Christmas Expectations

Christmas Expectations

Some traditions will never change!

Every holiday has its own theme and customs and of course, Christmas has Santa Claus and the Christmas tree. Each year, when the holiday season rolls around, people have certain Christmas expectations. For instance, most of us envision enjoying what we consider a traditional Christmas – and that will likely include the Yule log, Santa Claus, and a Christmas tree.

Color Schemes

Christmas is a festive occasion. The traditional colors associated with Christmas are red and green. You will also see silver and gold which indicate riches and glory. Santa is usually dressed in a red suit that is trimmed in white and his elves usually wear green.

These colors have been established over the centuries. People take these colors for granted to be in conformance to the Christmas spirit. Classic candy canes are red and white.  

Snow

For some reason, many people have associated snow with Christmas. It is possible that since many countries and states normally have snow in December, people worldwide believe that snow is a necessary ingredient for Christmas.

In places that do not have snow, people will simulate the snow by using spray cans. Some plastic Christmas trees would have green leaves and some white painted on the boughs and leaves to give a semblance of snow on the tree. 

Memorable Decorations 

There are some decorations that have to be present in every household. The Christmas wreath is usually placed in a noticeable place. The wreath represents life and vigor. Mistletoe will be hung in a location that is conducive for kissing. Couples are expected to kiss each other under the mistletoe. Some houses may have actual Yule logs burning in the fireplace. Others may make a dessert in the shape of the Yule log. 

Santa Claus and His Helpers 

Figures of Santa Claus may be used to decorate the home. Besides Santa, some people also decorate their yard and homes with figures of reindeer, Elves, Frosty the Snowman, and Santa’s sleigh. These decorations add a festive atmosphere to the space and make it more joyful for all to enjoy. 

Cookies and Milk 

Children insist on leaving a snack out for Santa when he visits and the traditional snack is cookies and milk. The thought is that Santa can get very tired on his long journey going from house to house. The cookies and milk can give him energy and perhaps give your child a few extra points with Santa. With that in mind, it is important to make sure that the cookies and milk are gone when the children wake up in the morning.

These are some of the many Christmas expectations we associate with this holiday. Please share your thoughts about Christmas traditions…

Debbie Allen is a regular team member at Package From Santa. Many of her articles discuss Christmas decorations and other holiday traditions.

Santa Claus, Indiana: Where Christmas Happens Year Round

Santa Claus, IN is one of those rare places that makes it easy to celebrate the Christmas spirit on a daily basis, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The name of the town seems to say it all. But is the name deceiving? Read this article and you be the judge…

The Location

Santa Claus, Indiana is located in Spencer County, which is in the southwestern part of the state. According to the 2010 census, population was at 2,481. The town is between the Ohio River and Interstate 64.

The History

The town of Santa Claus has a rich history that goes back to the late 1840’s. Originally known as Santa Fe, (pronounced Santa Fee), however, the name was not accepted by the US Postal Service because there was already a city that had that name established with the USPS. For a period of time this place was known as the ‘nameless town’. But after several town meetings and much discussion, it was later decided that the name Santa Claus would be used.

Themed Attractions

Whether your preference is camping, museums, or fun in the sun, Santa Claus, IN can deliver. The town offers a variety of things to do for the entire family. Santa’s Candy Castle includes a candy theme and Santa’s workshop. Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari is renowned for the world’s longest water coasters. This park is divided into 4 sections where you will find celebrations for Christmas, Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July, and Halloween.

Santa Claus also offers the Santa Claus Museum, Santa’s Stables, and Christmas Lake Golf Course. Plus, it’s home to Lake Rudolph campground & RV Resort and Santa’s Lodge. There really is something for everyone!

More Than A Theme Park

Although many people think of Santa Claus as a great place to visit because of the themed attractions, others know the area is a perfect place to live. Most of the residents live in the gated community called Christmas Lake Village. The place includes 2,500 acres beautifully developed around 3 lakes: Lake Noel, Lake Holly, and of course, Christmas Lake. Street names conjure up thoughts of the holiday season. Holiday Village is another popular neighborhood in the area.

