WAHM Forums

Hi Everyone,


I was just wondering if any of you have any great Holiday Ideas I can do with my kids that will last for a lifetime memory. Something special. As most of you are in the same boat, building a business. I have a budget for Christmas. I can't fill the house with Toys and things. I would like them to remember. I bet they can't remember one thing they got for Christmas last year. LOL





Thanks for the Ideas!


Jody

Great topic, Judy!

A memory I have from my childhood Christmases is our stockings. We
put them up after thanksgiving with the other decorations. Throughout
the month, little presents would begin to collect in them. When we were
really young, it was just our parents or maybe our grandparents when
they'd visit who would fill them, but as we got older, we participated in
filling the stockings of other family members too. The rule was that no
individual present could be more than $5 (probably have to increase that
now!) and all gifts had to be something "practical" or a pampering version
of an everyday item we wouldn't normally purchase. (For my sister and I,
it was the fun Bonne Bell flavored lip glosses that used to come in the
little tins; or we would get my mom a special lotion or bath product).

By Christmas Eve, our stockings would be full to the top with small
wrapped gifts, and we always made a point of getting together, having
cocoa, and our Christmas Eve snack ("towers" made from chocolate
wafers layered with real whipping cream that we prepared earlier in the
day and allowed to chill in the refridgerator all day so the wafers were
soft by the time we ate them- like a chocolate & whipped cream torte)
and then we would open our stocking gifts, taking turns so we went in a
circle with each person opening a gift and then going around again to
each open another gift until they were all opened. Some examples of
gifts we got include socks, undies, hair ribbons or barrettes, the brand of
toothpaste we always want but wasn't the thrifty brand my mom normally
purchased, etc.

This was a great family time and one of my fondest memories of
chidlhood. It was also a great idea on my mom's part, because it helped
them to stretch their budget and turned "everyday" practical items into
special gifts. As we got much older (teens) it was a lot of fun to pick silly
or unusual items and then mom or dad would have to figure out who they
came from. (Dad got many novelty ties/socks/boxers!) smileys/smiley36.gif

I hope this idea will help or inspire you. Now I am looking forward to
reading traditions other consultants have with their families- So please
post yours! smileys/smiley4.gif

--Kitt

I get both my kids ( and it has expanded to my niece as well ) a pair of Christmas jammies that they get to open Christmas Eve and wear to bed. Old Navy usually has cute ones real cheap...my 16 year old has always looked forward to that one present more than any others and she knows what's in it! I'm hoping my 16 month old will learn to look forward to it as well...my mom now does it for my sister and I ( copycat!smileys/smiley1.gif)


You will be surprised what your kids will remember when they are older and consider them "traditions"....things we never even thought about!


Have a beautiful holiday!

As kids we always got a special ornament that usually had our name on it so that every year when we were decorating the tree, we would always get to put all our years past ornaments on (no fighting over who gets to put up what ornaments). Then when I moved out, my mom got all my ornaments in a box for me and now I use them on my tree. I haven't been great about keeping up that tradition with my kids, but this year with Big Yellow Box we have a gorgeous ornament kit so we have been making those and not only will we use them for ourselves (I am making the ones for the kids as a special gift from me to them), but we are giving them to all of our family too.

I am not sure how old your children are, but here are a few suggestions. Some of them are very traditional. But they'll make memories:-)


1. This is VERY traditional, but some of my favorite memories are baking with my mom. I still make the same cookies with the same recipies. My children are 2 and 4. They LOVE to bake. Bake for the family and also make a few things to give away. I an still remember taking banana breads to my neighbors for my mom.


2. During the weeks before Christmas we turn all the lights out in the house except for the Christmas tree and all Christmas decorations. Then we play hid and seek together. Our kids love it. We are running around in the semi-darkness of the Chrismas lights. :-)


3. Make Christmas decorations and decorate a "bird" Christmas tree outside. (Popcorn and cranberry garlands. Pinecones with peanut butter etc.)


4. Christmas movie, popcorn, & cider


5. Make a present for someone. I had my children each paint a large ice cream bowl for their grandfather (BYB craft) then we bought peanuts, chocolate syrup, cherries, sprinkles and created a gift for grampy. My kids were THRILLED. They can hardly contain themselves. Everytime they talk with grampy on the phone they want to tell him about his present. It has really taken the focus off of them and what they are getting. We also made crafts for the in-laws & we are making gifts for their Sunday school teacher and Awana leaders.


