With Christmas less than a week away, many of us are done with all or most of our shopping. At least, we should be. Unfortunately, I choose to procrastinate and never seem to be finish my shopping early. Bummer. You’d think I would learn after all these years! Oh well, maybe next year.
Although there are many tasks still left on our to-do lists, it’s time to take a moment and focus on enjoying the Christmas season and all of its glory. Here are 5 simple things to do with your children over the next few days:
5. Go shopping…for baking supplies. Take your children to the grocery store and buy supplies to make Christmas cookie cut-outs. Make, bake and decorate them together, giving your children their own duties during this special time. It may get messy, but that’s what makes it fun!
4. Rent a Christmas movie or watch one on TV. Head to your local video store or Redbox and rent your favorite Christmas movies. Let the children pick one out and make sure you get one too. Kids like to watch the same movies, year after year, so make sure you introduce them to one of your favorites. Also, this time of year, Christmas movies are all over the cable channels. You can find one any hour of the day.
3. Read a Christmas story together. Just like movies, there are so many Christmas books out there to read to your children. I have several books I’ve acquired over the years as a teacher. If you don’t really have any, take a field trip with your kids to the local library and let them pick several Christmas stories to take home. You may even be able to listen to a story while you’re there. Your children will love it!
2. Start a new family tradition for Christmas. When Todd was growing up, his mom always made spaghetti on Christmas Eve. I decided to continue that tradition when we got married a couple years ago. We also like to buy ornaments for the Christmas tree that represent something that has happened in our lives over the past year. Our first year together as a married couple, we bought a bride and groom ornament and a dog ornament. Our second year, we bought a “Baby’s 1st Christmas” ornament. You get the picture. Decide what’s important to your family and start a tradition that is a reflection of all of you.
1. Explain the real meaning of Christmas. If you asked a handful of children what Christmas means to them, you would probably hear them say something about getting lots of presents, Santa Claus, snowmen and reindeer. Christmas actually represents the birth of Jesus Christ. As a Christian mother, it is up to me, with the help of my husband, to make sure our children know and understand the real meaning of Christmas.
I hope you enjoy doing one or more of these activities with your children. At the very least, remember to take the time to relax and enjoy the Christmas season and what it represents to your family.