Christmas Lake Village are all named after the Christmas season. Many residents also live in Holiday Village, a subdivision on the north side of town.

Final Thoughts

If you want to enjoy a break from the hustle and bustle of rush hour traffic and your regular routines, why not visit Santa Claus, IN? It’s centrally located and rather easy to get to for most U.S. residents. In fact, it may be ‘on the way’ to your next destination.

Debbie Allen is a professional content writer that saves all her letters from Santa every year – they are favorite Christmas keepsakes!

Image courtesy of digitalart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Santa’s Reindeer And Christmas Letters

I bet some of you out there have wondered how Santa’s reindeer spend their time when they're not flying across the world helping Santa to deliver gifts to children everywhere. After much research and I will now share with you the secret life of Santa’s reindeer at the North Pole.

Santa’s elves tend their warm and cozy stables and they keep plenty of fresh hay in each stall. All of the reindeer have their own bowls made special for them. Dancer’s bowls are shiny gold with sparkling music notes all around the side. In the bowls is their food that Mrs. Claus makes using Santa’s magical reindeer food recipe. On the wall all of their bells and harnesses are displayed waiting for the next Christmas Eve.

They love to play with all of the other wood creatures who live at the North Pole. Mrs. Claus watches all the animals play from her kitchen window while she bakes her pies. When they play hide and seek the little white snow bunnies always win. Sometimes hidden in the snow the animals find gifts from Santa Claus. They are usually small little treats that Mrs. Claus made especially for them.

The reindeer have important work to do for Santa all year long. Santa’s mailed is delivered to a special cart that the reindeer pull. When a bundle of letters arrives at the North Pole it is the reindeer’s job to make sure all the mail gets to Santa’s office. Santa’s small elves would have a hard time moving all those letters in so much snow. Without the reindeer Santa would have a hard time answering all those Christmas letters.

The reindeer love to practice to fly. They fly over the tall pines and glide right above the frozen rivers and lakes. It takes practice to fly around city skyscrapers and mountain peaks, even with Rudolph’s light leading the way. They have races in the sky and the elves watch and cheer from the ground below. When the reindeer land in the fresh snow a cloud of sparkling white rises up from under and around them. The reindeer disappear for a moment until the snow cloud settles again.

When Rudolph receives letters from children all of the other reindeer help him to write letters back. They take the letters to a special mail box that says letters from Rudolph in gold writing. These letters get delivered the same as letters from Santa Claus.

As you can see, the reindeer have plenty to keep them busy at the North Pole. While they like being at home at the North Pole the thing they love the most is that magical flight they take each and every Christmas Eve. Making children of the world happy is part of the magic of reindeer.

Christmas Stress And Santa’s Nice List

It is easy to get caught up in the rush of the Christmas season. For moms it can sometimes seem a little overwhelming. There is so much that needs to be done and done by you. Here I will hope to show ways to relieve holiday stress.
Shopping is one of the major causes of holiday stress. Try to avoid shopping in the evening or on the weekends. These are the busiest times of day for stores. When you do go take a list and mark off each item as you purchase it. Don’t drive yourself mad trying to find the season’s must have item. I keep an envelope in my purse to keep track of receipts. The most stress free way to shop is online in the comfort of your own home.
At home you can take a long bath to help ease the stress. I get away with this by having my older children help the younger ones to write letters to Santa. If you don’t have older children have your husband help out. Light some holiday scented candles and let the water wash away your stress.
Couples sometimes disagree on the amounts of money being spent on the holidays. Before you begin shopping sit down together decide what you can really afford. There is no sense in putting yourselves in debt over Christmas.
Take time to do activities with your kids. You can do something simple like decorating a bowl to put reindeer food out in. We like to bake and decorate cookies as a family and deliver them to friends and neighbors. My kids like to make pretty cards to give to their teachers. Every year I help the kids write a letter to Santa.
When you bring home the gifts you buy wrap them so that you don’t have a pile to wrap at the last minute. Buy an inexpensive plastic tote to keep your tape, tissue paper, scissors, and gift bags together and handy. If you have gifts that are going to different places wrap the gifts for each place in a different color.
If you must travel during the holidays be sure to bring something to keep your child entertained. If you will be in a car for any extended time pack a few snacks and drinks. You are setting yourself up for frustration if you take nothing along for the ride. Look online for game ideas the whole family can play in the car. Put on some Christmas music and see how many songs you all know.
Take a deep breath and remember that you are building holiday memories your children will remember for the rest of their lives – and if it helps at all, I have it from someone of authority that moms always rank high on Santa’s nice list.

