Tis the season we receive and send Christmas cards and get Christmassy emails too. Here are a couple that came into my inbox recently, which no doubt the kids will enjoy.

Pimp My Nutcracker -
This is a hilarious one, where the trad Nutcracker can be given a makeover to look like an …er…pimp? Well, it really does sound much worse than it is as the bits that you can put on him (think gaudy jewelry, hamburgers and a Starbucks coffee) are really more of the bling-bling-hip-hop-school rather than the back alley chap with a dubious job. Definitely for older kids or those that have a kooky sense of humour as my daughter does. I’d also leave the “P” word out, and replace it with Bling Bling or even “rapper”, as it is such a hideous word anyway and I’d hate to explain to my child what it means in literal terms.

The Snow Dog
This interactive card, sent by my Mother to the kids is of the classic and heartwarming type. Kids who are nifty with the mouse can click on different bits to make the story go along. Lovely graphics and very very sweet.

[tags]Christmas, Holidays, Christmas e cards, Nutcracker game[/tags]

My daughter’s preschool has a lovely little Christmas tradition. Every year, at the school Christmas party, after the show where the kids sing carols and hold a nativity play ( my little one was Mary last year, and played the part so seriously - adorable!), Santa Claus himself comes to visit.

Its a huge surprise and thrill for the kids, and best of all, “jolly old Saint Nick” comes complete with a big sack of toys (pre-bought by the parents) for all the children. He then goes through his list (its a pretty small school, so this thankfully doesnt take too long), calling each child’s name and the talking about the times they were “naughty” or “nice” - followed by the present. Great for some positive reinforcement for the year ahead, don’t you think?

There’s a set price for all the presents, and the kids always come out happy, if a little peevish that Santa really did know what they were up to this year. Tomorrow, I give my daughter’s “naughty and nice” list in for Santa’s review, in time for the school party on Friday.

Naughty

Hitting her brother (she whacked him very hard on the forehead the other day, causing a nasty goose egg - apparently because he hit her with a block first)

Hitting and kicking her nanny (I swear, she really isnt a monster-child, but has put our nanny in tears because of some very aggressive behaviour).

Nice

Being a good Big Sister - Despite hitting her baby brother on rare occassions (ok, maybe 3x a week), there have been more times when she’s been really very sweet to him, especially when we went on our family holiday recently, where she looked after him quite a lot.

Sharing and Giving her Toys Away - A few times a year, I like to put aside a lot of their old toys that they don’t really play with anymore and fill a few bags to give away to needy children. She actually enjoys doing this and it makes me so proud to see her empathy and generosity (even when she wants to give away the very expensive Bratz doll we just bought last month!) to kids in need.

[tags]Christmas, Holidays, School, naughty or nice list, Santa[/tags]

One of the great things about little kids is that they love making things, and they love giving away their creations away even more. Grandparents and the like are especially good candidates to receive such offerings, and will probably appreciate them more than the usual pair of socks, sweater or sewing box.

Here are some ideas my kids are aching to try:

Drum Ornament
toilet paper rolls, red and white contact paper, felt, or paint, glue, gold metallic yarn, toothpicks Cut the roll in thirds. Cover with red paper, felt, or even paint or markers, just so it is covered. Glue 2 circles of white felt, paper or fabric just big enough to go over each end and glue around the edge about 1/8″. Using gold metallic yarn (like the plastic canvas stuff), anchor one end to the top edge of the covered roll, then glue to the other edge going down and at an angle, then angle back up to the top and continue around in the fashion. Glue a couple of round toothpicks to the top, add a string for hanging.

Wreath Ornaments
Use green tempera paint to paint seven 2 1/2 in. wide pieces of paper towel of toilet paper tubes. When the paint is dry thread a pipe cleaner through all the tubes and twist to secure them together. Cut out at red paper bow, and glue it to the wreath. Thread a piece of red ribbon through the tube on top and tie to make the hanger for the ornament or wreath.

Pinecone Ornaments
Gather pine cones (they don’t have to be large). Spray paint some gold, some silver, and some with clear sealer and while still wet sprinkle glitter on liberally, then spray again with clear sealer. This should be done in a well ventilated space. You could also have the kids paint the pine cones by hand with gold or silver paint, or dabbing glue on the cones and sprinkling with glitter. When the cones are dry, tie a beautiful ribbon around the top (ones that still have a bit of stem attached at the top work best), and you have a very nice ornament.

Swirled Ornament Balls
You need clear plastic balls (ornament balls) with a gold top and loop, to pull string through. Different colors of acrylic paint and the kids squeezed different colors into the ornament ball. When each color is squeezed in the ball, the children turn the ball around and around to spread out the color. Each one is different &beautiful!

