Personalised letters from Santa & Santa Sacks
This is the BEST Christmas Craft to do with your kids
This is such a fun and easy thing to do with your kids. Thank you @anneke_hau for this wonderful recipe and inspiration!
I made this with my kids a few weeks ago, and the only thing I would add is that it took a bit more cooking – you really do need them to brown on one side, so they are not brittle and break. And I used hair spray to seal mine!
Ours our Christmas tree decorations and gift tags for presents …
Dough Recipe
If you haven’t already guessed, I love this time of year. The days are long, the sun is warm and the house is filled with more laughter (mostly) and unique smells that instantly bring a smile to my face. There’s no doubt that it’s the smell and sound of tradition, the traditions of Christmas.
Do you remember things about the festive season when you were growing up? Was it something you ate? The smell of glazed ham, garden potatoes or fresh prawns? Or was it making presents for each other or going to the local carols? As I think about what this time of year means to me, it becomes evident that it’s the traditions the we have as a family, that make Christmas so special. The more I talk to others, I hear about new traditions, some of which really excite me.
Traditions are what make us, they are embedded into our culture, our history and shape our norm. A recent conversation about Christmas traditions got me excited so let me share some special Christmas traditions with you … so in no particular order here are some ideas I’ve put together:
December = Christmas story month! The excitement of snuggling up our kids and seeing their faces light up with a Christmas story will never get old. Get out your collection of Christmas books and read one each night until Christmas, perhaps is there a new one added each year? Perhaps there are 12 on rotation, 24 special ones (!) or even a special six? It is a beautiful way to bond and get the kids excited and reinforce the special stories of Christmas. Why not do a swap with family or friends for a week or two to get a fresh story or too to read?
Sweet dreams – get your kids a special Christmas pillow case that they use for the month of December (with regular washing of course)
Tis the season to be kind – This is one of my absolute favourite traditions. For me Christmas is as much about being gracious and showing gratitude as it is anything else so I am right behind the “acts of kindness” traditions. This one costs nothing, or very little and can be translate anyway you want but the idea is the that you work together as a family to do things for others, as acts of kindness. 10 days / 12 days / 5 days / 1 day it doesn’t matter – do what works for your family
Ginger all around us – when I recently spoke to a group of mums one of their favourite traditions involved cooking and in particular cooking ginger bread men or gingerbread houses. I absolutely loved this, and what a special treat for the kids. They told me this is an annual tradition as soon as the kids break up from school. I know not everyone is a Betty Crocker, so I did some research and Ikea has delivered. They have kits from just $5. If you trust your kids decorating skills they would also make beautiful gifts. I’ve also seen local supermarkets with some great kits too!
Escape the distraction and make decorating your tree a phone free time – today we have a unhealthy relationship with our phone, iPads and other devices so why not actively pop them away and have distraction free time, tune into your family only as you set up and decorate your tree, put the carols on and just enjoy all that Christmas has to offer.
Mark the year. Another favourite, don’t let the years fly by unnoticed get a special something that reminds of the year gone by and hang it on the tree – mark it with the years date. It could be from a holiday, a special place you’ve been, something from your home or garden or just something you love – you will create lasting memories and create talking points in the years to come
The special Christmas Eve Book – I know a few families who have a special read of The Night Before Christmas, and have done for generations
Pay it forward – I think this is a special idea and one I am going to be embracing. Going to a local toy store and choosing a gift each for someone less fortunate than ourselves. Each child chooses one for a child the same age, wraps them and then leaves them under one of the donation trees.
Christmas Night ideas (if you have the energy). How about once the kids are in bed on Christmas night, you put together new toys and games so that they can spend the entire Boxing Day playing with their gifts – extend the fun?
Making Christmas wrapping paper – fun holiday activities for the kids and so cherished by the recipient (or reusing artwork from the year that has bee?)
Christmas reef making with your friends (Adults that is)– forage each other’s gardens, pop the champagne and have fun creating something unique with a ring of oasis!
Make an electronic Christmas Card – save on paper and get the family involved on making an electronic card
Get into the spirit of Christmas –after the kids have gone to bed (finally) create and organise the Santa gifts or eat the milk and cookies – with Santa hats on!
Write Santa letters – and if you want one back in the mail check out my shop https://lovefromsanta.com/personalised-letter-from-santa/
Elf on the shelf – too fun
Annual Santa photos
Baking gifts and Santa cookies
Christmas is a time for family, friends, laughter, love, food, tradition and gratitude. Why not add a new ritual this year and see if it sticks? It may just become a tradition for years to come.