The Joy Of The Holidays

The true joy of the holidays is the new memories we collect every year and carry with us forever. I am fortunate to have a mother who understands the value of Christmas memories. She always made the holidays a seamless ribbon of happiness. In our family we kick off the Christmas season on Thanksgiving night when we set up our Christmas trees. Everyone in the family helps place decorations on the tree. Almost every one of our ornaments has a story from Christmases of the past. In the bottom of the boxes my mom has collected Santa letters from all her kids and grandkids.


After the star is placed on the top of the tree my mom sets up the dining room table with special stationary. Every member of our family writes a letter to Santa. The wishes in these letters range from the year’s must have toy, (and sometimes it isn’t only the kids wishing for that one), acceptance to a certain college, or for those with more wisdom, happiness for their family in the year to come. It amazes me that mom can get everyone so involved! She truly glows with the spirit of Christmas. Even sulky teenagers drop their façade of cool and allow themselves to act like a kid. My children are just as amazed as I was as a child that Granny knows Santa’s official address.

While we are all writing our letters and helping the small ones with theirs we read some of the old letters from the ornament box. Through these letters we get a glimpse of ourselves in the past. There are letters from children wishing for a gift from Santa that include such things as white unicorns and robots ten feet high. My Dad’s letters are always about the same thin, he wants as much time out on his boat as possible. As we have grown the wishes in the letters have changed. There are many laughs and hugs exchanged between us all. We all like to read the one from my cousin pleading with Santa to trade his new baby sister for a little brother.

As the night wears on my mom tucks the little ones in around her and tells them stories. At some point my mom has set out plates with delicious cookies throughout the family room. All the kids ask my mom all about the real Santa since she is one of the leading experts. There isn’t a topic they skip - my mom knows it all, from elf shoes to the naughty list. All of the little eyes flutter shut one by one, giving the adults time to talk a little more freely. Looking around at my family I am delighted to know that there are countless more Christmas memories ahead!

Keeping Your Pets Safe during the Holidays

Everybody loves Christmas holidays because it is that time of the year that marks merry reunion with friends and family. Festivities are ongoing throughout the season and the joyfulness is contagious. Adults are busy shopping and planning, children spend hours writing letters to Santa Claus, and all enjoy decorating the home. But we tend to forget that these holidays are disastrous for our pets.

During Christmas, innumerable pets are injured because of decorations, foods or holiday plants. Help your pets to celebrate this festive occasion safely by ensuring that they are protected from Christmas health hazards. Beautiful holiday decorations like Christmas lilies, poinsettias, holly and mistletoe are toxic when pets ingest them. Mistletoe is responsible for cardiovascular and gastrointestinal problems. Poinsettias and holly cause lethargy, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. If you plan to decorate the dining table with the help of holiday plants keep them in a place that cannot be reached by pets between mealtimes. The mistletoe should be hung where pets will find it difficult to reach.

Cats are attracted to berries which are extremely poisonous. Do not allow your pets into the room where you have kept your Christmas tree if there is no one to supervise. If your pet eats pine needles, its intestine could get punctured. Always unplug the lights of the tree before you leave the house and either tape or secure the electrical cords of the holiday lights so that your pet does not chew them. The Christmas tree should be secured to the ceiling or wall so that it does not fall on your pets. Restrain your pets from drinking water from the holder of the tree becomes even fresh water would contain the residue of fertilizers and water that are stagnant is a breeding ground for bacteria. If you tend to use water preservative for your tree go for one that is non-toxic so that it will not harm your pet in case it drinks it when you are not around. Do not use aspirin in tree water to preserve it because if your pet ingests it accidentally it could become seriously ill or even die.
Keep away Christmas ornaments and tinsel. Cats like to play with the latter. Some even eat it but this is dangerous as it can block the intestines. Pets think of ornaments as toy balls. The shards from glass ornaments that are broken could injure the paws and mouths of your pets. If swallowed, they could injure the intestine tract and stomach grievously. If your pets continue playing with the ornaments, hang some balloons on the lower branches of the Christmas tree. Be around till your pet snares one. The sound of the balloon bursting will make your pet leave the Christmas decorations alone.

