The Inland Echo

Spokane Borders at the "Y" and Waldenbooks in Spokane Valley Mall will host free, family-friendly New Year's Eve parties for kids on Wednesday, Dec. 31, beginning at 2pm. The events will include fun New Year's-themed activities for kids of all ages and are a great opportunity for families to spend an enjoyable -- and affordable -- afternoon together.

The parties will kick off with age-appropriate arts and crafts activities, including coloring for younger children and projects that invite older children to create their own New Year's Eve party hats, noisemakers and countdown clocks. Next, kids seven and under will have a story time, during which they will enjoy beloved classics such as "Goodnight Moon," "Corduroy" and "Harold and the Purple Crayon." While the younger crowd settles in for story time, older children can participate in seasonally themed activities -- a brief foreign language lesson that teaches kids how to say "Happy New Year" in Japanese, Italian, Turkish, Swahili and a variety of other languages and a "predict the future" game that encourages kids to think about what will happen in 2009. The party will also include a festive parade, giving kids a chance to sing and show off their party hats and noisemakers, and -- since no New Year's Eve party is complete without a countdown -- kids will wrap-up the party by counting down from ten and ringing in the new year a few hours early.

In honor of the party, the Seattle's Best Coffee cafe in Borders will be offering free samples of beverages and baked goods throughout the event. Special seasonal treats to try include Vanilla Red Tea Latte, a naturally caffeine-free beverage made with Rooibos tea and velvety steamed milk; Green Tea Latte, featuring lightly sweetened Matcha green tea with hints of melon and tropical fruits; Chai Tea Latte, which includes black tea accented with sweet cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and vanilla; and Organic French Roast, a full-bodied coffee that truly tastes as big as it smells, with hints of dark chocolate in every sip. Also be sure to sample the OvenSong(TM) Raspberry Thumbprint Scone, a lightly sweetened treat with a rich cream flavor that is filled with raspberry preserves and topped with a dusting of sugar crystals.

Borders and Waldenbooks stores are committed to providing their local communities with free, family-friendly entertainment. In addition to the New Year's Eve parties, Borders and Waldenbooks stores will host two special events Jan. 17 just for children -- one in the morning specifically for toddlers that is focused around the work of noted author and illustrator Sandra Boynton, and one in the afternoon for kids of all ages to celebrate the presidential inauguration. Also, a Kids Tea Party is planned for Jan. 24, and most Borders superstores have regularly scheduled story times each Saturday.

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