Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Thursday, December 15, 2022
Sunday, December 11, 2022
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Using Holiday Moments to Build Family Traditions
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| Children enjoy decorating their own little Christmas trees. |
Most of us are decking the halls and making the season bright, but you can turn this into an important time for your child through a few simple steps. Look at the ornaments on your tree. Are there special ones that have significance? Let your kids take ownership of ornaments like this and hang them in a place of honor on the tree. Be sure to tell the stories behind ornaments that are important to the family. Another way to build a family tradition with ornaments is to allow children to purchase a new ornament that they particularly like each Christmas. It will be their job to place it on the tree every year.
To take the decorating tradition up a notch, find a small tree that is just for your kids to decorate. Let them be the masters of the tree and decorate it as they see fit. Knowing that they have their “own” tree, gives them something they can look forward to every year. This year my daughter decorated a small Disney Princess tree that is distinctly her own work of art.
Setting up the nativity scene can be another holiday tradition for religious families. As each piece is placed, retell the story of Jesus, and invite your children to be part of the storytelling.
As more and more lights make their appearance on our holiday horizon, make a yearly tradition of visiting the area’s light displays. I still remember visiting a light display at a local waterfall every year. My family made it a tradition to go to the falls and walk down the path to view the display. It was an annual event and one that I eagerly anticipated. Search out a light display in the area, and make a point to visit that display, even if it’s just a drive-by viewing. Top off the night with a cup of hot cocoa and you’ve got a family tradition in the making.
Children’s Christmas books abound at this time of year, and your family may already have a favorite. Whether the story is read every night of the season or only on a certain night, bringing those moments of literature into the house encourages reading while fostering enjoyment of the season. It may be the story of Jesus read straight from the Bible, a beautifully illustrated version of “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” or even the Dr. Seuss Classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Whatever it is, make the reading of a Christmas classic an event for everyone. Pull up pillows in front of the fireplace, grab the milk and cookies, and gather together for the story. Parents don’t necessarily have to do the reading, either. Older siblings can read to the family, or let the willing readers take turns with different books. Stuck on what book to read? Visit Jay & Mary’s Book Center in Troy, and they will be happy to make suggestions for you from the great selection of holiday books that they always stock at this time of year.
Create little sous chefs by allowing kids to be an integral part of the cookie baking process. Everyone can don aprons and set about with cookie making and decorating. Containers of sugars and sprinkles will definitely catch a child’s eye, and they’ll remember spending time in the kitchen baking up warm memories. Share the goodness of your kitchen by delivering plates of baked goods to neighbors. Let the kids add a personal touch by decorating Christmas cards with drawings and stickers. This will surely warm your neighbors’ hearts, and it will help your children understand what it means to give.
Whatever traditions you choose to build in your family both this year and in the years to come, remember that the essential element is time. Spend time together away from the other distractions of life. Turn off the TV and the other electronics. Connect with your kids by giving them your undivided attention while you make those holiday traditions ones that will last a lifetime.
Christmas Gifts for Grandparents
As you’re making your list and checking it twice this
year, choosing a gift for a grandparent can be difficult at times. If your
grandparent is the type who appears to have everything, the gift selection can
be even more strenuous. Here are a few suggestions for choosing the right gift
for the grandparents on your list.
The first step in choosing an ideal gift is to listen. In the months prior to Christmas, keep your eyes and ears open when you spend time with your grandparents. The words, “Oh, it would be handy to have…” or “I sure could use…” often precede an off-hand comment that could later turn into a great choice for a Christmas gift. Take a look around your grandparents’ house. Do you see something that needs updated or replaced? Is it an item that grandma and grandpa wouldn’t spend the money on themselves? This, too, could turn into an idea for a Christmas gift.
If distance separates you from your grandparents, employ some spies to help you. Other family members who live in the vicinity of grandma and grandpa could be called upon to be your eyes and ears this Christmas season. Or, another relative may have heard your grandparents mention something that they need or want. If they’re willing to share this information with you, then you can use it in your gift selection.
