Monday, November 30, 2009

Baby’s First Christmas

It’s baby first Christmas! How exciting for you and them! Now is a perfect time to start traditions. Like buying the new bundle of joy a baby first Christmas ornament and sending a newborn santa letter. Or making them a scrapbook for the holiday season or just putting every day pictures in it for them and you to look back on. Here are a few gift ideas for your new bundle of joy.

If you ask a parent what they think they spend the most money on when it come to the kids they will probably say diapers. Diapers are expensive so a great gift to get a new baby or for a baby shower is a diaper cake. Diaper cakes are made to look like a wedding cake but it is made from diapers and is filled with toys, blankets, pacifiers, clothes, socks, and sometimes a keepsake for mom.

Soft squeaky washable books are another great gift idea for new babies. They can be washed and used over and over again. Don’t be worried if you get a book that is too advanced for your baby; your baby will grow into it before you know it and he will enjoy playing with it for a long time.

Piggy banks are a gift that can last for a lifetime. They can help your child learn to save money. Get them personalized with the child’s name and the year on it and it will be keepsake that will last.

Every parent wants to show off their new bundle of joy - especially around the holidays. A good gift idea to give to family members is a personalized photo frame with your child’s photo in it. Since your frame is personalized they can only put pictures of your child in it; pretty sneaky isn’t it?

Another gift idea for baby’s First Christmas is buying baby’s first Christmas pajamas. You will to give the pajamas to them early so when they open their presents on Christmas morning you can take all kinds of pictures with the pajamas on.

There are many places that will personalize blankets. These blankets are a great gift idea for babies because you can have them personalized with their name, the year and even baby’s first Christmas on them. They are machine washable so you can use them over and over for years.

Whatever you decide to do this year and in years to come, make sure you make memories with your kids that they will remember and you will too. Be sure to take a lot of picture so you all can look back on that special day.

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Thursday, November 26, 2009

Need Help Christmas Shopping For Your Wife This Holiday Season?

Most of the time when you ask a man if he likes to shop the answer is likely to be ‘no’. Whether it is for the Christmas season or just everyday shopping, it is often a dreaded chore. These men may love their wife dearly but the thought of shopping and getting a gift seems like a hard task to accomplish. Many women do not realize just how much it stresses their husbands to go shopping. In this article you find some stress free ideas to help you shop for your wife this holiday season.

Most women like anything that smells good or sparkles. Perfume that she wears, lotions that she uses and any kind of jewelry are always good gifts for most women. You could even have flowers sent to her a couple days before Christmas to surprise her.

If your wife is complaining all the time over the same things, listen to her around the holidays and get some ideas for Christmas presents. You may hear her complain that the photos are a mess and that you will be adding more to the mix with the Christmas photos that are sure to be taken. Instead of receiving this as a complaint, listen to it as a hint for a holiday gift. Maybe she would appreciate a nice photo album or perhaps you could put together a scrapbook for her with all the family pictures. That would provide a safe place for the photos and they would all be in one place – she would love it.

Another great gift idea to give to your wife is to buy a certificate to the spa. Most women enjoy getting pampered. Get a certificate that entitles her to having her nails done, facials, and massages. A day at the spa provides her with time to just sit back and relax, without cares or worries.

Another gift idea is hiring a maid service. Especially round the holidays a lot of women feel overwhelmed with the shopping, decorating and cleaning the house. Giving a certificate does not mean that you do not think that house is dirty, it just means that you see how hard she works and you want to try to make her life a little bit easier.

No matter what you get your wife this holiday season, she will love it as long as you put your time and thought into making it all about her. This holiday season try something new and try to surprise her with what you get her. Women like surprises whether they admit it or not.

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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Thanks To The Kids, You No Longer Have To Spend A Lot On Holiday Decorations

As parents we all know what matters most about the holidays; it’s not how much you spend or what you get, it’s all about the kids. The holidays are the most stressful time of the year, trying to make ends meet and get everyone what they want is hard for most of us. Fortunately getting great decorations is not difficult, nor is it expensive. This year, don’t spend much at all on them, instead, help the kids to make some.

