Simple Living
(featured column)

Keeping The Family Sane During The Holidays
by Deann Curtis

As the holidays approach, keeping the children busy can sometimes seem overwhelming.  But it doesn't have to be that way.  With just a little planning ahead, the holidays can be a fun, memorable time for the whole family.

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To start the planning, think about all of the members of your family and take note of what each one enjoys doing.  Think also about what each member is good at doing.  Children who are good at crafts may feel challenged by an outdoor activity, but may enjoy it more if it includes gathering supplies for a craft project.  

Another thing to consider is the outside commitments of the whole family.  Having a family calendar will help to prevent scheduling problems.  Get a big calendar that you can use a dry erase marker on.  They sell these at school supply stores for less than three dollars.  Then mount it in an easy to use place.  Fill in all of the family commitments.  Then ask each member if there was something you forgot.  Be sure to add holiday parties, school events, school holidays, doctor appointments, pay days, deadlines and extended family events.

Now that you have the outside commitments written down, it will be easier to fill in the rest of the calendar with family time.  Some things that our family enjoys doing the most during the holiday season, are things that we do each year.  These traditions are what have woven our family together over the years.  If your family has traditions, be sure to include them on the calendar during the holidays.  

However, if your family has not settled on any traditions, think back over the past years and try to remember the events that everyone enjoyed.  If your family is just starting out, think of some of the things you and your spouse enjoyed as children.  Share these traditions with each other, and teach them to your children.  If you have a blended family that is still bonding, be sure to ask each member what some of his favorite things to do during the holidays are.  Then, be sure to add some new traditions too. 

Be sure to include some empty days on the calendar.  You will need time for relaxing and just enjoying each other as a family.  Some of the best memories cannot be scheduled.

Some things such as cooking, cleaning and shopping have to be done during the holidays.  They are not the most enjoyable things, but nonetheless, they must still get done.  It may be that the way you handle these obligations will be more important to your children than any gifts that you could buy and wrap for them.

Now that I have given you a starting place, I want to share some of the ways our family enjoys the holidays.

CHORE TIME: Some of the ways we handle our chores are below.

We try to include everyone during chore time.  The older children can work on their bedrooms with some supervision.  The younger children can help put things away if they are directed.

Sometimes adults need to work alone.  During those times, it is good to have quiet things on hand for the children to do.  I like to print up a stash of activities for them to work on.  

Some of the places to find these activities are:
http://www.makingfriends.com
http://www.kidsdomain.com/
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/6459/
http://www.zoomschool.com/

After printing up these activities, put them in a box or basket with color crayons, pencils, glue, scissors and construction paper.  Now all you will have to do is get out the quiet time box when you need a little time to yourself.

Cooking can be a chore.  But it can also be a wonderful time for teaching.  I won't bore you with all the educational benefits of cooking.  You probably already know that you can work on fractions, time teaching, organization skills and reading.  But did you also know that you are sharing your family history when you cook with your children.  Someday in the not too distant future, your children and grandchildren will be cooking your special holiday recipes and sharing stories with their children about their memories of you and how you made the holidays special.  

I can still remember the  salad my Mom made for Thanksgiving, when I was only about three or four.  Then there were the times that Mom and Dad cooked the turkey all night on top of the wood stove.  Oh what a wonderful smell to wake up to... a perfectly done turkey.


TRADITIONS: These are some of our favorite traditions.

* Having extended family get-togethers for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

* Decorating a gingerbread house with candies and frosting.

* Putting up a Christmas tree early in the month.  We usually put up homemade ornaments.  We finish it off with our Thankfulness chain.  We make a regular paper chain.  But on each link we write something that we are thankful for.  It helps us to remember all that we have to be thankful for.

* The children make presents for each other and for their friends and relatives too.  They really love giving and getting these gifts.  Some that they have given in the past include, homemade play dough, bean bag socks or mittens (stuff old mate-less socks with beans or rice and then stitch them up), sock puppets, paper dolls printed up from the Internet, coloring books printed up from the Internet, video tapes taped from the TV, Christmas tree ornaments, bath salts (color Epsom salts with food color and add a few drops of scent if you wish, these can be put in a jar like sand art, or in a small plastic bag), decorated picture frames (either purchase at second hand store or make from poster board), homemade cookies, candies or bread, jewelry made with beads, felt board sets (cover the outside of a manila folder with a large piece of felt, staple a large envelope to the inside of the folder, cut shapes out of colored felt for the child to play with, this can be as simple or elaborate as desired).

* We celebrate Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve quietly as a family.  We spend part of the day cleaning up.  Then we light candles, play music and have a snack-fest.  We set out party trays just like we would for company.  We treat ourselves special!

* We make special foods and read special stories to remember the customs of other cultures.  This includes a special Hanukah dinner complete with games, stories, music and treats.  We celebrate St. Nicholas Day (December 6) each year by giving stockings to our children.  We read stories about how other children and their families celebrate the holidays all over the world.  It is always fun to learn a new tradition and to find another way to celebrate.

* We make a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas Eve and sing Happy Birthday.

* We make cinnamon rolls and juice for Christmas morning.  Then before we open our gifts, we stop and thank God for giving us the best gift possible (His Son Jesus!) and for giving us the chance to give to each other.

I hope that by sharing some of my family's favorites I have encouraged you to enjoy the holidays a little more this year.

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Copyright © 2002 by Deann Curtis

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