When your children open their gifts make them put the toys away because the smaller parts of the toys could result in intestine blockage or choking in pets and would require surgery in order to remove them. A majority of pets love to doze on a hearth that is warm. Even if the fire is out make use of fireplace screens. Extinguish candles when you leave the room and keep them out of reach of your pets.

Tips and Ideas For Stocking Stuffers That Will Be Treasured

Once people have purchased their gifts and placed it under the Christmas tree they suddenly remember that they have forgotten to stuff the stockings hanging over the fireplace. Budgets set aside for holidays are usually spent at such a time. One might be short of money. In spite of budget constraints there are many ideas for stuffing stockings that would delight the children and would also be practical at the same time.

First of all it is always best to have the children write letters to Santa Claus. This provides them a way to mention the gifts that they want for Christmas – and many times parents are surprised at what the kids ask for in these letters. This will tell you what they want.

You can visit the dollar store nearest your house to look around for the gifts. You will come across a huge variety of goods available at a variety of prices which would easily help you to fill the stockings to the brim. Certain tips and ideas for stocking stuffers that will be treasured have two benefits. Do not wrap batteries along with the gifts. Stuff them in the stockings separately because you will have to buy them in order to make the toys work, so, they should not be grouped under extra expenses. Once you separate them you could start stuffing the stocking. This would be convenient for the kids to put the batteries in any toy or electronic device they wish to play with first.

You could purchase school supplies that would be required by your children and stuff the stocking with them so that you do not have to buy it in the future. If you are very busy during Christmas you will not find time to take pictures. Your children will be able to do it if you gift them a disposable camera. They will click pictures from their perspective which will be unique and could be added to a photo album. You could stuff supplies for art and craft which will be needed by the children later on. Children love creating. Material for art and craft is great as stocking stuffers. You could purchase paints, markers, colored pencils, crayons and coloring books which would keep children busy during Christmas and after it, too. Card games or mini games are ideal editions for travelers. Buy them so that the children could play them in the car on their own so that they will be occupied when you are making a holiday trip.

You could write Christmas letters to your children telling them about all the fun you had with them in the last year. This will not cost money. You could start a beautiful Christmas tradition. Your letters would be treasured by your children even after Christmas. It is always better to set aside a little time in order to give a little thought to stocking stuffers which would not require you to incur extra expenditure in order to fill the socks hanging on the fireplace while bringing unlimited joy your children when they see what is inside.

Preparing Your Home for Christmas Guests

If many guests are expected for Christmas in your home it is best to plan everything in advance. Since taking care of every little thing can stress you out, you could start preparations early at a time when you have an hour or two to spare. It is always best to check the amount of space in the house before you invite people over.

Make sure that you have bedding, sleeping bags, inflatable beds or beds for people other than your family members. If space is not a problem but the bedding is you could ask your guests to bring along bedding of their own depending on your relationship with them or else you would have to check them into a B&B or a local hotel. You will have to do the bookings way in advance because they would be filled up for Christmas. Usually children love sleeping in sleeping bags on the floor because they think of it as an adventure.

When you have sent out invitations start planning the purchases you have to make and the things that will have to be accomplished before hand. It is best not to leave anything at the last moment. If you find it difficult to handle things on your own, delegate jobs as well as deadlines for them to be completed to the members in your house. Always try and do a little work every weekend a couple of months before Christmas. Make nibbles and food that can be defrosted and also heated when required with minimum supervision so that you will get more time to socialize and converse with your guests and spend less time slaving away in the kitchen. You could opt for ready-made dips and healthy snacks that are easily available in supermarkets so that you can have a relaxed evening. Sip on a drink and put up your feet. You need to enjoy Christmas, too.