One of the greatest benefits to doing this is to see how proud the kids are when their Christmas craft projects are complete and you are displaying them around the house. It gives your child a chance to have some pride in something that he or she has done alone or taken a part in.

To begin, most families that celebrate Christmas have a Christmas tree. You can start by having the kids help you make decorations for the tree. Visit your local craft store or even the craft section of a department store like Wal-Mart. Use your imagination and let the kids use theirs. You should be able to find just about anything you need for projects you want to do. In fact, you will probably get some great ideas as you look around.

Christmas craft projects are fun for all ages. This means there is something for everyone, from young to old, to do and enjoy. Your kids will proudly point out their art work to visitors and family members that visit during the holiday season. Their pride and sense of accomplishment will show on their faces – a free gift for you to enjoy and cherish; isn’t their happiness what it’s all about anyway?

Okay I am not going to list a lot of ideas about how to make this or that. This is not about that, this is just trying to show you that you don’t have to spend much on Decorations and after your kids and you sit down to work on a craft project or two you won’t want to buy store decorations anymore. But I will tell you a couple of things that my kids and I have done over the years. This fist one is for younger children, and we call it “Pine Cone Christmas Trees”. All you’ll need are Pine Cones, Green and red Glitter, Glue and tinsel. The directions are simple; you just dip the pine cone in glue and before the glue dries, sprinkle the cone with glitter. Top with it with a pipe cleaner that is shaped into a star or other creative shape. When the pine cone is completely dry you can glue on some tinsel and hang the ornament on the tree.

Hope that your family likes it as much as mine has. The next one is always fun to make; it’s a Snowflake and it’s quick and easy. For each snowflake you will need 4 toothpicks cut in half, 9 small glittery white pompoms, white craft glue and white or gold ribbon. First you paint the toothpicks white and let them dry. Glue pompoms to each end of the toothpick. Next you position the toothpicks in the shape you want and glue them (hot glue guns work great – but use caution if your children are helping). The last pompom is saved to adorn the center of the snowflake. After all glue is dry you simply tie on your ribbon and hang the ornament on the tree.

I hope you find these ideas an inspiration to come up with some of your own. Doing Christmas craft projects is as much a Christmas tradition at my house as writing letters to Santa is. These family times create lasting memories that each family member appreciates.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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Friday, November 20, 2009

Things To Consider Before Doing Your Christmas Shopping

We all know that Christmas is that special time of year when everyone spends time with their family and friends. There is just something magical about Christmas; seeing the kids’ intently writing letters to Santa and their expressions of delight when they receive a letter from Santa Claus himself. And that joyous wonder they show as they curiously inspect wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree. Of course, we cannot forget the look in their eyes when Christmas Day finally comes and at last, they get to see what Santa brought them and open all those wonderful gifts. These are true Kodak moments!

No one enjoys the Christmas Season more than kids do. But what makes it so special for them? It might be that they get some well deserved time out of school or the enchanting holiday decorations or the beauty of snow or just knowing that Santa is going to be coming to their house soon. Whatever it is, for kids, Christmas is more than just a holiday, it is a feeling that comes from within.

Christmas shopping for kids is always fun, but there are things that you have to consider before you go shopping for them, including budget, insuring that the toys are age appropriate for the child, purchasing toys that are loud or noisy or messy (after all, you have to deal with that long after the fun of Christmas is over), choosing toys that are not too big for the child’s room, and above all, being sure that it is a toy that your child will enjoy. With all those things in mind the fun of shopping for kids seems to take on a whole new meaning!

It is very important to set a budget before you go shopping and then make a list of all the people that you intend to buy for this holiday season. Then budget in how much you think that you will spend on each person, try to stick to your budget by buying things when they are on sale or purchasing things throughout the year.

Always make sure that the toy you have selected is age appropriate for your child. Small parts can be a choking hazard. Children under three usually still put things in their mouth so always consider that while you are shopping this year. Toys are labeled as to the age range they are intended for.

When you are shopping it is important to consider the child’s parents and the living situation. Loud toys can be annoying to neighbors and parents alike. Toys that are too big will hardly ever get played with. So always keep this in mind when you are shopping.

