How do you do this at Christmas?

[MissTaken]

When you have no money, only love, how do you wrap up love, commitment and sacrifice in a box for small children?

Just curious...

 

[Purrde Flower]

Lots of hugs and kisses. Watch their favorite TV shows.. Read them books they pick out.. Take em to the dollar show if you can. And let them sleep in your bed that night.

 

[MissTaken]

Every year, it is tradition that my kids make crafts for the "people they love."

I was thinking that it would be really nice if I did the same for them, reminding them of how important our day doing so for other's is...

Does that make any sense?

 

[EarthWind]

you know.. i think kids are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. They know whats going on even when we try to pretend something different. If your honest with your children about your love for them, they'll know that.

I once made a little toy car for my sister using a foamie and some buttons. I drew a little driver in the front window. It didnt last long, but she liked it.

Whats really good and Im pretty sure kids everywhere like it is when they pretend to be the grownups and make all the decicions! (kind of!)

 

[SimplySouthern]

Kids usually don't love the expensive gifts as much as they do the fun of opening gifts and having undivided "Mommy" attention.

Buy something cheap with lots of pieces to it and wrap them all seperately. Be sure and let them help you make special Christmas breakfast. Make a huge mess and have a blast cleaning it up. Make Christmas crafts.

Instead of putting presents under the tree, hide them in the house and make the kids go ona scavenger hunt to find them. Leave clues and the like.

Watch movie and TV all days in your PJs and eat nothing but junkfood.

Fun is more remembered than an expensive toy they play with for 2 weeks and then throw in the bottom of the toybox and forget about.

 

[intrigued]

you know.. i think kids are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. They know whats going on even when we try to pretend something different. If your honest with your children about your love for them, they'll know that.

I once made a little toy car for my sister using a foamie and some buttons. I drew a little driver in the front window. It didnt last long, but she liked it.

Whats really good and Im pretty sure kids everywhere like it is when they pretend to be the grownups and make all the decicions! (kind of!)

That is an excellent idea! Thank you for sharing.

Miss T, I am struggling with the same thing, and I really don't know what the answers are. I am trying to explain to them things about the whole year in review (thats always a pleasant reminder to them of just how good they have it), and what Christmas is about. They are very active in church, so they are finally getting a better understanding about what matters and is most important. I think its very important, as noted above by someone else, that you do alot of activities prior to Christmas because it strengthens the meaning of Christmas for them, and puts the emphasis where it should be.

 

[mfs686]

I'm letting the grandparents, Aunts and Uncles spoil them this year......

From me they get to sleep in my Bed X-Mas Eve (my night to have them) and watch their movies all night while eating lots of ice cream, popcorn, and Mountain Dew Slurpees........

 

[Trail48]

Kids usually don't love the expensive gifts as much as they do the fun of opening gifts and having undivided "Mommy" attention.

Buy something cheap with lots of pieces to it and wrap them all seperately. Be sure and let them help you make special Christmas breakfast. Make a huge mess and have a blast cleaning it up. Make Christmas crafts.

Instead of putting presents under the tree, hide them in the house and make the kids go ona scavenger hunt to find them. Leave clues and the like.

Watch movie and TV all days in your PJs and eat nothing but junkfood.

Fun is more remembered than an expensive toy they play with for 2 weeks and then throw in the bottom of the toybox and forget about.

This is a great idea that works I may have to convice teenagers to give it a try this year again (g)

 

[MissTaken]

There are some nice ideas.

They know I love them.


I like doing little things for them. I remember when my son was in Kindergarten and he had trouble at school because he missed me, I made a keychain to put on his book bag.

It had pictures of all his family and his dog.

I told him that when he missed us, he could look at the pictures and that the words said, "I love you more than the whole sky." At the time, that was our thing, our way of saying I love you .

 

[huskie]

Lots of hugs and kisses. Watch their favorite TV shows.. Read them books they pick out.. Take em to the dollar show if you can. And let them sleep in your bed that night.

Great answer!!!! When I first started to read this thread I really had NO answer........... but now that I think about it, depending on how little the kids are, Big cardboard boxes are great!! Thats all my son wanted to play with till he was four........ and a batman outfit I got at a Thrifft store for $2.......