Another strategy is to pay attention to your grandparents’ hobbies. Choose a gift that will help them enjoy their leisure time activities. For example, my grandmother is a wonderful knitter, so a gift that includes yarn or a knitting idea book is always right up her alley. My grandfather survived Pearl Harbor and was a proud member of the Navy during World War II. Up until his death, he could tell me every detail of his experience on that fateful day. Through the years, I was able to find many gifts related to World War II, the Navy, and Pearl Harbor that were to his liking. He never tired of reading a new book about the war or pouring over a piece of Pearl Harbor memorabilia. Take time to note your grandparents’ interests and then turn those into a thoughtful and creative gift.
If
you’re still feeling flummoxed, try to think of a gift that keeps on giving.
For example, put together a movie-watching kit of a fleece blanket, popcorn,
and a few classic movies on DVD. A coffee kit is another creative gift idea.
Choose an interesting mug and then pack a gift bag full of different coffees.
The chocolate gift is another selection you might make. Peruse the candy aisle
and put together an assortment of different chocolates and treats. Throw in a
local favorite like Winan’s or Esther Price, and this makes for a delicious
gift for grandma and grandpa. The gift of reading can always be appreciated.
Even if you don’t feel comfortable choosing actual titles, pick a novelty book
and then include a gift card and an assortment of bookmarks.
The gift of time is one that is always a hit with grandparents. Whether you help with some handyman-type tasks around the house, or you take your grandparent on an outing to the movies or to lunch, spending time with each other is a gift that benefits everyone. Take time to invest in a relationship with your grandparents, and you’ll be all the richer for it.
The key to finding just the right gift for a grandparent is to watch, listen, and then apply some creativity. Think outside the box, and you just may be able to surprise them on Christmas morning.
The first step in choosing an ideal gift is to listen. In the months prior to Christmas, keep your eyes and ears open when you spend time with your grandparents. The words, “Oh, it would be handy to have…” or “I sure could use…” often precede an off-hand comment that could later turn into a great choice for a Christmas gift. Take a look around your grandparents’ house. Do you see something that needs updated or replaced? Is it an item that grandma and grandpa wouldn’t spend the money on themselves? This, too, could turn into an idea for a Christmas gift.
If distance separates you from your grandparents, employ some spies to help you. Other family members who live in the vicinity of grandma and grandpa could be called upon to be your eyes and ears this Christmas season. Or, another relative may have heard your grandparents mention something that they need or want. If they’re willing to share this information with you, then you can use it in your gift selection.
Another strategy is to pay attention to your grandparents’ hobbies. Choose a gift that will help them enjoy their leisure time activities. For example, my grandmother is a wonderful knitter, so a gift that includes yarn or a knitting idea book is always right up her alley. My grandfather survived Pearl Harbor and was a proud member of the Navy during World War II. Up until his death, he could tell me every detail of his experience on that fateful day. Through the years, I was able to find many gifts related to World War II, the Navy, and Pearl Harbor that were to his liking. He never tired of reading a new book about the war or pouring over a piece of Pearl Harbor memorabilia. Take time to note your grandparents’ interests and then turn those into a thoughtful and creative gift.
If
you’re still feeling flummoxed, try to think of a gift that keeps on giving.
For example, put together a movie-watching kit of a fleece blanket, popcorn,
and a few classic movies on DVD. A coffee kit is another creative gift idea.
Choose an interesting mug and then pack a gift bag full of different coffees.
The chocolate gift is another selection you might make. Peruse the candy aisle
and put together an assortment of different chocolates and treats. Throw in a
local favorite like Winan’s or Esther Price, and this makes for a delicious
gift for grandma and grandpa. The gift of reading can always be appreciated.
Even if you don’t feel comfortable choosing actual titles, pick a novelty book
and then include a gift card and an assortment of bookmarks.The gift of time is one that is always a hit with grandparents. Whether you help with some handyman-type tasks around the house, or you take your grandparent on an outing to the movies or to lunch, spending time with each other is a gift that benefits everyone. Take time to invest in a relationship with your grandparents, and you’ll be all the richer for it.
The key to finding just the right gift for a grandparent is to watch, listen, and then apply some creativity. Think outside the box, and you just may be able to surprise them on Christmas morning.
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