Christmas Snowflake Ornament
Using craft sticks, spray paint them white. Or the children could paint them white. I like to use the cut out craft sticks for this project. Glue 3 of the sticks together to form a snowflake design. Start by making a “X” shape with a dot of glue in the center of the sticks. Lay the next stick horizontally on top like this > —- . Let the sticks dry. The children apply glue & white glitter. Glue a paper clip to the top of the stick to use as a hanger. Add a green or red ribbon to the paper clip.

Ornaments of glue & glitter
Trace a simple star or whatever design on paper (tape the paper to the table), lay wax paper over the top so you can see the design (also tape it to the table). Have the kids put glue over the outline of the design & then sprinkle on the glitter. Dry overnight & then peel from wax paper.

Yarn Ornaments
Wax Paper, Glue, Glitter, Yarn - various colors Cut yarn into various lengths. Dip yarn in glue & lay on wax paper, over lapping each piece. Let dry. Pull yarn off wax paper, attach a string to the top, apply glue & add glitter. Hang to dry.

Popcorn Ornaments
Here’s a twist on traditional christmas trims. Instead of stringing popcorn on string for your tree. String it onto medium-gauge wire and bend the wire into shapes such as bells, hearts, or stars. Add a ribbon to the top!

Christmas Tree Balls
Clear glass or plastic tree balls (ornaments), small Christmas accessories or toys, ribbons, cotton, sequins, glitter, glue Remove the top hook part from the bulb. Fill the ball with such things as: cotton puffs, a sprig of holly or mistletoe, a small toy, bright strands of ribbon, etc. You can also add a small picture. Roll it up and stick it through and it will unroll itself. You can also decorate the outside of the bulb, just be sure to not cover up what is inside the bulb. When finished, put the top back on.

Paper Tree Ornaments
Cut out 4 triangle tree shapes. Fold each one in middle. Glue together. Add sequins or holes punched from colored paper for decorations. Cut out circles or heart or shapes & do the same as the tree for different ornaments.

Bear Ornaments
Precut bear shape from green or red poster board. Make hole punches all around and allow the children to sew in and out of the holes with red or green ribbon. Glue a pocket on the front of their bear and add a message in the pocket. One big bear hug. Just for you. Merry Christmas Love _______”. We added a ribbon string for hanging. Also used old Christmas wrap cut into heart shapes to decorating the pocket etc.

[tags]Christmas, Holidays, Christmas ornaments, homemade ornaments[/tags]

Lately nearly every place we go to is adorned with Christmas decorations - poinsettias, wreaths, garlands, lights, santas, snowmen, and yes, styrofoam balls covered in glitter, ribbon, rhinestones and so on.

At our local Gymboree, where my son and I attend twice-a-week lessons (which he LOVES by the way), there are lots of the homemade variety, of balls in different sizes, simply decorated with multicoloured glitter. Many had impressively had Gymbo the clown too.

My daughter thought that these balls were just “beautiful!”, and asked if we could make some at home too. As Christmas is coming, I thought I’d don my SuperMom cape for the holidays and get down to some serious Yuletide styro-ball-ornament making. You have to love the styro ball. Its cheap, easy to find, and easy to decorate for little kids.

Heres’ how to do it:

Styrofoam Ball Ornaments

*styrofoam ball (about 2 1/2 inches)
*glue
*paper clips
*paint
*craft items - glitter, jewels, ribbons, etc

Put some glue on one end of a paper clip and push it into ball, this will be the hanger. Paint and decorate as desired.
You can also paint with glitter paint, glue on “jewels” & tiny shells and ribbons as below.

Ribbon Covered Balls

* Styrofoam ball
* 1/4″ satin ribbon
* Dressmaker pins
* Christmas cording
* Ribbon for a bow
* Pearls, beads or other decorations
* Hot glue

Take a large pen and poke a hole all the way through the center of the ball. Secure the ribbon with dressmaker pins at one end and basically just wrap the ribbon around the ball through the hole. At each end of the hole, secure the ribbon with a pin. Then after you cover the whole ball, you can push some pretty cording through the hole and tie a knot at the bottom and make a bow or something like that at the top for a loop to hang on tree. You can also use a hot glue gun to add other baubles like beads, pearls or small crystals.