Amy Malpass, Editor in Chief @ the gorgeous The Grace Tales, picks my letters as one of her favourite things this Christmas!
Thank you for this beautiful feature this week, I was tickled pink.
I really hope the magic words from Santa do help to keep your children on their best behaviour until Christmas Day – and beyond! Here’s hoping 🙂
A few days ago I posted in my Instagram stories the fun little after school activity my girls and I completed. The making of our Christmas Wreath.
I had a lot of lovely comments back so I thought I would quickly explain the very easy process so you too can do this with your family!
x1 oasis ring (easily brought online, or at your local florist)
and abundance of leaves
some little helpers!
Being a typical Mum / Woman I was actually multitasking, when this activity started. The hedge needed trimming, so that is what I was doing. When I saw all the beautiful leaves I had cut off (the lovely special new growth) I whipped out our oasis Christmas Wreath, soaked it in water and gathered the troops!
We simply took the leaves and stuck them into the Oasis, starting with a bottom layer and working up higher and higher as we completed each layer. It was so easy – and fun. You couldn’t really do anything wrong.
At the end we did a final check to see if we would see any Oasis, sticking more leaves into any spaces we spotted.
We then left the ring in a shallow pool of water over night (because you need to do that with Oasis so that it really absorbs and holds the water).
The finishing touch was a hydrangea head from the garden that we broke into small sections and poked into the oasis in a circle in the middle.
Even our dog got involved with this fun activity (well he plonked his ball right amongst our leaves so we would keep throwing it to him!)
All that’s missing is the fairy lights … 🙂
It’s one of the things that every year, just suddenly hits you … 30th November and OMG I have to get that Christmas elf out! And on that subject where of where is he …?!
When I first got into this business back in 2015 the Elf on Shelf was still quite a new concept, so much so I actually got a contract in place for selling them – I would never have believed they were going to get as big as they now are!
And I must admit back then I was a little reluctant to add this to our Christmas build up … but I am so pleased I did.
I LOVE our Elf. Rapunzel.
So much so that I now have two! Rapunzel & Bella (see them below – insert love heart!).
I can’t wait for them to come back.
If you found yourself with an offical Elf on the Shelf you would have been given the book explaining in a lovely rhyming story the reason he / she has visited you, the rules for the duration of his stay and the consequence of them not being followed. It was a handy book for my young children to help them really grasp the concept. There are lots of other lovely Elves out there now too, some really beautiful ones!
Santa has sent you an elf for the Dec 1st to 24th period
You are to name, love and look after your elf
He watches your family during the day to make sure that everyone is behaving
He flys back to Santa (magically) every night to report his findings
When he comes back each night, he is found somewhere new. Because Elves are renown for being rather cheeky they can often be found doing mischievous things in your house
You must NOT touch the Elf or his magic disappears … so whilst he looks like a doll during the day, that is in fact purposeful, touching him will ruin his ability to turn back into an Elf that can travel back to Santa at night time (as I’ve already had to explain in detail to my daughter this year)
Your Elf will leave you on the 24th of Dec, regrouping with all the other Elves. But fear not, hold back the tears, he / she will be back on 1st December the next year!
Children just LOVE it
It really creates a different feeling in the house for December, and the whole family gets onboard
Their is huge anticipation for the Elf to come back. Even the oldest of Kids can’t wait for the Elf to come back!
The Elf reports bad behaviour … he’s always watching. Meaning you are guaranteed a few days of good behaviour at least 🙂
Remembering to move the Elf every night!! Those of us with elves in our houses in the past, I can guarantee, have all had at least one late night moving on the elf! And many having woken in the middle of the night to have to go and do it! And I am sure there are some equally good tales that have been told about why he /she actually didn’t move at all last night (ha).
Saying goodbye on the 24th of December! There have been some very broken little hearts when the Elves leave. Luckily all that wrapping paper and present filled frenzy of Christmas Day is a good distraction!
Just following the hashtag #elfontheshelfideas will give you a good selection!
I’ve also pasted below a clever list from @misskyreeloves Adore Christmas guide which had a good list too, although my Elf is gone on Christmas Day, he’s more than had his time in the sun by then!
I always try to keep my Elves out of touching height – because resisting temptation is not a strong characteristic of many children!
Happy Elfing 🙂