6. My daughter (2) loves to look at the Christmas trees in stores. Take a visit to the mall or even your local K-mart to see all the decorated trees. :-)

7. A local church probably has an incredible Christmas program prepared. Ones near us have unbelievable plays complete with full orchestra and live animals. But even smaller country churches will have a very touching simple programs that will set the mood for the holidays. (They are generally FREE!)


8. Go caroling


9. Go look at Christmas lights


10. This may cost $10 or so, but you will end up with 20 little gifts that your kids can give away. Make "Snowman Soup." In a little plastic sandwich bag place a packet of hot cholcolate, miniture marshmellows, 2 hersheys kisses, and a candy cane for stiring. Staple a paper lable recipe on the top. The family that gave one to me had their children dip their finger tips in a stamp pad and make a fingerprint snow man on each label. It was so cute! They kids will enjoy it & have fun giving them as simple gifts.


Have a happy holiday!
Marianne Hanson
Independent Director
Big Yellow Box by Crayola
www.bigyellowbox.net/marianne (http://www.bigyellowbox.net/marianne)

Great ideas! Thanks everyone!

Our Tradition is eating dinner in the van one night and driving around looking at the Christmas Lights. It's inexpensive and the kids always enjoyed the treat. My kids are now 13 and 11 and we still do it.


One year we also decorated our Christmas Tree with just homemade decorations. My kids were young and we strung popcorn, dried cranberries and made paper chains to hang on the tree. The kids enjoyed coloring pages in a Christmas coloring book and cutting them out and hanging them on the tree also. It was inexpensive and they were able to decorate the whole tree with their own creations.


Borrow some books from the library and read a different Christmas story every night for the last 10 days of Christmas. My kids also have an advent calendar and they are able to eat one piece of chocolate from each day of the calendar.


We also do the PJ thing on Christmas Eve. Plus it gives them nice looking clothes to wear in the photos on Christmas Morning opening presents.


Remember, it's not what you can afford or what you buy them for Christmas that they remember. It's the time you spend with them that counts. That's what they will remember the most.


Tamra

I forgot to mention a couple of things. If you have a special hand me down Christmas decoration - make a big deal of it. For instance, we have this musical bell decoration that was a hand me down from my grandparents to my parents and now to me. When I hang it up each year we make a little ceremony around it.


Also, I'm not sure of your religion but if you attend Church - make that a tradition. Also, you can put up some symbolic religious item - like a tier of candles and light one each week then read a story like the birth of Jesus.


Tamra

Thanks Tamra! I love the Christmas lights idea. We usually do that but only when we are going somewhere else. LOL I am going to try that and the Pj idea this year!

Hi Jody! How about starting a Christmas scrapbook for your kids, and let them be involved in putting it together with you! I know when we work on my son's scrapbook (and he is only 4) he thinks it is the coolest thing because he gets to see lots of pictures of himself!

These are great! We do the PJ thing, and the new ornament every year. I try to make the ornaments reflect something they did that year; a sport they played, a new pet, first tooth, etc.


I find a new Christmas book and read it to the kids Christmas eve. My whole family, sisters, brothers, spouses, kids, come for Christmas so there are quite a few kids who get to enjoy this.
I also buy a new family game every year. We play it on Christmas and it gives us an excuse for family game night the rest of the year.


Also, why not "adopt" a family for Christmas. Talk to your kids about taking maybe one or two items off their list and instead going out and buying items for a family in need. My sister did this one year and it is the Christmas her kids remember the most and is their favorite. I am going to try and do this with my kids this year.

Have fun and enjoy all the memories you make with your kids. The more fun you have the more they will also.

Happy Holidays! smileys/smiley4.gif

My kids are 5 and 3. We do a lot of the above things too:drive to see Christmas lights, cut our own Christmas tree down at the tree lot and ride in the wagon ride, make cookies,ornaments, the kids like to make their own wrapping paper (Grandma and Grandpa love this). I usually have Nat King Cole's Christmas CD on too. We also sprinkle oats on the front lawn forSanta's reindeer. (We have a lot of out oftown family and we get gifts in the mail a few days early) so we unwrap a small gift each day a couple days before Christmas.


Our favorite books to read are "The night before Christmas" and last year "the Polar Express".