Mommyfaithe Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Please share your favorite crafts, recipes, traditions etc. After all the trauma my family has been through these past couple of years, I NEED to make this one memorable. Dh, dd and I are diabetic, so we need to go easy on the baked stuff... Please help me to amke this Christmas memorable and fun for my little people... Thanks, Faithe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I hear you! We are starting with lighting the first Advent candle tonight. And we are going to read Jotham's Journey -- but before I even knew about J'sJ, we would do different read alouds every night in December. And, we celebrate Hanukkah -- (which begins Wednesday) -- we will have a special dinner and we have a Menorah. Last night, to kick things off, the kids sat and watched Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol with me and DH -- it happens to be probably my favorite tv special from when I was a kid. And, we do have holiday music playing. And, we have signed up for a couple of service projects at our homeschool co-op Church....toys for tots and stuff like that..........food to help stock the food pantry. I think the most important thing is to have everyone talking and communicating -- in our house this year it is about being back in our house this Christmas (last year we were in the hotel) and talking about Stacey, Mario, Allison, Emily and how we can help them and be sensitive to their needs -- by keeping what is in our hearts in the forefront, no matter what you all do, it will be special.:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Taking notes.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Taking notes.. I think we need a special smilie for that... Sorry I don't have any amazing ideas, I am totally not artistic; I could do Christmas baking but that's not helpful! But I wanted to say that I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family. Peace Hedgehog x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 I think we need a special smilie for that... x I agree! I say it alot! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Tonight I created a Family Advent Activity Calendar, and asked for ideas to fill it with. Items include buying a tree, decorating tree, making popcorn garland for the tree, making cookies (multiple times), putting up Nativity, decorating day, making advent wreath, making cards, Lego day (make Christmas things with them), night-time light-gawking drives, and building a gingerbread house (purchased kit), neighbor gift delivery day, cookie exchange, present making days, St Nicholas Day, Epiphany, and our community service day. Of course, we just moved a boom box into the family room so that we can play Christmas music incessantly in either the FR or the LR EVERY SINGLE DAY. I want my kids to be able to sing along with them all by Christmas. My husband will LOVE our drive out to his folks that way. :D A 2 hour sing-along. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Every year, we choose a someone to bless. One year it was the librarians. Another year it was our elderly neighbor. This year it will be our wonderful dental hygienist and her office. (She's been cleaning my teeth since I was a teen, and we always come away inspired by her positive conversation.) We make a basket with cookies, bookmarks, handmade cards with words of appreciation, a little craft or two, maybe a coffee g.c. if we can swing it...not a lot, but a gesture of thanks and appreciation. Actually, now that I think of it, it was my dental hygienist who gave us the idea, as she does this with her children every year. :) My kids also really love love love putting out candles and lighting them in the evenings. Such a small simple act, but it brings light to this dark time of year and makes our home seem cheerful and festive. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Well, my first thought when you said you have to go easy on the baked stuff is that you should make Cinnamon Dough ornaments. All the fun of baking and decorating and HEAVENLY smells through the house, but nothing actually to *eat*. Google for recipes and buy cinnamon in the bulk cartons (cheap that way), then make the dough, roll it out, use Christmas cookie cutters (stars or gingerbread men, etc), punch a small hole with a straw, then bake (the recipe should tell you how -- long and low)... Tie a ribbon through the hole and you have a beautiful cinnamon dough ornament that smells like Christmas. :) Great for hanging on the tree or tying on gifts for friends and family, or just giving away with a Christmas wish... Making pomanders is another way to get all of those Christmas smells into the house without making something you all can't eat. Again, buy inexpensive bulk cloves and the cheapest oranges you can find. Use a tooth pick to punch holes in the orange about 1/8-1/4" apart, then push cloves into the holes. (It works best to do a small portion of the orange at a time -- maybe 15-20 holes, then cloves, then add more holes, then put the cloves in...) Fill a bowl with them and they'll make the house smell like Christmas. Afterwards, put them in a box with other Christmas decorations to store 'til next year. They'll continue to dry and come out smelling lovely next year as well... My kids love celebrating St Nicholas Day. The St Nicholas Center website has wonderful ideas. We have a basket of Christmas books that I pull out along with all of our ornaments and the nativity set. The kids have fond memories of these books and reread them each year... I used to read them aloud each year, but they've outgrown that a bit... When my siblings and I were little, we began playing a game in December where our three elves (they're actually elves-on-skis napkin rings, lol) would hide each night, somewhere around the house. During the day we'd try to find all three of them, but if someone touched one, they wouldn't be able to play and hide that night. It was just a silly tradition with no meaning behind it at all -- but one that we considered a lot of fun. I haven't carried it on at our house, but when we go to my parents house for Christmas, the elves still hide and my kids go look for them. We read an advent book each year. Geraldine McCaughrean's The Jesse Tree is the one we always go back to, but we've also enjoyed Jotham's Journey... