Some of us (cough..me....cough) are not quite as on top of things. I still have presents to buy, cookies to make and supper to plan. Below you will find my general Christmas check off list and a last minute plan to accomplish any of it that you may still need or want to check off. I've broken it down into categories...with Santa preparations at the top. =)
SANTA
- At least one present to for each child from Santa. Leave now, stop reading this and go finish Santa shopping! If you are on a budget and don't get paid til after Christmas, still go get SOMETHING, it can be $5 dollar toy, the important thing is Santa came! You can run to any local store (even grocery stores and gas stations) to pick up something, anything. Or if you are creative...make something. I know what it is like for money to be tight and after the new year, we will start talking about budgeting and planning for next year so we will never be caught here again!
- Stocking Stuffers. You can stuff a stocking FULL for $5-$10. Run to the dollar tree or the party aisle at Walmart. You can buy packs of pencils, suckers, and lots of other stuff for a $1 and split it between multiple kids. Make sure to get 1 or 2 big items (not necessarily an expensive item) to help bulk up the stocking. Think cup, ball, candy or the old standby-fruit
- Cookies, Santa will need cookies. If you have competed most of the other items on this list and have the time, money and desire, make home made cookies. You can take the almost homemade route and make the slice and bake cookies, or just go buy some store cookies.
- Double check to make sure you have all the tools to put Santa's gifts together and have the proper batteries
FAMILY CHRISTMAS
- All gifts bought and wrapped. If you haven't done this, I recommend going to 1 store that carries a variety of things so you can get the buying completed at one time. For wrapping, set up shop and get it done. Bows are not necessary.
- Meals/Dishes to bring planned and all the groceries bought. Go to the grocery store if needed. I plan and buy all of my groceries through December 26th.
- Take the yearly Santa Picture. The Malls are still open today and Santa is still there. If you have a Bass Pro in your area, they also have other activities for the kids.
- Double check that no long lost relatives have suddenly been invited that you need to pick up a little something for.
- If you did not get around to sending out Christmas cards this year, send out a Christmas email!
ENTERTAINING THE KIDS
- Start out by checking out NORAD Santa Tracker. Kids can track where Santa is and learn about Christmas in other countries. There is even an app for your iphone.
- Make those cookies we talked about earlier and let the kids decorate them with icing and sprinkles. They can even decorate the store bought ones.
- Make a Christmas craft. At my house, we have already made ornaments out of foam board. We cut shapes out of foam board (circle, star, tree/triangle) and then hot glued other shapes we cut from foam board or paper (or other craft items) on to decorate. You can use a hole punch to make a hole and tie ribbon or yarn to make the ornament. We will also be making snow flake garland to hang. We will be cutting snowflakes out of colored copy paper and then using the hole punch to make a hole and stringing them on yarn to hang in doorways.
- Watch a Christmas movie...Disney has several safe movies playing this morning (Eloise at Christmas and Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas). ABC Family will have Prancer and The Polar Express which I have graded (click on the movies tab). Starting at 7PM ABC will start showing How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon version followed by the full length film) and NBC will have It's a Wonderful Life.
- Read a Christmas book. What better day to read those Santa Clause stories and of course, the story about Jesus's birth. Our favorite is The Night Before Christmas (which you can find online).
- Have dinner as a family and reflect on all the blessings you've had this year.
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