An afternoon making cookies with kids can conjure the best and the worst of the holidays; warm family fellowship, sweet treats to eat—and a hefty dose of mess and stress as well. But with a little planning, it’s easy to skip the hassles and create an event that’s memorably delicious for everyone involved.

Rule number one for kids’ cookie parties: Bake the cookies beforehand! Raw eggs, hot ovens and kids are a recipe for disaster. Not to mention that the process of mixing, chilling, shaping, baking, cooling and decorating cookies is far too long to hold the attention of most junior chefs. Bake up a big batch of sugar cookies in all your favorite shapes ahead of time, and while you’re at it, prepare and color the frosting, too. (Both of these items freeze well, so you can take care of this weeks in advance if you like.) With everything ready when they arrive, your young guests can focus on the pure fun of frosting and decorating one masterpiece after another.

Here’s what you’ll need at party time:

• Pre-made cookies
• Frostings set up in bowls, with a couple of small spatulas or knives for each color
• Additional frosting in tubes for decorating (you can just buy this kind if it’s easier)
• Sprinkles, colored sugar, edible glitter, red hots, m&m’s and anything else that catches your eye, set up in bowls for easy sharing
• Small boxes or party bags for sending home finished cookies
• Nourishing snacks for kids and adults such as cheese and crackers, fresh veggies, deli meats and a beverage or two; keep it simple
• Holiday music you love

Kid-sized aprons (available cheap at party stores) make a great extra touch. If you’re short on bowls for setting up frostings and toppings, recyclable plastic party cups are a nice alternative, especially if you can find the cute footed kind. If you’re making cookie ornaments for a Christmas tree, you’ll also want a supply of ribbon on hand for hanging them up.

For very young guests, frost some cookies ahead of time and encourage the toddlers to just apply the toppings. Older kids will enjoy spreading the frosting themselves. Provide a large work area (a kid-friendly table works better than a tall counter), and don’t be ashamed to throw down tarps to protect your floors—this is a kids’ party, after all! Remember that you’ll also need a place to spread out finished cookies while the icing firms up, so clear your surfaces in advance. Set up your snack table in a separate area from the cookie zone to encourage healthful munching.

The table is set, the aprons are tied… now grab your camera and get out of the way! Purple trees? Pink stars? A Santa whose entire body is encrusted with chocolate chips? Why not! In a happy swirl of sugar, sparkle, family and friends, perfection is forgotten and a child’s imagination reigns supreme. It’s holiday chaos of the very best kind.