| hildren, every month of the year should be a | | | | July 4 - American Independence Day |
| fun-filled celebration of something special, from | | | | September - Grandparents Day |
| large occasions like the birth of a new brother or | | | | September 15 to October 15 - Hispanic Heritage |
| sister, a child's birthday, or Christmas, to the | | | | Month |
| smaller milestones of everyday life, such as losing | | | | October 12 - Columbus Day |
| the first baby tooth or coming to the end of | | | | October 31 - Halloween |
| another school year. Often families hold large-scale | | | | November - American Indian/Alaska Native |
| celebrations surrounding certain events, but may | | | | Heritage Month |
| pass others over entirely. The purpose of this | | | | November - National Children's Book Weeklate |
| article is to suggest ways in which parents can | | | | November - Thanksgivinglate November or |
| make every month special and uniquely | | | | December - Chanukah |
| memorable for their children. | | | | December 25 - Christmas |
| Picture the scene. It's Christmastime. Many | | | | December 26 to January 1 - Kwanzaa |
| homes, especially if there are children, are framed | | | | To find detailed information on designs to use or |
| in twinkling lights, have Christmas wreaths hanging | | | | special pictures and symbols to go with each |
| on the front doors, and perhaps Santa's sleigh | | | | event, you can consult Internet or find a book on |
| adorning the front lawn, in addition to a lovingly | | | | holidays at your local library. Whatever your |
| trimmed Christmas tree in the livingroom. The act | | | | religion, you may also want to decorate your |
| of making or putting up these decorations | | | | home for your faith’s unique holidays and |
| provides a special opportunity for parents and | | | | traditional celebrations, the Jewish harvest festival |
| children to participate in a creative endeavor | | | | of Sukkot, for example. Don't forget to doll up |
| together. It heightens the child's anticipation of the | | | | the place for all personal family events, too, such |
| big holiday to come and provides an enjoyable | | | | as each family member's birthday, graduations, |
| day spent doing things together. | | | | anniversaries and the like. How about celebrating |
| Because of its association with a very special | | | | when your child successfully learns to ride a |
| annual event, it may particularly stand out in the | | | | bicycle or loses a baby tooth ? You might even |
| child's mind and even become a cherished | | | | mark the arrival of a new pet, or a long overdue |
| childhood memory, lasting long after the child has | | | | visit from a favorite relative who lives far away. |
| grown into adulthood. Moments such as these | | | | For each event, you may or may not choose to |
| linger and contribute to the special bond between | | | | use some store-bought ornaments and objects |
| parents and children and become tender | | | | related to the festivity, but you should also |
| memories that grown children and their parents | | | | always include many homemade decorations. The |
| can hold onto forever. | | | | art sessions during which you and your children |
| After New Year's Day, when the Christmas tree | | | | design and make your own decorations add to |
| comes down and the last string of tiny light bulbs | | | | family closeness and create special memories in |
| has been packed away, it's a bit of a letdown and | | | | and of themselves. They also encourage your |
| signals a return to the routine passing of the days. | | | | children to tap their own creativity, to develop |
| Well, instead of just packing away all of these | | | | original ideas and see them through, and to trust |
| fanciful flourishes for another year, why not | | | | their own instincts. |
| segue directly into another holiday ? In January, | | | | You might buy some basic materials, such as rolls |
| this could be preparations for Chinese New Year | | | | of ribbon or crepe paper or rolls of colored |
| or for Valentine's Day. Why not put equal care | | | | cellophane and pipe cleaners, or really maximize |
| and attention into doing up the house for each | | | | your resourcefulness by relying primarily on odds |
| subsequent special event throughout the year ? | | | | and ends that you already have lying around the |
| With a bit of planning and effort, every month | | | | house. These could include bits of colored |
| can mark a new festival of creativity, excitement | | | | construction paper, tin foil, crayons, cotton balls, |
| and anticipation. The house need never revert to | | | | leftover ribbons and yarn. Be careful, of course, |
| dullness and children need never feel that the fun's | | | | to keep scissors and swallowable objects out of |
| all over until next year. This practice will also allow | | | | the reach of small children and exercise caution if |
| your children to take pride in their own artistic | | | | you have pets in your house. Please be careful |
| accomplishments, the fruits of which will be on | | | | not to use any decorations or materials that may |
| display all around them. | | | | be poisonous, such as poinsettias, or otherwise |
| Here is a list of just some of the annual events | | | | harmful to pets. For example, cats may swallow |
| that you might wish to make a bigger fuss over, | | | | tinsel, which can then block their intestines, or |
| in terms of decorating a single room or decorating | | | | pets may become tangled up in or choked by |
| your entire home, inside and out. You may even | | | | long, string-like strips of ribbon and such. |
| choose to make gift-giving a part of a broader | | | | When plannng each project, let your kids decide |
| range of annual events, just for the pleasure of | | | | what to make and where to put each item, or |
| giving. You might bake a special cake and have a | | | | start with one room plus an idea of that room's |
| party with a particular theme in mind, and | | | | overall decorative potential, such as a garland |
| incorporate that theme into all of your table | | | | here, a mobile there, and a picture over there, |
| trimmings. Some of the following widely | | | | and then set about to construct each desired |
| celebrated holidays and other special observances | | | | element. Take plenty of photos along the way, |
| have fixed dates, while others vary a bit from | | | | not only of your resplendant rooms once they've |
| year to year : | | | | been all gussied up, but also of your family's |
| January 1 - New Year's DaymidJanuary - Martin | | | | "making of" activities. You may even decide to |
| Luther King, Jr. Day | | | | start a special photo album just for this purpose. |
| January - Chinese New Year | | | | Later, when the time comes to take down all of |
| February - African-American History Month | | | | the decorations from a particular special event, |
| February 2 - Groundhog Day | | | | pack them lovingly away so that next year you |
| February 14 - Valentine's Day | | | | can reuse some, in addition to creating some new |
| March - Women's History Month | | | | ones each year. You can gradually build up your |
| March 17 - Saint Patrick's Daylate March or April - | | | | own personal inventory of special ornaments and |
| Easter | | | | trimmings for each event in the year. Then, in |
| April - National Library Week | | | | years to come, they can be brought out for |
| May - Older Americans Month | | | | nostalgic afternoons with your adult children, or |
| May – Asian Pacific American Heritage | | | | for sharing with your grandchidren. Each |
| Month | | | | decoration or photo will have its own story to tell |
| May - Be Kind To Animals WeekmidMay - | | | | and, after all, these are the special moments that |
| Mother's DaymidJune - Father's Day | | | | lifetime memories are made of. |