Sunday, December 14, 2014

MAKING WONDERFUL HOLIDAY MEMORIES WITH YOUR FAMILY

MAKING WONDERFUL HOLIDAY MEMORIES WITH YOUR FAMILY

Here’s some thoughts and ideas that will help you make it through with lots of traditions and memories that will last a lifetime.


WATCH MEMORABLE MOVIES WITH THE HOLIDAY THEME:
            Charlie Brown Christmas
            Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
            Frosty The Snowman
            How The Grinch Stole Christmas
            Polar Express
             The Christmas Story
            It’s A Wonderful Life
 ABC Family is doing 25 days of special shows.   Record and save them to view together. 
            OR


READ A HOLIDAY STORY EVERY NIGHT  FOR THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS:
            The New Testament (Luke, Matthew)
            T’was  The Night Before Christmas
            A Christmas Carol (Movie too)


HAVE A TREE TRIMMING PARTY:       
            Serve hot chocolate and cookies and make it a family affair or open it up for friends or neighbors.
 

            Think of the children who won’t have a Christmas.  Many stores have a box at their store.  Have your child choose a gift and help wrap it and take it to one of the stores.


FIND A MISSION THAT SPONSORS FAMILIES FOR CHRISTMAS
            A mission near our house takes food for Christmas baskets and also adopts out families for people to buy gifts for the children and parents.  It’s something so very special and will give the children something to look forward to share.


BUY OR MAKE A MEMORABLE ORNAMENT EACH YEAR:
            I started when our children were young and when they left home to be on their own or marry, they had a nice selection of memorable ornaments to take with them.  I do this now for our grandchildren.  They have reasonable kits to make them out of fun foam with pictures to insert.    You only have to spend a $1 at the Dollar Store..  Not much to pay for a memory.  (binky)
                            
                             
ADVENT CALENDAR:
            Most families  make their own advent calendar or buy one to count off the days leading up to Christmas. 
            Here’s one I just found out how to do which is really cute.

Supplies:
   Long wide strip of either burlap or red or green felt
   Decorate with holly and berries, bows or little pointsettias
   Red and green foil Hershey kisses
Glue gun

Decorate as you wish and line up the kisses alternating green and red all the way down the middle  (25 of them).
Everyday, alternate your children allowing them their turn to choose a kiss which they can then, of course, eat. 


REMEMBRANCE CANDLE:
            Make it a tradition to remember family members who have either passed away or just can’t make it home for the holidays.  Their lights will shine the whole evening allowing them not to be forgotten.    Use special candle holders and decorate with bows or other colorful Christmas  items.
 (Example:  Samaritan's Purse)
SEND OFF A HOLIDAY BOX:
            Maybe there’s a missionary or friends who have moved away.  Remember them with a special holiday box filled with ornaments, cookie cutters, cookie mixes and sprinkles, candies and little stocking stuffers.  Things that they’re not able to get in a foreign country.


       DON’T FORGET OUR TROOPS!!!
            Give plenty of time for it to arrival on time for the holidays.
There’s Operation Shoebox  --  Operation Home Front ----


SURPRISE A PUBLIC SERVANT:
            Our police and firemen work the holidays in order that we can be safe.  Maybe a platter of cookies, fudge, microwave popcorn,  hot chocolate and packages of flavored coffees and teas can be taken to the fire station or police station early Christmas Eve Day.
            Don’t forget your mailman.  Especially on those cold winter days.


THE SPECIAL CHRISTMAS MORNING ENTRANCE:
            Take a long roll of Christmas wrapping paper and you know how the football teams run out on the field before the game??  Make it a long banner---count to 3  and yell “HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS”  and let them run through the paper to see what surprises are under the tree.


CHRISTMAS CAROLING:
            Take your children around the neighborhood Christmas Eve and sing carols to your neighbors.  Go to the local nursing homes and do the same the week before Christmas.  They love children and are often so lonely and don’t get visitors.  Then take them for a ride to find the best Christmas decorations.  Nothing like seeing Christmas lights.  I still like to do this when I can round up some grandchildren.


SHARING STORIES OF YOUR MEMORIES:
            Nothing like sitting around the tree with a cup of hot chocolate to prepare the kids for stories about your Christmases growing up.   Do it while you bake your cookies too.  Included in this is:

BRINGING  OUT CHERISHED OLD FAMILY DECORATIONS:
            Nothing more special than all those old family ornaments that have a story behind it.   We have so many on our tree.   I call it a family memory tree.  


SURPRISE YOUR NEIGHBORS WITH TREATS/12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS:
            Keep your identity a secret and begin with 1 item for the first neighbor and build it up to 12 items on the 12th day.   Write notes and reveal your identity the day after Christmas.    It will open up many quiet neighborhoods.   Wouldn’t that be fun?  Especially if there’s a Scrooge in your neighbor that really needs loved and befriended.


SAY “MERRY CHRISTMAS”
     In this day of politically correctness..  happy holidays..  just doesn’t cut it with me..    I saw MERRY CHRISTMAS all the time..   If they don’t like it they can just ignore you … but generally you’ll get a Merry Christmas back and even a smile..   This is what it is..  CHRISTMAS!!!    


CAMP OUT UNDER THE TREE: 

            One night before Christmas, sleeping bags and all.  Shut off all the lights and only keep the tree lights on.. as much as you can do it, try to get at least the heads under the tree and listen to soft Christmas music all night long.   They always remember that special night under the lights. 

 Above all, remember to tell them what Christmas is all about, because