click here!

 

If you decided to make this for Christmas or another event, feel free to share your photo's and stories with me! I'd love to hear them. If you know of someone who would love to do this, then definitely share this with them!