Posts Tagged ‘christmas’

Starting Your Own Holiday Traditions

Thursday, November 17th, 2016

starting your own holiday traditionsWith the holidays approaching, it’s time to think about all of the things I want to go do as a family. This year will be different, as we will have a newborn with us. Traditions are an important part of growing up. I want my children to remember happy traditions that our small family shared each year, as well as other traditions that our extended family celebrates and discovers together.

My husband grew up in a larger family, where he was the youngest of 4 children. He grew up out in the country on a farm where the holidays were full of homemade pumpkin pie and large family gatherings. My family was smaller and I grew up without siblings around, so my holidays were full of activities at church or whatever my grandparents thought was fun that year. I think it’s important to share the stories of your childhood with your children. My daughter is 4 and loves to hear about what we did when I was little.

Now that I have my own family, we have started some of our own holiday traditions.

Christmas Eve Reading
My husband likes to read “T’was the Night Before Christmas” to our children on Christmas Eve. He has an older copy of the book that is special to him and he loves to share it with our two toddlers. I also like to find new Christmas books to share with them. Last year, I enjoyed reading from the Bible with Johanna and sharing the Christmas story with her. Find a book or something that is meaningful to your family or faith tradition and share the gift of reading. Babies love to be read to, as well!

Lights and Pajamas
My husband is a big fan of decorating the outside of our house with as many lights as possible. Last year, we put the kids in their pajamas and went on a long ride looking for Christmas lights. It was fun to discover new houses we hadn’t seen yet in our area and also tour the ones we like the best. I am excited for this tradition this year, since we live in a new state and new area. Of course, our house is on the list of houses to stop by and check out.

Baking Cookies
My daughter loves to bake and eat cookies, no doubt about that. I am not a good baker or cook, so sometimes these are slice-and-bake cookies. I am hoping we can make more cookies this year and take some to our new neighbors to share the holiday spirit.

Visiting Santa
Over the past few years, we have gone to see Santa at a couple different places. Johanna loves to go see Santa and tell him what she is yearning for. This year, it is Shopkins. (Help me! These are a choking hazard to a baby.)

Christmas Movies
We recently purchased new character-themed popcorn bowls for our kids, and I can’t wait to curl up and watch a good Christmas movie and eat some popcorn in them. My kids love the traditional Christmas movies, and my husband and I love to watch some of the classics and of course, the Hallmark Channel movies.

Giving Back
This is a tradition I want to do more of as my children grow. Last year, we bought for two sisters who weren’t going to have much of a Christmas without help. I am hoping to teach Johanna and Levi about how fortunate we are and how we need to give and be a light to others at Christmas. The Salvation Army bell ringer was something that intrigued Johanna last year. I am hoping to adopt a family off of the Angel Tree this year.

So no matter what you do with your own little family, start some new traditions. Your kids will have fun and remember the time you spent together for years to come.

Karyn Meyerhoff is a mom of 2, almost 3, in Arkansas where she hopes she sees some snow this year!

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Cross-Country Holiday Trip Survival Kit

Friday, November 11th, 2016

holiday road trip survival kitWhether it was in a moment of insanity or bravery, you decided that visiting family this holiday season sounded like a good idea. And after looking at your budget or logistics, you came to the conclusion that driving there would be your best option. “Who wants the hassle of kids in an airport?” you tell yourself. “This way, we can fit all the gifts in the back of the car,” you reason.

Whatever you said to convince yourself this was a good idea, write those things down, and chant them under your breath repeatedly throughout the travelling process, because chances are good your sweet children may cause you to question your life choices at some point during the journey.

Here are some cheap ways to keep their spirits jolly and whole, which is proven to reduce the risk of threats to turn this car around right now, I mean it, as well as outbursts of Santa is watching, goddammit! Keep everyone off the naughty list by incorporating a few of these tricks:

