Thursday, December 1, 2016

Your One Stop Shop for Holiday Activity Ideas!

From my home to yours, Merry Christmas

It’s Christmastime! While it may only be December first, if you’re like me, you might already feel behind when faced with the daunting tasks this season brings. Confession time. I don’t merely want to “get through” the holidays. Instead I want to actually enjoy all the magic and splendor this season has to offer. Why should kids have all the fun?

To include all the fun and exclude the crazy, I find it best to schedule in some holiday activities. Planning ahead takes a little of the hysteria out of what should be memorable family time. To get your wheels spinning, I’ve packed this post with some fun ideas your family might enjoy.

Baking Cookies
The old standby. One thing my family and I will be doing this year is baking sugar cookies in the shape of the characters from the Nativity. We will then give these out to friends and neighbors. Here is a good recipe…

Ingredients:
1 c. butter, softened
1 ½ c. powdered sugar
1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla
2 ½ c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. cinnamon

Method:
          Preheat oven to 400 degrees
      Cream butter and sugar  
     Add egg and vanilla. Mix well.
     Sift dry ingredients and add them to the mixture
     Chill dough for three to five hours 
     Roll onto floured board
     Cut out cookies to desired shapes
      Cool before decorating

Christmas Caroling
An old classic that, sadly, nobody does anymore. I try to incorporate a little party with this fun activity. I have a manned fire in the front yard accompanied with appetizers and spirits indoors. After singing our merry way through our neighborhood, we return home for Christmas cookies and hot cocoa. For the adults, I will be trying my hand at hot-buttered rum this year!

Here are a few ground rules for making this a successful activity…
1) Have plenty of gloves, flashlights and glow sticks to share.
2) Have kiddies take a bathroom break BEFORE venturing out!
3) Plan which song you are going to sing before you approach each house.
4) After you have sung your selected song, start moving on to the next house while singing the chorus  
of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”. This keeps things moving.
5) Avoid chatting too much with your neighbors, leaving guests to their own devices. (Number three from this list will help with that).

Here are a few classic tunes that usually work well for this activity…   
1) Jingle Bells
2) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
3) Silent Night

Christmas Lights Tour
Kids love to look at Christmas lights! My kids always look forward to this fun tradition. We pack up some cookies, turn on the Christmas music, grab a fresh cup of hot cocoa and drive around looking for our favorite light displays!

Here are some ways to enhance the fun with this activity…
1)    Wear PJ’s
2)    Bring cozy blankets (Sorry drivers. None for you.)
3)    Pack Christmas light glasses (found at most toy stores)
4)    Create a bingo game (include Santa’s, Nativity scenes, reindeer, etc.)
5)    Play “I Spy”

You may want to take your tour one step further by booking a tour bus with your friends and family. Many of these bus companies allow cookies and cocoa on board. If you plan such a tour, I recommend scheduled bathroom breaks and bringing extra activities for the kids, including coloring sheets, a playlist of Christmas sing-a-long music, stickers and blank paper that they can use with crayons to create their own Christmas scene. 

Christmas Cards
This year, my kids will be making Christmas cards for teachers, coaches, our mail carrier, and others who help our family in special ways. I recommend doing this as a fun way of teaching kids how to get some of the warm fuzzies of good cheer.

Here are a few ideas…
      1) Snap and print some pics ahead of time
      2) Write out some “cheery message” ideas like “Seasons Greetings”, etc.
      3) Lay out a variety of craft supplies including markers, glue, crayons, ribbon, paint, cotton balls,
          stickers, etc.    
      4) Make it a party by putting out some snacks and a fun punch
      5) Include envelopes for after the cards dry

Give Back
For me, having theatre kids means that our family is always SUPER busy during the holidays. This makes it hard to make time for volunteering. If you’re low on time, consider giving back by purchasing some necessities and giving them to those less fortunate.

Here are some ideas…
Give your child a gift card to use in purchasing a special toy for a child in need
Have your family go food shopping for a local food bank
If you live in an area with cold weather, purchase scarves, gloves and hats and tie them to trees in areas where the homeless can find them. Attach a simple note saying “If you are in need of this item, please take it as our gift to you. With love, Merry Christmas”.
Have your family purchase and fill freezer bags with other essentials including beef jerky, wipes, bottled water, clean socks, feminine hygiene products and deliver them to shelters who can get them to the homeless (skip the hand sanitizer and mouthwash, please).

While the list of potential holiday fun can go on and on, I am hopeful that I have included some fun ideas that can be made to fit easily into your schedule. Happy planning happy holidays and MERRY CHRISTMAS

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