 

[intrigued]

What a very cool thread.

 

[huskie]

What a very cool thread.

I don't think so, Connie.... I think it's kind of a sad thread.... I can see why Women would like it though. It reminds of some movie on Life Time channle and women love them things??? I'd rather watch something fun like Sealth Bombers on the History Channle....... something not so sad.......

 

[MissVictoria]

Make them some sugar cookies, and let them decorate them all, and take as long as they want, and make as much of a mess as they want. They are very inexpensive, particularly if you make your own frosting, which is easy to make.

 

[mfs686]

I don't think so, Connie.... I think it's kind of a sad thread.... I can see why Women would like it though. It reminds of some movie on Life Time channle and women love them things??? I'd rather watch something fun like Sealth Bombers on the History Channle....... something not so sad.......

Hate to tell you this but as a male who is very broke and trying to deal with Christmas without his family for the first time I am finding that it does help.

 

[huskie]

Hate to tell you this but as a male who is very broke and trying to deal with Christmas without his family for the first time I am finding that it does help.

I'm sure it does and I have been right in your shoes!!!!! but it's still sad for me.. sorry.

 

[Purrde Flower]

I have had some of the best Christmas times when I was broke than when I went out and bought presents for me kids.

This year is going to be weird. It is their first Christmas without their mom and dad together.. So Im going for more love than money.

 

[freakygirl]

MissTaken

Some very good advice in this thread. I might even use a few myself..

*hugs*

Hope your Holidays are happy and bright.

 

[TWB]

Candy

 

[Guest]

 

[Prince Romeo]

You mentioned pictures. Kids love to look at pictures! You give them their own personal album with special moments you have shared. Write on each page describing the time you shared in that moment.

 

[Darkthought]

Some very cool ideas. I'd agree with just about all of them. You could also do (if you're in an agreeable climate) an outdoor seasonal fun day.

Like building snowpeople. It's a family event.


**edited to change Av's

 

[Temptress_1960]

One year we were so dreadfully broke... more so than usual, even. Hubby had just changed jobs, gone full-time National Guard at the end of November... but he wasn't going to be in the payroll system til February. We were told we could get a pay advance... in mid-January. My part-time paycheck was all we had to live on until then.

So I started to knit. I made socks and mittens for everyone in my family, and cookies and candy, too.

The kids were little... ages 8, 7, and 5. We spent about $20, got a big piece of plywood, cut it in three pieces, and made a puppet theater. My brother helped hubby paint it. I made a red flannel curtain over the "stage" and I made them each a very simple puppet. The grandparents knew we had made this thing, and they each gave the kids some puppets too.

Another easy/cheap thing was to buy each of them a sweatshirt, and applique their initial on the front in fabric of their favorite color.

 

[Guest]

Talking about cardboard boxes as a toy reminds me of the best gift I ever got as a small girl...maybe four... It was a doll's house made from cardboard. Everything, even the figures. I played with it until it fell apart and was almos entirely sticky tape. My mother must have spent hours making it, and fixing it.

 

[MissTaken]

MissTaken

Some very good advice in this thread. I might even use a few myself..

*hugs*

Hope your Holidays are happy and bright.

Thanks, freaky!

You have a wonderful holiday, as well.

Ours will be great and a bit on the creative side!

 

[MissTaken]

You mentioned pictures. Kids love to look at pictures! You give them their own personal album with special moments you have shared. Write on each page describing the time you shared in that moment.

To build on this idea, each child has a "treasure book."

There they put pictures, postcards from family, school stuff or anything. I think my daughter even has a rock in there.

(She picks them up all the time and saves them for her gramma. I am not sure how or why, but you never intrude in a grandparent's special moments.)

Thanks for all the ideas!

The little one's are loafers at night. They get their favorite blankets and chill out in front of the television. I was thinking about covering some old comforters in something special and calling them their hug blankets. When they need hugs, they can be warm and cozy in these special "I love you" blankets.

Appliques or fabric paint would be easy enough to do. Hmmmmm