As you may be able to see there is a space to add something to 'make' and 'do' each day. I have put together a list of ideas and thought it might be handy to share here. We're certainly not going to do everything on the list- apart from anything some are quite similar. The two lists can cross over as well as any of the 'make food' items which are actually on the do list could go on the 'make' list. And look out for a post with links to some cool decorations on the net in the next few days. Anyway here's the list.... feel free to add to it in the comments.
Do…. emphasize "doing" more than "getting" or "buying."
1. Make your favorite treat together (and eat an extra one for me ;)
2. Have a fondue night! chocolate and cheese dipped goodies.
3. Make a yummy drink - try hot cider, wassail, egg nog, and talk about your favourite events of this past year.
4. Special Hot and Iced chocolate drinks drink under lit tree.
5. Make a “holiday flavor” of milkshake: peppermint, pumpkin pie, egg nog, gingerbread.
6. Have breakfast for dinner
7. Bake and take gifts to neighbours.
8. Eat dinner by candlelight.
9. Make homemade apple pie.
10. Have a Cookie party. For the kids have the cookies made ahead of time and let them decorate. My adult friends and I have gotten together to bake at my house together on a Saturday--have lunch while we work and then split up the cookies to take home.
11. Have a mixed up dinner where you write the name of each item on a piece of paper and you have to eat them in the order in which you open the papers. (i.e. bread, milk, fork, carrots, pasta, cookies are all written on separate pieces of paper. Each person has their own pile of these papers and eats their dinner in whatever order they open them.
12. Eat breakfast for dinner
13. Have a picnic in the living room (or outside, if the weather's right)
14. Go out somewhere special for dinner
15. Go visit a local light display or just check out the neighbourhood houses
16. Go for a walk, or look out your largest window at the stars together
17. Go visit a place you’ve been meaning to go together: a museum, a walking trail, beach…
18. Go for a walk around your home town and take turns taking photos so you can see everyone's perspective on things.
19. Go visit some of the spectacular holiday decorations in your town - these might be a town square, the mall, main street, or a private home
20. Go see Disney's A Christmas Carol at the movies.
21. Go have a visit and/or photo with Santa.
22. Go to the library and pick out books about Christmas. Read them together.
23. Read from your favorite holiday story
24. Buy a new Christmas storybook and read it before bed
25. Read the true story of Christmas or read any story by the tree with only tree lights on.
26. Look at scrapbooks together .
27. Watch a Christmas movie with popcorn
28. Watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” together
29. Watch a holiday movie by candlelight (polar express)
30. Watch some of past Christmas family videos.
31. Gather around the computer (or plug your computer into your TV) and play a slide show of photos through the year.
32. Do a child-led photo shoot of each other have everyone take turns to take pic as well as using the timer or remote.
33. Watch for Santa on the Norad satellite website on Christmas eve
34. Impromptu dance party to Christmas music or karaoke
35. Sing a holiday song before bed
36. Play your favorite Christmas song (don't be afraid to sing it at the top of your lungs!)
37. Play board or card games.
38. Pop popcorn and play a board game together, while listening to holiday music.
39. Do a puzzle together.
40. Give each other massages.
41. Give each other a 2-minute hand massage.
42. Play sword fight with the leftover wrapping paper tubes.
43. Camp out under the Christmas tree. Get sleeping bags, read stories and drink something yummy and sleep one night under the lights of the tree.
44. Write some Mad Libs (If you don’t know what that is check out this one or google it!)
45. Write a thank-you letter to Santa to leave on Christmas Eve.
46. Get some blank pages and crayons and let your kids write and illustrate their own Christmas story
47. Write a list of 5 things you are each grateful for
48. Write down your 5 best memories from the past year
49. Slip a little note of holiday love into a backpack, laptop case, lunchbox, or set it on a pillow
50. Write a note to each member in the family to tell them how special they are and what you love about them. Leave them in their stockings.
51. Send someone a letter anonymously.
52. Write a holiday letter to include in your cards, and include statements or quotes from each family member
53. Get in touch--call, write a letter, email, send a card--with a friend or relative whom you haven't heard from in a long time.
54. Draw and send postcards to cousins
55. Have a video chat with a friend or family member who is far away
56. Share your favorite holiday memory with each other
57. Share the story of the best present you ever received
58. Ask a stranger about their favorite Christmas memory or thing to do. Just thought it would be a fun twist. You could modify this to something like ask your best friend or grandparent.
59. Make a short questionnaire and interview everyone on video
60. Do a video taped interview with everyone in the family. You could ask…. -How old are you?
-What do you want to be when you grow up?
-What was your favorite memory about this past year?
-What is on your Christmas list?
61. Videotape a short interview of your children’s thoughts about Christmas
62. Adopt a new tradition
63. Send your holiday cards together
64. Put up the Christmas tree, or add an ornament to it
65. Decorate cut outs of trees or snowmen
66. Put a Christmas Cracker in each stocking.
67. Wrap a toy and take it to a charity Christmas tree
68. Do a Random Act of kindness.
69. Update the decoration album.
70. Put together a box of items to donate and take your child with you to donate them. Ask them if they would like to contribute something that they have outgrown. find toys in playroom to donate (makes room for presents come at Christmas! AND gives me a better idea of what kids do/not like now. AND teaches them about giving AND reminds them that stuff is NOT meant to be hoarded/ is not permanent)
72. Gain an appreciation for holiday celebration by researching some of the world's holiday traditions
73. Plan your next family holiday (even if it's in 2012 or beyond )
Make:
1. Make a holiday-related video (sing songs, do puppets, act out something) - this can be a two night production, with practicing one night and filming or performance the next night.
2. Make Christmas cards to send.
3. Make a Christmas or thank-you card for Santa.
4. Make thank-you cards for teachers.
5. Make blank cards to give as gifts.
6. Make postcards for the Overseas Family
7. Draw a holiday picture and send it to a relative (of the child’s choice).
8. Make handmade/computer generated stationery
9. Make custom tags and labels for gift esp. food gifts.
10. Make custom gift boxes or Money envelopes or cards for money gifts.
11. Make our own wrapping paper with stamps and pens.
12. Make Ornaments, either for your home or as small gifts
13. Make gumdrop wreath.
14. Cut out paper snowflakes together
15. Make a Finnish Star together (www.acherryontop.com/article?a=5021)
16. Make Button decorations.
17. Trace hands on paper for tree ornament.
18. Make birdseed ornaments and hang outside.
19. Make a wreath with a thrifted jersey
20. A house (or 2) for a holiday village scene
21. Get an unfinished wood tray from a craft store and decorate it together with a Christmas theme.
22. Pre-make a mini album to document this years Christmas day.
23. Make an album to contain the Christmas letter you send each year.
24. Make a Daily December album
25. A Christmas Mini book which outlines some family tradition around the holidays.
26. Start a holiday memory book. Quote your child and ask them what their favorite thing they had done (so far) was for the holidays. Record what they asked for from Santa. Take a picture of them for that year with their Santa gift.
27. Make our own holiday card game. Eg Christmas decoration Snap.
28. Make the cookie recipe in a jar kit.
29. Make Sweets to eat or gift.
30. Bake cookies/cake for teachers/friends/family/ or a Random Act of Kindness. (eg stained glass biscuits)
31. Make gingerbread houses together
32. Make Christmas Blog headers or website decorations.
33. Print out a Holiday Coloring Page and color it.
♥
1 comment:
If you have a fondue night, can I come? i'll bring dipables and be well behaved.
If you have a cookie making/icing day, can I come? I have good resources and am good at sharing.
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