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Creating
Christmas Traditions
Christmas is a wonderful time of the
year. The air is full of excitement and the children are full of
energy. It is a great time to bond with your children, nieces or
nephews by creating holiday traditions. Listed below are some of
the things that my family enjoys during holidays.
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Holiday Decorating:
Get the spirit going in your house
starting with the decorations. Make it an event for the entire
family. Put on the Christmas music and encourage all to sing
along. Check All Star Activities
HOLIDAY SONGS
for song lyrics. Have hot chocolate and
cookies ready for when you are finished.
Countdown Calendar:
A great way to celebrate the upcoming
festivities is to have a countdown calendar. They come in a
variety of styles some of which allow the kids to open doors, move a
mouse, or add an ornament to a tree each day for the month of December.
This was always a favorite in our house and the excitement built up as
the days grew closer. If you do not want to purchase a calendar
you can print one and have the kids mark each day with an X.
Priceless Presents:
Family will surely appreciate a
present made by the kids. They can be simple crafts or elaborate
projects. Plan early and you will find it is a great way to keep
them busy on a rainy day. Check All Star Activities
PRICELESS PRESENTS
for some great ideas.
Holiday Baking:
Kids love to help in the kitchen so
why not make it a special holiday tradition to bake cookies. I
would recommend one type of cookie and of course something that requires
icing and jimmies.
Shopping Event:
Depending on the age of the kids this can be modified. Pick a day
to visit the mall, do some shopping, visit Santa and then go to lunch.
All will enjoy the special time with Mom or Dad.
Christmas Eve Celebration:
Since it is often difficult to visit
both sides of the family on Christmas Day my family started a Christmas
Eve Tradition. We have a big dinner and then exchange presents.
The kids love to spend the time with their cousins and enjoy
getting to open some presents early.
Breakfast with Santa:
Churches, schools and non-profit
organizations all have Breakfast with Santa. The kids love to get
up and get dressed to go out to breakfast. A visit from Santa is
always a great surprise!
Christmas Train Ride:
West Chester Railroad located in West
Chester, PA has a 90 minute scenic Santa Express with Christmas Carols.
The highlight of the trip is a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. My
kids really enjoyed this Saturday morning event. For more
information visit the official
West Chester Railroad website.
Tree Cutting:
We always purchase a fresh tree for
Christmas. We go to the local tree farm and roam until we find the
perfect tree for our home. The kids enjoy the time outdoors and
trudging through the trees. We try to guess to see which family
member will find the tree that we will purchase. The highlight of
the event is dad on the ground cutting down the tree. This is
always a great deal of fun for our family.
Christmas Lights Cruising:
Take the time to drive around your
township to see how people have decorated their houses. The kids
love to see the lights and to vote for their favorite house.
Township Tree Lighting:
Each year our township has a tree
lighting ceremony that is followed by a reception at a local restaurant,
where they serve light snacks. Of course there is a visit from Santa.
So check out your township website to see what they have planned for the
holidays.
Ice Skating:
If not before the holidays then
during the kids winter break from school take them ice skating.
Indoor and outdoor rinks are a great deal of fun especially during the
holidays.
A Trip to the Theater:
This is something that is fun for
older children. There are many terrific holiday shows local
theaters in every city. So why not take them to see the
Nutcracker. Buy your
theater tickets in advance so you can
have a better selection of seats. Check All Star Activities
Survival Tips for Taking Kids to the Theater.
Movie Night:
We love to watch Christmas movies
each year leading up to the holiday. Our all time favorite is Elf.
Check All Star Activities for details on having a
Movie Night.
and a list of
Christmas Movies
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