Sunny kids

Cheerful trimmings, homemade treats, and happy conversation set to a seasonal sound track -- there really is no place like home for the holidays when you're celebrating with friends and neighbors. An easy and festive way to maximize the fun of entertaining (and minimize the cleanup!) is to gather your neighbors and plan a house-to-house celebration. Each family pitches in, providing food or playing host, and the group travels from one home to the next feasting on treats, admiring decorations, and enjoying one another's company. In the pages that follow, we present inspired ideas for movable holiday feasts and festivities, such as progressive dinners and neighborhood carol-alongs, all drawn from families that entered our 2005 America's Most Fun Neighborhoods contest. We hope their ideas, tips, and strategies will inspire you to throw your own unforgettable party-to-go.