Christmas: preparing & what

Last year we made the rule that all presents given to each other had to be home-made,  It was a fun challenge to our children to see what we could come up with, but the kids really got into it after some thought.  My then 10dd made a teddy bear for the 2 year old, a coloring book (hand-drawn and printed from the internet) for the 3yo, and a necklace for her 9yo sister.

The 9yo made a really cute alphabet book that she printed and colored, then cut out and laminated.  She hole punched them and put them on a ring for the 2yo.  She printed some adorable number, shape, and color pages, cut them out and put them in a photo album for the 3yo.  Then she made little pins for her 10yo sister to put on her Sunday dresses.

I made them both covered shoe box – one to put her sewing supplies in and one to put her art pencils in.  I can’t remember what I gave the littles,  😉  But we had a lot of fun sneaking around before Christmas being secretive.  Then I tried to come up with new traditions to pass the Christmas day.   We made a birthday cake and put a miniature nativity on it, read the KJV of the birth of our Savior and sang happy birthday to Jesus.  It is neat to watch the littles – they understand birthdays and candles.  lol

Another thing we have done is talked about what the death/resurrection of Jesus means for each of us.  Then we talk about things that we can give him…a cheerful heart, helping others, being more diligent about studying the scriptures, etc.  Each person then writes their gift to Jesus on a paper and we place them in small fancy wrapped boxes.  Then we work on those gifts and share our experiences we had while doing our gift.  Can really build a family relationship. 

You could have your boys make necklace holders, key holders, etc. for someone with a board, sandpaper, and nails.  They can make a tie rack with the same type of thing.  You can have the kids make coupon books of services they will perform for other when the receiver cashes it in.  There are lots of gift ideas that kids can make if you google that topic. 

We started focusing on the service and fun of Christmas beginning Dec. 1 – we had Bible advent calandars, special baking days. did the 12 Days of Christmas with 12 different people every night of the 12, (let the kids choose who with in your limits – and let them make the treat/card/gift you deliver) – and do it anonymously.  CurrClick has lots of Christmas Unit Studies available – we only do this at Christmas, and it is fun to read about all the traditions and how things came to be associated with our celebration of the Lord’s birth. 

I did not let the kids look at advertising as much as possible since those are designed to make a person covet, crave, can’t live without that thing….=)  (It wasn’t hard – we don’t watch TV)  –

The best thing I could suggest is to pray about it.  Tell the Lord you want to do this, ask for His help and guidance while you study it out, talk about it and carry it out.  It will be the Christmas everyone remembers with delight and fondness. 

It was harder for my hubby  than anyone else…he loves to give things to the kids, and I keep having to shovel out the house…for example, we have had to give away 6 different doll houses b/c he finds them at yard sales cheap or free and brings them home all the time.  (He drives a FedEx route so he is always finding bargains, lol)  It is hard for the men isn’t it?  I think that it makes them feel like they are not providing well enough for their family, that was my dad’s feeling when we did it.  Maybe if you approached it also as a learning and teaching moment (service and the Savior, generosity, etc) and less as a no money moment, it would be easier for him to get on board. 

I know that there are people who disagree with this, so take it or leave it based on your feelings.  I compromised with my hubby…he could do the Santa gifts if he choose, but no more than 3 per child (ala the wisemen) and the total cost per kid could be no more than $25.00.  It worked out fine.  I know that you don’t want to do that either, but it did ease the money sting a bit for him.  Although, we have all girls and no boys, so not sure that was a help,  =)   (Our problem is that we already have all the toys we need…sigh)

My sister died 2 days before Christmas 5 years ago.  My friends droppped everything to help us…they ended up having company for dinner and no Christmas dinner.  My whole family got together and cooked a turkey dinner and took it to them.  It was such a sweet experience to be able to do for someone else when we were in such a state.., we were able to focus on someone else.  Maybe there is someone at church you could invite over for the day, take dinner to, etc.

On Christmas eve, we have a nice family dinner and then act out the Navity as we read the account in Luke and Matthew.  Then we sing all the Christmas songs we can.

Another thing for prolonging Christmas day is to hide the stuffed socks all over the house.  Everyone has to find their socks before anyone can open a present.  =)  It is sooo fun.  My aunt’s family has gotten really creative as the family got older…inside the piano, behind a kitchen drawer, in the bag of unground wheat,  lol  They opened presents at 6 pm that night (they were in their early 20’s that time).  We found inside the bottom of the living room chairs, the laundry room, etc.  You just hide it based on your child’s age and ability.  FUN.  I am going to try it this year, since my littles are bigger.

We are doing a home-made Chrsitmas again this year because the whole Christmas season was more fun.  I’ll put your family and hubby in our prayers.

These are the “stockings hung by the fire with care” – our family has matching socks we made that are pretty good size.  We “fill” them with apples, oranges, bananas, nuts, candies, small toys or gifts.  (My aunt had Twinkies in hers – and my cousin was tired of waiting for his sister to find hers – it was buried in the bag of wheat – and he sat on the wheat to give her a clue.  Smashed it to smithereens.  lol)   After you stuff them, you hide them and everyone has to find them Christmas morning before anyone opens a present.   Someone has to hide yours, though,  No fair peeking.   =)