  • Stick to what you know. Now is not the time to try something new. While you may have dreamed of having your children being fully entertained by an audiobook, now is not the time to go rogue. If your kids enjoy a steady repetition of Wreck-it Ralph, rot their brains away. And if/when your parents start to tell you about how “When you were kids, we didn’t have DVD players,” politely affirm their perfect parenting choices while you swallow another Xanax.
  • Raid the dollar store. Fill a gallon sized Ziploc bag for each child full of random trinkets from the dollar store, and hand them something random each hour of the trip. Don’t limit yourself to the standard toy selection: My kids went nuts when I handed them giant calculators. Avoid toys with a lot of pieces, as they will definitely fall down the cracks of the seats immediately, and your child will scream for 37 miles about it. Also avoid objects that could double as swords.
  • Bring snacks for bribing. For every hour they go without fighting, they get a lollipop. While the kids may have a strict no-sweets policy at home, car trips are an appropriate time to deviate from the diet plan. Chocolate protein bars make good bribes as well, and have the bonus of decreasing the opportunities for low-blood-sugar-murderous-rampage.
  • Plan pit stops ahead of time. It’s worth stopping for lunch a little earlier when you see the restaurant with the play-place built in. Anticipate getting to your destination a little later to make time for getting the wiggles out. Exercise your kids ahead of time so you don’t have to exorcise your kids later.
  • If it is about an eight-hour drive, consider taking it at night. Never drive fatigued, but if you can work it out, take advantage of visiting family by driving while the kids sleep, and then getting your sleep in while doting relatives entertain the babes.
  • Take a stretch riding with the kids. If there’s a spare seat in the back, sit with the kiddos. Talk to them about their toys, what they’re excited about with seeing family, and tell them stories about holidays you had when you were young.

Regardless of your strategy, make sure that everyone’s safety comes first, and everyone’s sanity is a close second. Taking the extra care beforehand to increase the potential for comfort and happiness is worth it. Happy travels!

Keighty Brigman is terrible at crafting, throwing birthday parties, and making sure there isn’t food on her face. Allegedly, her four children manage to love her anyway. 

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Do-able Holiday Service Ideas for New Moms

Thursday, December 3rd, 2015

Screen Shot 2015-11-22 at 4.49.59 PM“Remember the Reason for the Season!” is a sweet sentiment that is often repeated to encourage thinking of others during a time where it is easy to become focused on oneself. Whether it is preparing for the end of a semester, scheduling and preparing for various holiday parties, or merely surviving during a time of year that seems like a hotbed for depression, performing acts of kindness through service can be a means to brighten your holiday as you brighten someone else’s.

A significant barrier to performing service, though, can be the recent birth of your child. Whether it’s anxiety about taking out a tiny one into the cold, risking exposure to all the fun illnesses brewing about, or exhaustion from the busy-ness that comes with having a new baby, engaging in helping others can seem impossible. Here are some simple ways to still get your charity on with your tiny human bundle accompanying you:

  • Write holiday cards for a local nursing home. In an ideal world, all of the folks in nursing homes are members of large families with doting relatives who visit at every opportunity and send thoughtful care packages. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for many, and these folks can go without a visit or a thought from the outside world for lengths of time. Writing out holiday cards to distribute could mean the world to someone who feels forgotten.
  • Put together baked goods for a local shelter If you have a shelter in mind, call ahead—some may prefer store-bought treats to your famous breads or cookies for safety reasons. If they do accept home made treats, though, and you have other kids at home to help, decorating holiday cookies and taking them to a domestic violence shelter could mean a lot to the kids receiving services there. The more brightly colored sprinkles, the better!
  • Send a small gift card and note to someone who may go unnoticed. Is there a checker at the grocery store who always remembers your name? Or perhaps the person you see lovingly walking their dog twice a day? Receiving a reminder that you matter from someone you wouldn’t have guessed noticed you can give you a huge lift. It would be so meaningful to be that person for someone else.
  • Send a message/tweet/comment that is genuine and heartfelt. There is a lot of anger on the Internet, and social media can be bruising to the soul with its divisiveness and lack of filter. So in one of those 3 a.m. nursing sessions, consider letting someone know how much you admire a strength that they have. When there is an impulse to feel envy, try expressing admiration. Social media can be such a vulnerable outlet of expression of what we feel is our best self: let someone know that you think they’re doing great at what they’re putting their heart into.

Being kind to one another is an incredibly powerful way to influence the world around you, and being able to engage in such activities even when taking care of a nursling can help you feel connected to the world. As always, try to remember to extend that kindness to yourself as well, and give yourself permission to let the service slide a bit this year if you are in need of self-care. None of us can keep going if our tanks are empty.