Always remember that Christmas is not about the gifts around the tree but the people around the tree; the memories that you make and the special time that you get to spend with your family and loved ones is what makes Christmas the special holiday that it is. However you decide to do your Christmas shopping this year just have fun with it and try not to stress too much - Christmas only comes one time a year and in a blink of the eye it is over again.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Santa Letters For Those Special Kodak Moments

Last year I was ready and waiting when my three grandchildren received their letters from Santa. You see, writing a Letter to santa has been a family holiday tradition since I was a child. For as long as I can remember the evening of Thanksgiving Day has always been designated as the official and traditional time for children of the family to write Santa Claus a letter and work on Christmas craft projects. This always seemed like the perfect way to end the Thanksgiving holiday and bring in the Christmas season.

Santa Letters are excitedly discussed over the meal and the children’s enthusiasm for writing grows long before dessert begins. As the writing begins each child has his/her own ideas about what must be included. One may feel the need to explain away a few bad grades or even some misbehavior and another may only make a list of what the perfect Christmas gifts under the tree would be. This varies from child to child and even from year to year.

When the letters are ready they are stuffed into envelopes and addressed to Santa at the North Pole. Then the wait begins. The children look forward to receiving a response to their letters. In years gone by this was a difficult task to carry out because as parents, we had to somehow get the ‘Letter from Santa’ into the mailbox at a time that would make the children believe it was delivered by the mail carrier. The other challenge was writing a letter that seemed authentic enough to be believable.

Nowadays parents do not have to do any sneaky work at all. Fortunately, there are now ways to have genuine letters from Santa delivered by your official mail carrier, along with other mail. And that brings us to where I was yesterday when my three grandchildren received their Christmas letters.

Daniel, my oldest is 10 and he was on the fence about believing in Santa Claus at all. When he received his letter his look was one of amazement. His eyes were wide and he almost looked afraid to open it. Savannah is 9 years old and an avid believer. When she saw the letter addressed to her it was as if she had known it was going to arrive at just that moment – no surprises at all; but Savannah read her letter in private before she shared it with us. Madilynn is only 3. She believes wholeheartedly and the simple fact that Santa wrote her a letter made her shrill with delight.

While each of my grandchildren had a different reaction, each facial expression was priceless – they were what people often refer to as Kodak moments!

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Friday, November 13, 2009

Letters To Santa Bring Joy To The Little Santa Letter Helpers

Children everywhere send Letters to Santa during the holiday season. Santa regularly hears from children that live in Canada, the United States, Japan, Mexico, United Kingdom, and so many other places.

Because children come different places and they are individuals with various wants and needs, each letter written to Santa is slightly different than the others he receives. Children that live in Hawaii often ask Santa for new swim gear and children that live in Canada are likely to ask for new sleds or snowboards.

But as the letters are written most children make it a point to thank Santa Claus and his helpers for the wonderful Christmases of years past. Those helpers most often mentioned are the elves and the reindeer. The reindeer are well aware of the appreciation felt for their services of flying Santa around the world on Christmas Eve because children often leave treats out for them to eat on that special night.

But when it comes to the little elves that work hard all year to insure that every toy asked for is delivered on time, these letters are the only way they find out how much the children value what they do. That’s why Santa and Mrs. Claus share these letters with the elves.

When Santa letters mention the elves and an appreciation for their work it makes them realize just how important their role really is. Christmas could not be Christmas without the help of the elves. Many times Santa will write a special note to children which reminds them of all the hard work done by the elves, the reindeer, all the other animals at the North Pole. Santa knows that without their help he could not make Christmas as magical as it is. A Letter from Santa is only made possible because Santa has the time to write them – and he would not have that time available without the help of the elves.

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Monday, November 9, 2009

Santa Letters From Santa’s Nice List Are A Child’s Best Reward

Parents everywhere use the concept behind Santa’s Naughty and Nice List as a way of eliciting good behavior from our children. This tactic has been used for generations, passed down from parent to child over and over.

Most of us can remember hearing our parents threaten us with calls to Santa or the simple, “Santa knows if you’ve been good or bad”, which was usually enough of a warning to scare us into being good, at least temporarily.