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 Making pomanders is another way to get all of those Christmas smells into the house without making something you all can't eat. Again, buy inexpensive bulk cloves and the cheapest oranges you can find. Use a tooth pick to punch holes in the orange about 1/8-1/4" apart, then push cloves into the holes. (It works best to do a small portion of the orange at a time -- maybe 15-20 holes, then cloves, then add more holes, then put the cloves in...) Fill a bowl with them and they'll make the house smell like Christmas. Afterwards, put them in a box with other Christmas decorations to store 'til next year. They'll continue to dry and come out smelling lovely next year as well.... My SIL and I did this one year. We had never done it before, but MIL had heard of it and had the supplies and wanted us to make them for her (she was busy making Christmas dinner). We didn't know about poking holes with toothpicks...that might have made it easier. We did find that it was very time consuming (maybe the toothpicks would have sped it up), and we were unable to cover the oranges because it took so long. I would advise creating a very spaced out pattern, and then filling it in more if time allows. We also thought they had a very strong scent, so spacing out the cloves more would allow you to stop before it gets too strong for you, or to continue if you think it's ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted November 29, 2010 Author Share Posted November 29, 2010 :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I hear you! We are starting with lighting the first Advent candle tonight. And we are going to read Jotham's Journey -- but before I even knew about J'sJ, we would do different read alouds every night in December. And, we celebrate Hanukkah -- (which begins Wednesday) -- we will have a special dinner and we have a Menorah. Last night, to kick things off, the kids sat and watched Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol with me and DH -- it happens to be probably my favorite tv special from when I was a kid. And, we do have holiday music playing. And, we have signed up for a couple of service projects at our homeschool co-op Church....toys for tots and stuff like that..........food to help stock the food pantry. I think the most important thing is to have everyone talking and communicating -- in our house this year it is about being back in our house this Christmas (last year we were in the hotel) and talking about Stacey, Mario, Allison, Emily and how we can help them and be sensitive to their needs -- by keeping what is in our hearts in the forefront, no matter what you all do, it will be special.:grouphug: We also celebrate Hannukah...as I am Jewish :-) We will do a special meal and also light or menorrah and play lots of Hannukah games etc. I love our festival of Light. You are right about the communication and being together as a family. I intend to be doing lots and lots of that! Hope you are all doing well...sending hugs :grouphug: ~~Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted November 29, 2010 Author Share Posted November 29, 2010 Every year, we choose a someone to bless. One year it was the librarians. Another year it was our elderly neighbor. This year it will be our wonderful dental hygienist and her office. (She's been cleaning my teeth since I was a teen, and we always come away inspired by her positive conversation.) We make a basket with cookies, bookmarks, handmade cards with words of appreciation, a little craft or two, maybe a coffee g.c. if we can swing it...not a lot, but a gesture of thanks and appreciation. Actually, now that I think of it, it was my dental hygienist who gave us the idea, as she does this with her children every year. :) My kids also really love love love putting out candles and lighting them in the evenings. Such a small simple act, but it brings light to this dark time of year and makes our home seem cheerful and festive. Cat I love this idea!! I will ask the kids who they would like to bless this way. Thanks, Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted November 29, 2010 Author Share Posted November 29, 2010 Tonight I created a Family Advent Activity Calendar, and asked for ideas to fill it with. Items include buying a tree, decorating tree, making popcorn garland for the tree, making cookies (multiple times), putting up Nativity, decorating day, making advent wreath, making cards, Lego day (make Christmas things with them), night-time light-gawking drives, and building a gingerbread house (purchased kit), neighbor gift delivery day, cookie exchange, present making days, St Nicholas Day, Epiphany, and our community service day.Of course, we just moved a boom box into the family room so that we can play Christmas music incessantly in either the FR or the LR EVERY SINGLE DAY. I want my kids to be able to sing along with them all by Christmas. My husband will LOVE our drive out to his folks that way. :D A 2 hour sing-along. :lol: MUSIC!! Of course!! Beach Boys, Jackson 5...LOL!! ELVIS...love those Christmas special albums... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted November 29, 2010 Author Share Posted November 29, 2010 Well, my first thought when you said you have to go easy on the baked stuff is that you should make Cinnamon Dough ornaments. All the fun of baking and decorating and HEAVENLY smells through the house, but nothing actually to *eat*. Google for recipes and buy cinnamon in the bulk cartons (cheap that way), then make the dough, roll it out, use Christmas cookie cutters (stars or gingerbread men, etc), punch a small hole with a straw, then bake (the recipe should tell you how -- long and low)... Tie a ribbon through the hole and you have a beautiful cinnamon dough ornament that smells like Christmas. :) Great for hanging on the tree or tying on gifts for friends and family, or just giving away with a Christmas wish... Making pomanders is another way to get all of those Christmas smells into the house without making something you all can't eat. Again, buy inexpensive bulk cloves and the cheapest oranges you can find. Use a tooth pick to punch holes