It is your duty to make your guests very comfortable. See to it that you have spare toiletries and plenty of towels in case they have not brought them along. Give them some space so that they could hang up their clothes. Keep some activities and games ready before your guests arrive so that they can enjoy themselves. Dominoes, Card games, Jigsaws, Pictionary, Scrabble and Monopoly are enjoyed by one and all. Ensure that you complete all your house work so that you need not run around even when your guests have arrived. Have some DVDs ready so that they are occupied.

If your guests will include children you will need to provide everything needed for that special letter to Santa. These letters are an important Christmas tradition for most families in the United States and Canada. The letters provide information for adults about what the children want for Christmas and they offer kids a fun activity. If you really want to impress your guests you can have personalized letters from Santa delivered to your home for them. This will delight the kids and it will insure them that Santa will know where to find them on Christmas. Something as small as these inexpensive packages from Santa can be the highlight of the holiday season for kids. If you plan everything in advance you will be able to enjoy yourself in the company of your guests. Preparing your home for Christmas guests will be a breeze if you start way in advance.

Fun and Creative Christmas Crafts

Holidays always bring out the creative aspects in everyone. Christmas implies that there are a number of food items that are to be baked, many things are to be made and crafts have to be created. If you do not follow the tradition of making crafts for Christmas it is high time you did it.

Children love to meet and create things by using their hands. They feel that they have accomplished something great when they have put in a lot of hard work and made a beautiful Christmas craft. They will enjoy being involved in the procedure of making great Christmas crafts all by themselves and will also never forget the beautiful time they spent with all members of the family. You could start the process by first making them write a letter to Santa Claus in which they could mention the gifts that they are expecting for Christmas so that you would get an idea of what to gift them. Later, you could send them a letter in reply as if it were from Santa Claus.

The next step would be to think of a craft that would be easy for the children to create. You could suggest a wall hanging, ornaments, a decoration for the table or anything else. If you are not the creative types and can't think of anything interesting, you could approach your child's teacher for ideas. She/he would be able to give you great ideas for Christmas crafts. When you decide on the crafts that are to be created you could get all the materials required from a local store that stocks craft supply. If you are not able to come across a local store or you do not have the time to shop you could purchase what you require online. You will easily get markers, Christmas magazines, construction paper, green and red pompoms, googley eyes and many more such items on the Internet. Go through the directions for a particular craft so that you are clear as to what is to be bought. If you wish to create something unique you could try making a sock friend, jingle spider or a cradle ornament made of walnut shell.

You could also use construction paper and create a mask of a reindeer. You would require brown or light brown paper, red pom-pom, brown paper, Popsicle stick, googley eyes and glue. You could make an outline of your hand on a construction paper of dark brown color. Do the same for the opposite hand. Cut these tracings. They will be the antlers of the reindeer. Cut a head shaped like a teardrop from light brown or tan paper. Apply glue close to the bottom of the two hand cut outs. Place them on top of the cut out of the head where the antlers of the reindeer should be. Glue the googley eyes on the face. Glue the pom-pom for the nose. Make a mouth either by coloring or drawing. Glue the Popsicle stick at the bottom of the head at the back. When everything dries up show the reindeer mask to everyone. You could come up with many such fun and creative Christmas crafts to the delight of your children.

The History of Decorating and Using Mistletoe at Christmas Time

The Christmas season is considered a special time in the entire year. Everywhere you will find people who are happy and also kind to each other during Christmas as compared to the rest of the year. Children are extremely happy during this season because they wait eagerly for the annual visit from Santa Claus. This happiness could be taken to a new level by parents by gifting their children personalized gifts and letters from Santa. The children would be doubly thrilled.

