12.11.2006

Christmas with Little Ones

Everyone seems to resent the busyness of the Christmas season - too many parties, cleaning, cards, baking, shopping, cleaning, church programs, feasting, did I mention cleaning?? One friend I recently talked with expressed a desire for PEACE for the season. A worthy goal, but how does one rest in peace with so much activity and little ones scurrying around?

I brainstormed a few ideas for a quick, quiet family time to be worked into each day. With so many "after 5:00" events, perhaps breakfast or another day-time would be best to share some quiet moments with the kids remembering the real meaning of Christmas. These may not all foster peace and quiet, but could become a new family tradition!

1. read a few pages of a book together over popcorn and apples (we are enjoying "The Long Winter" by Laura Ingalls)

2. sing a few Christmas carols together

3. add an ornament to the tree each day

4. Write a note to a relative or neighbor (or draw a picture for the really wee ones)

5. read the day's delivery of Christmas cards while munching homemade cookies (Oreos work, too) - remember to pray for the folks you received cards from, too

6. play a game together, like Pin the Nose on the Snowman or toss giant marshmallows into bowls (who says you can't play with your food?)

7. get a large Mary and Joseph and move them closer and closer to a Nativiy scene each day, arriving on Christmas

8. Use those fire-roasted chestnuts and a rubber band to "shoot" down paper cutouts of Santa and his reindeer (parental supervision suggested)

9. have an indoor snowball fight with styrofoam balls (good for snow-challenged regions)

10. work on memorizing Luke 2 as a family - see how many hand motions you can add to aid in remembering it.

1 comment:

  1. NIce quiet time that we've picked up in our household this year.

    17 month old boy.

    We found a sticker advent calendar for cheap! Discovered that our boyo likes to put the stickers on the sheet. It's a nice 5 minute family time, and gives us a start on teaching him that holidays can mean more than gifts and parties. :)

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