OK, it’s Sunday. I usually post a “Staying Sane” piece but this week I’m going to cheat and “borrow” someone else’s terrific idea and add to it. I came across this blog entry and shared it on the Mama In Motion Facebook page. But I think it’s worthy of posting here as well – since we have 2 weeks to go until Christmas, and tensions at this point may be running high for you as a working mother. We all can use any ideas to help stay sane.
Try to take it easy on yourself. Outsource the shopping to your computer and/or Amazon. Do your cards through USPS and they can put them in envelops and stamp and send them for you. If you are like me, we try too hard to do everything for everybody; BUT, I don’t think we need to put pressures on ourselves to be super-women when it comes to providing a good, memorable experience for our children.
I saw the below list (Source: http://www.domesticsimplicity.com; http://wp.me/pfg42-N) and so much resonated with me — there a lots of fun things to do with the kids that aren’t huge projects but could create memorable traditions. Take a look and maybe you’ll see something new; I’ve added my thoughts at the bottom. Add yours too!
Thanks for listening –
– Mama K
Source: http://www.domesticsimplicity.com; http://wp.me/pfg42-N
50 Things To Do With Kids in December:
- Go out and look at Christmas lights
- Bake cookies
- Pick out and put up the Christmas Tree
- Decorate the Christmas Tree
- Make an Ice Wreath
- Make Cinnamon Applesauce and/or Salt Dough ornaments
- Make and decorate gingerbread houses
- Sing Christmas Songs
- Visit Santa
- Buy and donate toys for Toys For Tots
- Help to wrap presents for friends and family
- Act out the Christmas story
- Make Reindeer Food
- Make homemade Christmas color/glitter play dough (and scent it with peppermint) to give to friends
- Make and decorate gingerbread people
- Make popcorn and cranberry garland
- Go on a sleigh ride
- Make paper chains for the Christmas tree
- Write a letter to Santa
- Watch a holiday movie
- Check out holiday books at the library
- Leave out shoes for St. Nicholas
- Eat Candy Canes
- Hang stockings on the mantle or banister
- Put out the Nativity Scene
- Address and Mail holiday cards
- Pick a special family ornament for the year
- Make a special plate for Santa’s cookies and the reindeer’s carrots
- Go to see The Nutcracker
- Go to a holiday parade
- Go to a candy store for a holiday treat
- Tie bells with ribbons and hang them around the house
- Make cards and gifts for teachers
- Go to the dollar store and pick gifts for family
- Make special cards to send to cousins
- Have a Random Acts of Kindness Day(s)
- Make cards to send to troops or to bring to a nursing home
- Grocery shop just to take to a food bank or donation boxes
- Learn a Christmas song on the guitar or piano
- Make a present for Santa
- Celebrate the Winter Solstice
- Make Winter Tea
- Make/Put out food for birds and squirrels
- Make orange and clove pomanders
- Look through favorite Christmas Cards from friends and family from years past
- Start a garland or photo album with your own family holiday cards from years past
- Prep and freeze a special breakfast for Christmas morning
- Make hot chocolate balls
- Make snow globes
- Do research on holiday traditions around the world and choose one to add to family traditions
Mama K’s additions:
51. Have the kids draw a picture for Santa to leave out on Christmas Eve
52. Have the kids dress in red and/or green on several days leading up to Christmas
53. Make Christmas socks (simpler than shirts) — white socks with red and green dye; who cares what they’ll look like, the kids will probably love them anyway
54. Have your kids draw the present they would like Santa to bring to them
55. Have your kids make cards for their teachers
56. Make home-made hot chocolate and put a candy-cane on the top for them
57. Get red and green ice-cream — strawberry or vanilla (and add food colooring) and mint or vanilla with food coloring)
58. Go to a downtown area where you live and visit office building lobbies and look at their decorations
59. Go ice-skating
60. Get Santa hats and wear yours after work until they go to bed…. while cooking, eating dinner, helping them get ready for bed, etc
61. Get clown “red ball” noses and put them on so you all can be Rudolph; buy headband “antlers” and do the same…
62. Find a picture of you as a child sitting on Santa’s lap and see what kind of reaction you get
63. Get some string and some clips and have the kids help you string up the holiday cards you receive from others
64. Buy some jingle bells and have your kids wear them in their jean pocket
65. Dress up your pet
66. Use those big Amazon boxes and let your kids decorate them as Santa’s sleigh
And what else can you think of to add to the list????
Mama In Motion™ 
Sweet List!