What do you do while the kids are home? Check out this guest post for some ideas!
Fa-la-la Fun for the Whole Family this Holiday (at Less Cost)
While the kids may not be too keen to deck the halls during their holiday break (anything that resembles work is probably a lost cause), that doesn’t mean you can’t find all sorts of season-centric ways to squeeze in the quality family time that comes but once a year. Despite the fact that there is shopping to be done (and crowds to contend with), gifts to be wrapped, decorations to be hung, and family and friends to be entertained and stuffed to the gills with the many festive foods of the season, you should take a step back and make sure that you’re setting aside some time to relax and enjoy having your family home for the holidays. Here are just a few ways to have some fun and celebrate the season with the ones you love the most (without spending a lot of money).
1. Build a snowman. If there’s some magic left in that old silk hat, you can build yourself a proper Frosty. But what might be more fun is to have a competition. Try rolling snowmen that look like different members of your family. By the time you’re done, you could have a yard full of some pretty funny snow-people and a brand new holiday tradition!
2. Winter sports. Most kids enjoy outdoor activities, and even if they whine about braving the weather, they’ll likely have a great time as soon as they hit the local hill on the sled or a pair of skis. Ice-skating can also be fun (and a bit less rigorous) if you live near a frozen pond or your city hosts an outdoor skating rink. And if you already have the necessary equipment, these fun activities can be done free of charge.
3. Cookies galore! Everyone loves to eat the seasonal treats that come out of your kitchen, so why not get the whole family involved in making them? Kids will likely enjoy getting messy with flour and other ingredients and they’ll quickly learn that things taste a lot better when you put in the effort to make them yourself. Plus, this is a great way to teach them a life skill and give them memories that they can one day pass on to their own children.
4. Movie marathon. You can bust out the holiday faves (White Christmas, It’s A Wonderful Life, and Miracle on 34th Street, or alternately, Die Hard, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and A Christmas Story, depending on the age of your kids). Or you could opt for one of the many marathons that run on TV around this time of year, like the Indiana Jones series. Pop some corn, sip some cocoa, and avoid the winter chill with a cozy day spent watching your favorite films.
5. Holiday-greetings via Facebook. Forget sending out holiday cards! Cut back on your time spent penning personal messages by getting the kids on board with a video greeting. Shoot some footage of your snowman-building and cookie-baking parties (complete with a rehearsed greeting) with your hand-cam, upload it for editing (add some holiday music), and post it on Facebook for friends and relatives. It won’t cost a dime (unlike traditional cards) and it will give you more time to devote to your family.
Sarah Danielson writes for Adiamor Engagement Rings where you can find a large assortment of engagement ring settings, wedding bands, and other fine diamond jewelry.
Our little ones are too little to participate in any activities, and the guys usually watch football, of course. My nephew did burn a DVD of all the pictures taken before everyone departed–that's a really good idea!
Hey – I am certainly delighted to discover this. cool job!