When they receive the letter as well as gifts they will jump with joy. The gleam in their eyes will make all your efforts and the money spent worth it. Every parent wants to see the look of joy and happiness on their children's faces. There’s no better way to do this than to give gifts and personalized letters from Santa. Do you wish to know the history of decorating and using mistletoe at Christmas time? The mistletoe is a partial parasite. It grows on the trunk or the branches of a tree and its roots penetrate the tree and absorb all the nutrients. It can also produce its own food with the help of photosynthesis. The mistletoe that is used as a Christmas decoration is found in North America. Since ancient times it has been considered as a secret, mysterious and magical plant. It is known to restore life, protect against poison and is considered an aphrodisiac. Kissing under this plant is associated with a Greek festival known as Saturnalia. In Scandinavia, it is looked upon as a plant of peace. Enemies or warring spouses kiss under it in order to declare a truce or to make up respectively. At Christmas, if a young lady is standing under mistletoe that is brightly trimmed with ornaments, ribbons and evergreens she can be kissed by anyone. The kiss could imply goodwill and friendship that would last or deep romance. It is thought that those who are brought together in such a way are sure to get married the next year. The Christmas mistletoe is burnt on the 12th night in some parts of England in case the couples who kissed under it do not get married ever. Many people look upon it as a symbol of frolic and fun at Christmas celebrations.

This custom of kissing under the mistletoe is still prevalent in Europe and Canada. If a couple kisses under it, it is looked upon as a commitment to marry and a prediction of long life and happiness. The legend behind the mistletoe is that it was a sacred plant of the Goddess of Love by the name of Frriga. She was the mother of the God of the Sun in Summer, Balder. When he dreamt of death his mother was greatly alarmed because if he died, life would end on earth. So, she went to all the elements and every plant and animal and took a promise from everyone that they would not harm her son.

Frigga forgot all about the lowly mistletoe that was not to be found on or under the earth other than on oak or apple trees. The God of Evil, Loki used the mistletoe in order to make an arrow tip and asked Hoder, the God of Winter to shoot it. Balder died and all the beings on Heaven and earth cried for him and tried to bring him back to life. His mother was able to restore him. Her joy knew no bounds and she kissed all those who passed under the mistletoe. This is why the mistletoe symbolizes love that can conquer death and is used as a Christmas decoration throughout the world.

Explaining the history and beginnings of Christmas traditions is often a part of the fun when families are working on Christmas craft projects and writing letters to Santa. Keep visiting this blog for explanations of other long cherished Christmas traditions.

Looking Back on Christmas of 2009

My daughter and I just had a long talk about the past year and of course, the conversation ended with a focus on Christmas and how things turned out. We talked about what went well and what we might want to do a little differently next year.
As we talked about shopping and planning for our gift buying we decided that this year we would do most if not all of our Christmas shopping early and do it online. Over the past two or three years I have done more and more shopping online and now I feel very confident that I can find what I need and save money, time, and hassle in the process.

Because I work from home as a freelance writer, I spend lots of time on the Internet and I have learned that there are many websites which offer online coupons. A simple Google search will bring up lots of sites you can choose from in order to find the coupon you need. You’ll find that some coupons are good for a certain percentage off of any purchase, others are good for discounted shipping rates – oftentimes free shipping, and still others are only good for specific products. I suggest that you visit these sites from time to time to find the coupons you need for whatever you desire.

The discussion about Christmas also included the fact that we wanted to be more organized with our decorations and other Christmas related items. That process has already been started, as we tried to be more organized in storing our Christmas things.

Just as in the past two or three years, Christmas of 2009 included the fun of the kids receiving personalized letters from Santa. These letters add real fun to the holiday cheer and the anticipation of Santa’s visit. That’s a tradition we will continue.

We also enjoy having the kids write their letters to Santa Claus and do simple Christmas craft projects on Thanksgiving after dinner. This keeps the kids busy while the adults enjoy dessert and conversation. The kids love it and we enjoy their enthusiasm as they begin thinking seriously about the Christmas holiday.
Something we plan to try for this Christmas is having our own 12 Days of Christmas. We haven’t quite worked out all the details yet, but we want it to be fun for all. I’ll keep you posted on whatever we decide.

So how about you – have you thought about your Christmas of 2009? What will do differently this year and what are some of the things that you absolutely must keep? Let us know – share your ideas!

