The Holidays are Coming!!!

Doesn't it seem like Spring was just arriving? Never mind Summer? And now we're already past Halloween and almost all the way through Autumn!!! The Holiday season is here, and I thought I would pass on some fun ideas, and some of my own "Holiday practices" that I find helpful in a house full of kids. Thanksgiving is a fun teaching time for kids, when you can have them really think about all they have, no matter how big or little that is, and to teach about giving back to others. Even young kids can get into the spirit of giving by helping bake, or press cookie cutters into the dough, sprinkle cookies, etc. Make it a family affair, and give back to those you are thankful for in your life. We started a little tradition in my family of tracing the kids hands onto construction paper, and having them color them in as turkeys (thumb is the head, and the other fingers become feathers.) We created one for each family and I asked the kids things they were grateful for, or loved about the people in that family, and wrote what they had to say on the back. It's a great memory, and it's fun to see the kids hands grow, and their gratitude and understanding grow as well.
In thought and preparation for the gift giving/receiving part of the holidays, I like to have a give back as much as you get theme. We do this prior to birthdays as well here, but the month prior to Christmas (you can apply this to which ever holiday you celebrate) the kids go through their toys and decide which ones they no longer play with, and we fill up big ol' bags and donate them together. Some toys get recycled into our own family (from one child's toy box to another) but I have to say I am quite proud of my kids for letting go and getting into the spirit of giving. Again, I like to use this also as another teaching opportunity with the kids, to explain that not all children will receive toys, and that hopefully the toys they are donating will help make a child's day. The boys like to talk about who might get their toys, and may talk about how much they loved playing with them, and that some other boy (or girl) will love the toy just as much. It's kind of like a whole new life for the toy, and I think they find that comforting.
I'm going to try and blog some fun, inexpensive, holiday themed ideas over the next few weeks, that hopefully you will find useful.