Christmas ideas for the family? NF

[The Urban Fisherman]

Hey guys,

 

Gotta keep this short, but I'll try to get the point across. Most of you know I have two young kids ,3 and 8 months. I'm looking for things that we can do as a family to help enhance the Christmas experience for them. First off we're a non-religious family, so that aspect of Christmas is already out the window. I see it as a time for family and friends, celebrating life, and helping those who aren't so fortunate. Most of all, I want them to know that it isn't all about just getting presents. And my 3 year old is already showing signs of this. I believe that Christmas should be one of the most selfless times of the year and I'd like my children to know how lucky they are, and that there's other people, and kids who aren't so lucky.

 

So if you can, toss some idea's out there. Anything from going to Christmas concerts and creating those solid family memories, to donating toys or food to families and children in need.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Ryan

[splashhopper]

I take my girls with me to deliver presents for a charity on Christmas eve.

 

The last two years botbot has brought a freind and they sing a carol while I bring the boxes in.

 

Lots of giggles and stuff while we went from home to home.

 

The girls learned the true spirit of Christmas a couple of years ago when they were singing to this old lady in a very run down part of town. ( where I grew up)

 

The lady started crying....

 

the girls kept singing....

 

when we got back in the van,... the girls were very quiet....

 

Finally one of them asked me why the lady was crying....

 

 

I told her that she thought she was all alone at Christmas... the girls didn't say another word for the last two deliveries.

 

 

Ryan....

 

Maybe go to the local hospital and bring something to the the SENIORS wards there..... so many of them don;t get ANY visitors at Christmas.

 

I bet they would love the spirit of your little ones lighting up there room for a few minutes.

[solopaddler]

Last year early on Christmas eve I took the family on a hike in some nearby woods.

(Actually I carried my 2 year old, my 5 yr old walked. )

We made a small campfire, roasted some marshmallows and sang some Christmas songs.

It was great.

 

All the best to you and your family Ryan, hope you have a great holliday!

[GBW]

We go skating and tobogganing together all the time. The kids love it! Even when my son was 1-year old he had a blast (now 3-years old). We would just send him down the smaller part of the hill with a rope tied to the back of his toboggan so we can control the speed. I can't wait to get to the cottage this weekend as my father cut out a nice bobsled type run for the kids.

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

gifts are ok if you make the kids excited to give as well as receive. perhaps supervising them to make a gift for mom themselves would give them something to anticipate other than receiving.

[Sandbag]

A couple of years ago, my daughter had a teacher that was very involved in The Nelson Mandella foundation (a foundation for children in Africa). Instead of buying her teacher a Christmas gift, we made a donation to the foundation in her teacher's name. Since that time, my daughter (now 6) saves her money as well as accepts donations from family, friends etc and each year makes a donation to what she calls "her friends in Africa" She seems to have embraced the idea of giving to those less fortunate than her at Christmas.

 

It has been a little embarassing at times when we have house guests and she walks around with her lunch box with a sign on it "Donations for the kids in Africa". But it makes the old man pretty proud at the same time.

 

Merry Christmas to you and your family Ryan. And to everyone else at OFC as well.

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[JohnF]

Take them out (when they're old enuf to understand - your daughter is probably ready, sort of, but she'll like being told about it years from now) and look for a Christmas tree decoration to give Mom, in memory of grandma or something, and years from now they'll remember and treasure the ornaments for the memories and have them hanging on their own trees. My Mom still hangs the different ornaments that remind her of each of us kids as we grew up - hockey stuff for me, guitar stuff for my brother, etc Back when my wife still liked Christmas with the kids she really enjoyed the ornaments we got. I still have the Santa that has stood under our tree since I was a little kid. It now stands under my son's tree and hopefully will one day move to his kid's tree. It's a nice personal Christmas tradition that's easy to sustain.

 

Merry Christmas Ryan.

 

JF

[bigugli]

For every year my kids were growing up, there is a homemade wooden ornament with their names and year on them.

Take them on an evening drive to see Christmas lights. The Falls may be too far but Simcoe used to have the streets lit really nice. Backyard bonfires and cocoa, and dogs on a stick and smores, and banana boats, popcorn over the fire.

If the water isn't frozen go to the port with some crusts and feed the resident ducks. Your children will have a blast.

Go to a carol sing.

Make a batch of cookies and share them with neighbours while wishing a Merry Christmas.

 

The oldest one needs to be a couple of years older to grasp the importance of giving and helping others. Even so, a delivery to the food bank gives the beginnings of the idea

Edited December 22, 2009 by bigugli