| Planning Christmas with kids gives you an | | | | kit, and fortunately the kits are typically |
| opportunity to get them involved. Christmas is a | | | | inexpensive. Let the kids help. Older kids can do |
| truly magical season for children, and letting them | | | | most of the assembly themselves; so let them |
| decorate for Christmas will not only give kids a | | | | go to it! For toddlers, put the frosting on the |
| sense of accomplishment with what they created, | | | | house first, and allow them to place the candies |
| it will get your house decorated as well! | | | | on top. Display the gingerbread house. You can |
| If you don't mind homemade décor on | | | | use it as a centerpiece on the table, or as an item |
| your tree, your kids can craft edible treats to | | | | of décor on a shelf or counter top. The |
| hang. Spend an evening stringing popcorn to drape | | | | kids will be so proud to show guests their |
| around the tree. You can make edible gingerbread | | | | creation! |
| men or one inedible ones that will last for years. | | | | A personal favorite childhood memory is cutting |
| Either one will bring wonderful aromas into your | | | | out snowflakes with my family. I was wearing my |
| home. The kids can help roll out and bake the | | | | red Christmas dress, and my sisters and I were |
| gingerbread, and then help you hang them with | | | | wandering around the kitchen, cutting paper and |
| ribbon. Let your kids decorate ornaments with | | | | singing along to Christmas music. The little scraps |
| glitter and paint, or create your own by taking | | | | of paper probably made a mess, but no one |
| pictures of your kids princess costumes and dress | | | | seemed to mind. We hung the snowflakes in our |
| ups and mounting them on construction paper. | | | | windows. We argued about whose was the best, |
| Let your kids help you decorate the tree. If they | | | | and I felt a sense of pride whenever I walked |
| are not very excited, try letting your girls wear | | | | past one of my snowflakes. |
| their kids princess costumes and the boys wear | | | | Another fun decorating opportunity for Christmas |
| their capes and Santa hats. Put music on so the | | | | with kids is to make the countdown chain until |
| little tots can dance, and let the kids roam around | | | | Christmas. Let the kids choose an obvious place |
| the tree. The music and costumes will make | | | | to put the chain. You can make the chain more |
| decorating more of a magical experience and less | | | | interactive by adding topics of conversation on |
| of a chore. | | | | the chain. Suggestions include: "What is your |
| Every Christmas brings a plethora of Christmas | | | | favorite Christmas memory?" "What do you like |
| cards. Everyone is eager to send off holiday | | | | most about Christmas?" "What is your favorite |
| greetings in a red holiday dress. Rather than store | | | | part of the Christmas story?" While your kids |
| the greetings in a disorganized ramble on the | | | | answers to these questions might be short, they |
| refrigerator, try placing them in a photo tree | | | | open up the opportunity for you and your kids to |
| made to slide pictures in. This way the kids can | | | | converse more with one another. |
| slide the greeting cards in and out by themselves | | | | Holiday decorating with kids is a great chance to |
| to take a closer look at their family and friends. | | | | bond as a family. So pull out those princess |
| Gingerbread houses are a great way to spend an | | | | costumes, turn on some holiday music, and get |
| evening together as a family. You can make the | | | | started! |
| house from scratch or buy a gingerbread house | | | | |