Christmas Is All About The Children

Many parents will sacrifice buying things they need around the holidays to make sure their children have a good Christmas and get just what they want for the holidays. Just like children, adults look forward to the magical holiday also, but in a different way - in the end of all the shopping and decorating it’s all for the kids on that special day.

Children usually get Christmas gifts directly from parents and other relatives, but they also receive them from Santa Claus himself. And that allows parent to use the story of Santa Clause as a discipline tactic. They will often start to remind the kids that if they want a good Christmas again this year they better be good. But it is also fun just telling the children stories about Santa, his elves and reindeer to let their imaginations run wild with the stories about him.

All the lights, decorations and sparkling ornaments really grab the children’s attention and are truly the main purpose of decorating for the holidays. There is something special when you see a child’s face light up with excitement when they see all the decorations.

Seeing the delight on a child’s face as they open a gift you purchased can make you feel good. The good feeling comes from a sense of relief that the child likes what you bought, but also that you have added to the joy of his or her holiday. It gives a unique sense of pride that cannot be explained.

Families also take this holiday to make special family traditions with their children. Whether it is helping decorate the house or taking the time to write letters to Santa or even baking cookies for him and finding treats for the reindeer, Christmas is a perfect holiday to start your family traditions.

It is important to teach your children when they are young that Christmas is not about the presents they might get or the Christmas parties they might go to. It’s about coming together as a family and being there for one another.

It’s also about giving and not receiving, so try to teach them that giving to families in need is good too. Also, try to make as many family traditions as you can so your children can pass them down to their family. Always make memories so your children and you can look back and remember that special day.

Starting Family Traditions

If you are a parent of young kids now is a good time to start family traditions with them. Starting traditions when your kids are young is great because they will soon associate those activities with the holidays and they’ll look forward to them every year. You could try to think of stuff that you enjoyed as a child or you can come up with new ideas, things just for you and your family.

A great tradition is making the holiday decorating a family a family affair. From young to old, get everyone involved – the kids will love it! A cheap idea that I do is have the kids make their own ornaments, I just buy the plain glass ornaments and have them decorate and put the year on them. This makes the kids happy because they are helping to decorate the house and you can use them over and over every year as a keepsake.

Writing letters to Santa is always a great project to include, it’s simple to do and it gives you a chance to see what the kids really want for Christmas. The kids always feel proud that they wrote to Santa himself. I love seeing the look on their face when they get their letter from Santa – they get so excited.

Another idea is to bake cookies or brownies - something the kids can get involved with. You could even give baked goods as gifts; the kids would feel real special. Santa always likes cookies and milk on Christmas Eve so be sure to make some and leave them out for him as another tradition.

Another good tradition to do with the kids is have them make homemade holiday cards to give to the family. You can give them to your closest friends and family for the holidays. The kids will have fun decorating the cards and passing them out to family members and friends.

Whatever traditions you start or continue this year with your family, remember that Christmas is about giving and not receiving. It is not about the present you might get, it is about being with your family and friends that you love the most. Christmas traditions help to instill a sense of family strength as the family members come together to enjoy a loved event or activity. This provides an insight into our past, as we can see what our parents or grandparents may have done or what was important to them during the holidays.

As the years and generations go by, each family adds their own twist and touch and the tradition continues. Be sure to enjoy some of those great family traditions with your children this year so they can pass them on to their children when they get older. And do what you can to keep your kids believing in Santa for as long as possible because after all, Santa Claus keeps the magic alive!

Christmas Will Be here Soon!

We all know Christmas is that special time of year when family and friends come to together to spend time with each other. In doing so they make memories that all involved will enjoy thinking back on. Planning ahead for these special events will just help things go a little smoother so the memories will be that much better – after all, stress and frustration has a way of tarnishing a perfect day and our associated memories.

