I know this is the time of year where we all try to find the gifts for our kids and how to pay for them so I thought I would share this story with you. Yesterday my dd (6) and ds(3) were talking about putting up the Christmas tree. Then my dd started asking questions....."Mommy do we get to make reindeer food?" "Are we going to go look at Christmas lights Christmas Eve and have Cheese popcorn?" "Do we get to make the sugar cookie color icing again?" Even the three year old was chanting "ICING--REINDEER FOOD!" These are family traditions we started last year. Anyway, later I told them they could make a letter to Santa about what they wanted this year and they did. Then my dd said that thing that made my heart warm "Mommy, I don't know what any presents I got last year were". She and ds could not remember one gift they got last year not even the big ones from Santa! It just proves that it is the time and traditions you spend together as a family that really matter----that is Christmas. So anyone worried about money and buying your kids christmas the truth is YOU CANNOT BUY CHRISTMAS! Start your own family traditions and I promise that is what your kids will remember and carry on! Merry Early Christmas!!!!!!!!

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Standard of Living and Quality of life are NOT the same thing.

I absolutely agree with you!!

This year, I'm going to make my DD some gifts that, hopefully, she WILL remember (and USE) throughout the coming year. I also hope to find some more ideas and suggestions on starting family traditions. I think you've hit the nail on the head! It's your TIME SPENT WITH YOUR KIDS that they'll remember most!!

GREAT THREAD!!

"You can't BUY Christmas!"...HOW TRUE!!

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Think big! Change the world! One A.R.K at a time.

that is soo true!!! I think this year we are going to have Christmas at home!! I told dh that
we are going ot start staying home (unless its a once in a lifetime opportunity)
on Christmas and anyone can come to us if they really HAVE to see us!!
my parents live close (5 min away tops) so I could deal with eating dinner at there house but I still would rather stay here!! I want to wake up and enjoy the morning with my kids and not feel rushed around!!!

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Kelly mom to 2 gymmonkeys!!!

So true! It is the memories that will last forever!

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Jenifer
Proud wife to one amazing man
Proud mom to four awesome kids

April showers bring May flowers
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Thanks for sharing this great reminder.

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~Jeweled

Thanks for sharing

It's nice to be reminded that children do appreciate the simple things. One of my best Christmas memories was the year my Grandpa built me a dollhouse and my sister a stable for her toy horses. They weren't fancy or even painted, just wood. My Grandma made all the furniture in my dollhouse in her ceramics shop. That was the best Christmas!

I also have wonderful memories of the many Swedish Christmas traditions we celebrated, I will do those with my family as well.

We have made it a rule with our families that we stay home on Christmas. It's important to me that St. Nick comes to our home. My family is close, so they can come over for the day (and we visit/church with them on Christmas Eve). DH's family doesn't really understand, but they are good about it. We used to drive to see them on Christmas, leaving about 10 and getting there by 6, in time for dinner. Now we have DS, I won't do it, we head down the day after Chrismas.

I want to simplify my family's holiday, not make it feel rushed or stressful.

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Doing my best to raise a GEEK- Genuine Enthusiastic Empowered Kid!

I got the same question.. but it was about.. when can we paint our cookies???? Hey, would you mind sharing your recipe for "reindeer food"?

We make cut out butter cookies & paint them before putting them in the oven. They turn out so cute.. and the kids love doing it! Last year, my friend and I did this together at her house.. we had 6 kids painting cookies and we each ended up with a large shirt box full of them!

Grandma's butter cookies
1c butter
1c white sugar
3/4c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4tsp almond flavoring
3.5c flour
1tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cream butter with sugar
beat in eggs, then mix in vanilla & almond flavoring
Then add flower baking powder & salt.
Chill one hour. Divide dough & roll to 1.8" - 1/4" thickness, cut with favorite cookie cutters. Place cookies on cookie sheet & paint with egg yolk paint (see below).
Bake 8-10 min at 400 degrees

Egg Yolk Paint
1 egg yolk & 1/4 tsp water mixed together
divide mixture into the # of colors wanted
tint w/ food color
Children's paintbrushes (new or only used for this purpose)

a good reminder for everyone. we used to have so many places to go to in the two days we now stay home on christmas eve and open our presents with the kids then christmas morning they get up and open their santa gift and stockings and we have a nice breakfast then go to mils at 1pm...its so much more enjoyable now than it ever was....

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