in the orange about 1/8-1/4" apart, then push cloves into the holes. (It works best to do a small portion of the orange at a time -- maybe 15-20 holes, then cloves, then add more holes, then put the cloves in...) Fill a bowl with them and they'll make the house smell like Christmas. Afterwards, put them in a box with other Christmas decorations to store 'til next year. They'll continue to dry and come out smelling lovely next year as well... My kids love celebrating St Nicholas Day. The St Nicholas Center website has wonderful ideas. We have a basket of Christmas books that I pull out along with all of our ornaments and the nativity set. The kids have fond memories of these books and reread them each year... I used to read them aloud each year, but they've outgrown that a bit... When my siblings and I were little, we began playing a game in December where our three elves (they're actually elves-on-skis napkin rings, lol) would hide each night, somewhere around the house. During the day we'd try to find all three of them, but if someone touched one, they wouldn't be able to play and hide that night. It was just a silly tradition with no meaning behind it at all -- but one that we considered a lot of fun. I haven't carried it on at our house, but when we go to my parents house for Christmas, the elves still hide and my kids go look for them. We read an advent book each year. Geraldine McCaughrean's The Jesse Tree is the one we always go back to, but we've also enjoyed Jotham's Journey... Great ideas...keep'em coming! I like the ornament idea and I think we did pomanders once...that was fun too. Thanks, Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 one of the nicest things we've done was to wrap children's christmas story books (that we already had) and unwrap one each night and read it together. it cost almost nothing, but made it very special. we also light a candle at dinner each night in december. sometimes we have the special advent countdown candle, but sometimes we just eat by candlelight each night. each girl has an advent calendar on her door, and they open them each morning. this year, i am spending three dollars and getting an online one from jacquielawson.com for us to share, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 ...We did find that it was very time consuming (maybe the toothpicks would have sped it up)... The toothpicks make a *tremendous* difference. Or a small nail would work, etc. Trying to punch the cloves directly into the oranges takes forever and is pretty painful! :) But pre-punching holes means you can churn those babies out pretty quickly. You do want to leave spaces between the cloves, since the oranges will shrink as they dry out -- but too much space and they'll take too long to dry. The smell also dissipates over time (though the pomanders themselves will last, quite literally forever -- they've been found in the tombs of ancient Egypt). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolosoli Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 One of our most favourite traditions: We buy tons of bird seed and peanuts with the shell. On Christmas Eve before bed, the kids and I go outside and we put it all out for the birds and squirrels. We line all the tops fences with bird seed and shells. We cover all around trees and bushes. We fill all the bird feeders we have a set them out. We have hanging feeders and on the ground feeders. We decorate around a little tree...which is the focal point from out front window. Our entire yard is covered with bird seed and nuts! Anyways....when the birds and squirrels get up in the morning they have the BEST Christmas present ever! The results are different each too. Sometimes there are a dozen or more squirrels and loads of birds all having the time of their lives! Sometimes there is just one lonely squirrel braving his way through the dozens and dozens of crows!!!! It is always amazing to watch though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted November 29, 2010 Author Share Posted November 29, 2010 One of our most favourite traditions: We buy tons of bird seed and peanuts with the shell. On Christmas Eve before bed, the kids and I go outside and we put it all out for the birds and squirrels. We line all the tops fences with bird seed and shells. We cover all around trees and bushes. We fill all the bird feeders we have a set them out. We have hanging feeders and on the ground feeders. We decorate around a little tree...which is the focal point from out front window. Our entire yard is covered with bird seed and nuts! Anyways....when the birds and squirrels get up in the morning they have the BEST Christmas present ever! The results are different each too. Sometimes there are a dozen or more squirrels and loads of birds all having the time of their lives! Sometimes there is just one lonely squirrel braving his way through the dozens and dozens of crows!!!! It is always amazing to watch though! This sounds very cool....I wonder if the bears are sleeping yet though... Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 I think some of my children's fondest memories will be the simple stuff. For instance one year when they were very small, I decided we'd have "Christmas Milk" Add milk to a pretty Christmas glass, let them add a few drops of food coloring, and stir with a straw. My kids are teens now but we still have Christmas Milk. Along the lines of blessing someone, I wanted to find a special way to thank some of the people who serve us through the year. When my kids were in elementary school I'd make a very nice dinner for their teachers to take home to their families on the last day of school. I let them know it was coming in advance I'd also make enough to surprise others--sometimes another family, my hair dresser, my pastor's family, the church custodian, etc on different years. People love it and I can't tell you how much the teachers appreciated it. The first time I did it the teacher was holding back tears--students' families are generous in giving them gifts but in all their years no one had ever done that for them. It's a full day of work during a very busy week, but it's so worthwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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