Christmas is approaching fast here so I have some last minute tips to help you get all your finishing touches done before the big day. If you are like most people you still have some last minute shopping to do. The closer it gets to Christmas the more crowed the stores become and they often run out of items – which of course, can increase any stress and frustration. Some simple ways to avoid this is making homemade gift baskets for family and friends. This allows you to easily buy stuff – useful stuff, which will fit into the basket. A lot of movies go on sale during the holidays and they make great gifts. The ideas for gift baskets are endless – you can create them around hobbies, crafts, spa and bath supplies, or anything else. Consider giving a pet lover a gift basket that includes items for his little friend.

Shopping online is always fast and convenient and it can save you lots of stress. But as Christmas gets closer shipping will be more expensive for fast delivery.
Wrapping gifts early is always a good idea – this prevents that last minute hassle and stress of staying up late Christmas Eve wrapping all the gifts and getting everything ready for the big day. Also getting the kids to write their letters to Santa is always fast and simple and this can be done early in the holiday season. This easy tradition helps to keep the kids believing in Santa Claus, which of course, helps to keep the magic of Christmas alive. Try to think of fun things that you could do to make the kids believe in him even more. The kids should be involved in holiday events and projects as much as possible.

If you are having a family gathering where your family is coming to your house for the celebration here are some tips: keep your gathering simple, plan ahead of your gathering. Plan to cook things that are on the simple side so you will not have to stress about the food or even about serving it. When it comes to entertainment for your guests be sure to include activities for the kids. Easy craft projects and writing letters to Santa are my favorites.

Decorating the house gives it that festive feel and you do not have to do much to have a big effect. Some of the Christmas craft projects completed by the children will make wonderful additions to your holiday décor.

Christmas will be here in just a couple weeks so you need to prepare. Whatever you decide to do this year, just remember to make holiday memories that your family will hold dear in their hearts in years to come. Keep in mind that Christmas is not all about the gifts that you might give or get, it’s about family and family time – and cherishing what you have in unique ways – if giving gifts fits in that is great. I hope that you have a Christmas to remember this year!

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!

A Christmas Dinner Fit For Santa Himself

Image via Wikipedia

Last year I went to my mother-in-laws for Christmas Eve dinner. As our tradition continues, everyone read the Childrens Letters to Santa that would be placed beside the snack we would all leave out for him. And the children merrily shared their Custom Santa Claus Letters from the North Pole with everyone.

My mother-in-law is a talented cook and she made a wonderful chicken dish; it was crispy on the outside but tender and juicy on the inside. It was scrumptious! I have included a dessert recipe to top this delicious meal off, and trust me, everyone will love this. I can't imagine a better meal for the Christmas season. This recipe only calls for about fifteen minutes prep time after marinating overnight. Whether you plan to have a large or small group this year, this recipe has you covered as it provides about 16 servings. You will need the following ingredients:

• 16 boneless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
• 2 cups sour cream
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons celery salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 to 2 cups crushed butter flavor crackers
• ½ canola oil
• ½ cup melted butter

Directions:
Place the chicken in two large zip-lock plastic bags. In a bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings. Pour over chicken; seal bags and toss to coat. Refrigerate overnight. When you are ready to cook, drain and discard the marinade. Coat chicken with cracker crumbs; place in two large well-greased baking dishes.

Combine oil and butter; drizzle over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until juices run clear. Now time for that dessert I was talking about. Nothing says Christmas season like this delicious and easy Slow Cooker dessert. Santa Himself may decide to show up early so he can have some! You will need:

• can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
• cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup egg product
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• teaspoons baking powder
• teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* Ice cream

1. Spray 3 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Spoon the apple pie filling into cooker.
2. Beat remaining ingredients except ice cream with electric mixer on low speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl constantly. Pour batter over pie filling.
3. Cover and cook on High heat setting 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with ice cream.

This year I plan to cook this same meal for my family. And while the dinner cooks I will help my children write their Authentic Letters to Santa. It has always been a family tradition of ours to write the letters around the dinner table. Last year the kid's letters from Santa even came with genuine reindeer food that they set out for the reindeer to eat. Each year I look forward to seeing the look on my child's face when he opens his North Pole letter. I can't imagine Christmas without it. The Personalized Christmas Letters can even make adults believe in Santa again.

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