Christmas Ideas For Families

Here are some Christmas Ideas for families--they are random and probably geared more towards little children, but I tried to include some less obvious ones. I hope you enjoy and add some to them. (I didn't include the religious FHE activities, but I think most families do a live nativity, puppet show nativity, and a scripture reading. Hope you all enjoy this Christmas season.)

FUN:
Polar Express Party (at home): Construct a pretend train with chairs, mattresses, cardboard boxes....serve cocoa and cookies, make pretend tickets, and read the book or watch the movie.

Family Service Night: Take a wrapped orange and kid-colored Christmas cards to your local Retirement Center. They love having visitors, especially children. You can sing or just visit.

Slumber Under The Tree: This is really a Telles Family tradition. Plan one night to slumber under the decorated Christmas tree.

Decorate a Nature Tree: Head outside or to your local woods to decorate a tree for the animals with ornaments made from Birdseed, popcorn, apples...

Winter Solstice Celebration: Celebrate the longest night of year, Dec 22, with a candlelit dinner and make a lumunario by punching a pattern in a small paper bag and setting a candle safely inside.

Santa's Workshop: Play Santa's workshop by cleaning up your old toys. Have the kids play elves and repair and prepare some gently used toys for others in need. (Turned into Santa's workshop can help eliminate any tears :)

Present a new holiday book each night, like an advent calendar--see below to follow along with Crafty Crow.

CRAFTS: There are so many....our favorites: construction paper snowmen, popcorn center poinsetta, santa's beard cotton ball countdown....Here is a better source:

I've talked about http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/ (The Crafty Crow) website before. This month she is doing an "Advent" Calendar; each day she presents a new Christmas book and a corresponding craft. I, of course, have not been organized enough to gather all the books she has listed, but I've had fun following along her ideas and hoping for next year.
If you are looking for kids crafts, check Crafty Crow.

Applesauce Ornaments:
Need: 1/2cup cinnamon, 1/2cup applesauce, 2 teaspoons glue, straw, string
Directions: Mix all ingredients together. Let children mold into a shape or you could use cookie cutters. Poke a hole at the top of ornament with a straw for string. Let air dry for 2-3 days. The smell great for a long time!!

POEMS:

In The Bleak Mid-Winter

By Christina Rossetti
**This poem has been quoted by President Monson

What can I give him? Poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd I would give him a lamb.

If I were a wiseman I would do my part.

What can I give him? I give him my heart.

FIVE LITTLE BELLS

**You can guess the hand motions to do with this one

Five little Bells hanging in a row

The first one said, 'ring me slow'

The second one said, 'ring me fast'

The third one said, 'ring me last'

The fourth one said, 'I'm like a chime'

The last one said, "Ring us all at one time!'

Alright, that's all I got tonight.

Let's hear some of your family's ideas!