While as a child, had we known what we know now, this treatment may have been recognized as cruel or manipulative, as an adult we fully understand why our parents used this tactic – the simple truth is that it works. And when a parent finds a fail-proof way to get his/her child to demonstrate the deserved behaviors we latch on to it. In fact, many of us would like to find other ways to use the same sort of method year round.

This method puts the dirty work on someone else – but what child could ever think badly of Santa Claus? After all, he is the ultimate when it comes to giving and caring for other people. Obviously displeasing him is our fault – not his.

These Naughty and Nice Lists are often the core reason that many children want so desperately to write Letters to Santa. They want and need the assurance that they are on his Nice List. While the Santa Letters may not always directly ask Santa which list the child is on, most children know that a response from Santa means that they are in fact, on his Nice List.

The simple fact that a child receives a letter from Santa indicates that he is willing to take the time to talk with the child. In a child’s mind, misbehavior can result in a less caring relationship which would possibly mean that in this case, if the child was on the Naughty List, Santa wouldn’t care and would not write back. When children get a Christmas letter from the North Pole they know they have been forgiven for any misdeeds and that Santa still loves them – but more importantly, they know they are on Santa’s Nice List!

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Friday, November 6, 2009

A Santa Here, A Santa There?

Years ago kids had to wait for that special day when Santa came to town to sit on his lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas….do you remember that – it was a special weekend when Santa came to town. Kids often stood in a long line waiting for their turn to talk to Santa, to tell him what they really wanted for Christmas, to remind Santa about the special letter they sent to him. Santa would sometimes ask that scary question, “Have you been good this year,” which was terrifying for some of the kids to think about.

Times have changed, nowadays there’s a Santa Claus in every mall or in front of nearly every store during the holiday season. How do you explain that to young children? There is supposed to be one Santa that comes to town to see who has been good or bad and now they are everywhere.

You take the kids anywhere during the holidays and there is Santa Claus everywhere. I think this makes Santa look cheap and fake. It’s no wonder that so many kids stop believing in Santa at an early age. Christmas is supposed to be filled with magic for kids and Santa Claus is a big part of that. His magic is that he lives in the North Pole and he travels around the world in one night, delivering presents to all the boys and girls all over the world.

Doesn’t having all of these unnecessary Santa’s everywhere take some of that magic away?

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Sunday, November 1, 2009

Christmas Trouble Maker

Christmas was about two months away and I kept asking my husband for a kitten for the kids. Of course he kept telling me no, that’s the last thing that we need right now. I told him that I thought it would be a great pet for the kids and they are inexpensive, he should think about it a little more before just saying no.

It was about three weeks until Christmas and my husband was late coming home from work - by the time he had gotten home the kids were in bed. When he walked in the front door he had a little grey kitten in his arms. With a huge smile on his face he bellowed out, “Merry Christmas” and handed me the kitten.

The next day I got up and showed the kids the new member of the family. They could not believe that they got a new kitten for Christmas. They loved him immediately and their delight was evident by the beaming smiles on their faces. We decided to call him Tidas.

After I introduced everybody I took Tidas into the living room and as soon as I put him down he ran right to my Christmas tree. He instantly started smacking at the ornaments.

We tried to distract him with cat toys but he kept going back to my tree. I had forgotten about the troubles that kittens are - getting into stuff they shouldn't, climbing up shelves and knocking stuff down. I could tell I was going to have big problems with my new baby and the Christmas tree.

It had been about two weeks since we got Tidas and my Christmas tree had already been knocked down about twenty times, several ornaments had been broken and a few presents torn open, I was very frustrated. I started thinking of what I could use to block this itty bitty kitten from climbing up my tree or going around my tree and presents.

I had a play yard play pen for the kids that I was not using any more and I thought that it would perfect to put around the tree to block the cat and the kids. I got the playpen around the tree, the tree put back together with all the ornaments hanging, sparkling lights and the presents rewrapped and placed under the tree.

Finally, I had won the war - Tidas could not get to the Christmas tree or the presents anymore!

I will never forget the Christmas we got Tidas, we all had to redecorate the Christmas tree every night that year until we put that gate around the tree. I had forgotten how playful kittens are and the next time I ask for a new pet I am going to think twice about it and make sure I am ready for the challenges they bring to me.

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