Keighty Brigman is terrible at crafting, throwing birthday parties, and making sure there isn’t food on her face. Allegedly, her four children manage to love her anyway. 

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Tips for Minimizing Gift Overload this Christmas

Monday, December 22nd, 2014

Tips for Minimizing Gift Overload this Christmas‘Tis the season of giving, and when you’re a parent it also becomes a season of overflowing toy chests. Our kids seem to get gifts from all directions and sometimes it’s hard to know how to minimize the influx. Here are a few ideas to keep the deluge to a trickle.

Want, Need, Wear, Read: Basically each child gets four gifts: something they want, something they need, something for them to wear, and something for them to read. I love it because it sets a concrete boundary for gift purchases. Our family chose to use this strategy this year and it really helped me focus my gift planning and stay on budget. It also keeps excessive amounts of toys down because each child is only getting one or two actual toys.

Gift an Event: For older children, a gift of a special family outing might be a great alternative to toys or more stuff accumulating around the house. It could be museum passes, zoo passes, or a concert or show to attend.

Limit the Number of Gifts: For your immediate family, choose a number of gifts to give each child. Choosing two or three things per child instead of five or six could cut the stuff accumulation down dramatically.

You’re in Charge of Your House: My mantra with gifts from extended family is that though I can’t control what they give, I do get to decide what to do with that item once it enters my home. We have had gifts from grandparents in the past that have immediately gone to a thrift store or been returned because they don’t fit our parameters for suitable toys. I offer loose suggestions to grandparents if they ask, but if they choose to buy us junk or things that don’t fit the kind of things we want our kids to play with, I reserve the right to make that toy disappear after it comes home.

Hopefully these ideas help you find some ways to minimize the overflowing toy bins and keep your holidays low stress this year.

Becca Schwartz is a cloth diapering, baby wearing, semi-crunchy mama to a toddler girl and baby boy. She and her husband have a small mini-farm with a flock of chickens, a few goats, and a couple rabbits. 

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Fun Gifts for Toddlers at Christmas

Wednesday, December 17th, 2014

Fun Holiday Gifts for ToddlersIf your child is like mine, she has plenty of toys. My daughter, Johanna, has a dollhouse, kitchen, play purse, jewelry, etc. Her favorite toys right now are her “Frozen” figurines. Kids are so much fun to shop for at the holidays. Here are some of my favorite fun gifts to give.

1. Toys for Imaginative Play

Toys that toddlers can use their imaginations with are the best.  If you have a play kitchen in your house, why not invest in some more fun items to go with it like play food. Take play food to another level and check out these cute Melissa and Doug play foods that your child can actually cut. Let your child pretend they have their own indoor garden and purchase these play gardening tools.  My daughter loves her baby dolls. For awhile, they went everywhere with us, along with their stroller. Get your little one a baby doll and also a baby carrier for their doll. They can be just like mommy! Toys that toddlers can for imaginative play will provide hours of fun and entertainment for you and your little ones.

2. Gifts You Make

The most heartfelt holiday gifts are the ones we spend time creating for our children. Take the time this year and create some fun gifts. If you are crafty and can sew, make your toddler their very own sleeping bag. If your little one likes to read, create your very own family board book.  Use words like “mom” and “dad” and put your own photos in the book. How fun! Use cardboard boxes to create fun, new toys. Try making a ice cream shop for your toddler out of a box you have and some other craft supplies. It doesn’t get much more creative than that! Your toddler will see the love behind any gift you take the time to make them.

3. Gifts Your Toddler is Into Now

I can’t help it. I am a sucker for the trendy holiday gifts of the season. My daughter is all about the movie “Frozen,” so this year, we had to go find Sno Glo Elsa before she sold out.  Another hot item to have is a cute little table with chairs for your little one. I am planning on finding one of these on sale this Black Friday. My daughter also loves puzzles right now, so I plan on buying her a few more. Whatever your child is really into right now, go ahead and get them something related to that. I’m not saying buy every “Frozen” toy you see, but it’s okay to get a gift or two that will create a priceless response.

The great thing about toddlers is that they are excited by the smallest things. Any holiday gift you give will create awe and wonder that is sure to last longer than the holiday season.

Karyn Meyerhoff is a mom of 2 in Northeast Indiana who is all about “Frozen” gifts this year. She needs to “let it go!”

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