[tags]Christmas, Holidays, Christmas ornaments, styrofoam balls[/tags]

If you have a little boy, you’ll probably understand the relation betweeen Christmas shopping and fulfilling your child’s obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine. Ever since my boy O started to take an interest in toys, it was Thomas the whole way. Unlike my daughter, who enjoyed those colourful, apparently “smart” and un-cheap baby toys from Lamaze and Manhattan Toy, my son ignored all that and only wanted trains - Thomas, to be precise.

That was about a year ago, fast forward to today, and at 22 months, his penchant for all things Thomas has escalated to a normal (yes, it is!!) obsession. So, the indulgent Mom I am, have taken it upon myself to go the full whack and purchase the wooden sets plus table (as seen in picture above) for Christmas.

As those wooden sets are hideously expensive ( but the quality is fine, let me assure you, and will no doubt last for many many years!!- I hope), I’ve am having the table made by our carpenter/handyman, who actually just built our dogs a veritable mansion in the yard, complete with veranda. So, a toy train table shouldnt be too difficult?????

I have never actually bought toys online, preferring to go to our local toy stores and seeing what the kids naturally gravitate to throughout the year. However, for this Thomas project, I did find myself checking out what was there online, as some Moms had alrealy beat me to the retail outlets and supply was getting thin.

Here are some of the websites with the best selections for all things Thomas (still havent tried them out though, so on purchase and delivery I really cant say). Click on the words to link:

Thomas the Tank Engine Store

Totally Thomas

Thomas Station

[tags]Christmas, Holidays, Christmas gifts, Thomas Tank Engine[/tags]

Christmas starts early in our family. I know its barely December, but we’ve had our tree and decorations out for a couple of weeks now, and its Christmas songs that play in the family stereo - from the trad carols, to Jackson 5, or perhaps the Rat Pack.

The stockings and Advent calendar were hung, the “Countdown blackboard” which says “__ Days Till Christmas” has been dutily filled in (to complaints of “but thats sooooo long!”), and just yesterday, the first presents were laid beneath the waiting tree. They were presents from my daughter’s Godmother, who is moving house next week and was in a panic to get them out of her place before the move, which worked well for us as N was already complaining as to when the presents were coming (yes, 4 year-olds complain a lot- at least mine does!!). Within 10 seconds, O ripped off the ribbon and tag from his present, was scolded by his big sister, so proceeded to pull his favourite star-shaped ornaments off the tree. Sigh.

As for the man in the big red suit, we emailed him ages ago to tell him what N wanted for Christmas - a shiny new scooter. She has her heart set on it, but the terrible thing is that I havent found the “perfect one” anywhere. Help! So begins the Christmas rush.

[tags]Christmas, kids Christmas, Santa[/tags]

After breakfast the kids would fill their napkins with bread from the breakfast buffet and feed the many carp ponds around the resort with Lola. O knew exactly whom he liked to feed best and after giving a few crumbs to the what we called the “teens” (read: smaller), he’d toddle away shouting “big ones!! big ones!!” to the pond with the biggest carp, who reminded us very much of pirhanas, being able to polish of an entire loaf in seconds.

Just so you dont think we wiled away our holiday without letting the children experience the Thai culture, let me assure you that we also visited the mummified monk and the Wats around it, where N lit incense and shook the fortune sticks. We also stopped off at the Big Buddha, where large mermaid statues jutted from the sea, and both kids were fascinated at the top of the shrine where we had to walk around the area, ring the large bells in line with the Buddhist tradition.

We also made it to Samui’s national park, where the daring N went on elephant safari with her daddy, riding on its head, and later riding a baby one bareback at the elephant show. O was a little less daring, saing “no, no no” matter-of-factly when I asked him if he wanted to ride the elephant as well.

N made great friends with some expat kids who came to the hotel one afternoon, spent hours on the beach, got 2 tattoos (temporary of course!) and was saying “Kap Kun Ka” like a native! O had his first experience using water wings and was in total ecstasy feeling independent in the water for the first time ever. It was wonderful for both the Grandparents and the kids to spend quality time together, and my husband and I got to sneak off on several occassions to sample some of the great restaurants on the island.

Tanned and happy, it was a wonderful holiday, not without its hitches, but with kids, it was a good as it gets!

[tags]Thailand, Koh Samui, Travel with Kids[/tags]

The picture above is what my daughter is wearing tonight, and its the exact pic on the packaging of the costume too, which is why I just had to post it! Isn’t it adorable? My toddler boy, by the way, is Thomas the Tank Engine (his idol), which is also too adorable for words.

Anyway, as we all know, tonight is the long awaited Hallow’s Eve, which means, trick or treating!!! As I’ve already posted of safety tips for pets, here’s what we should be aware of for our kids, which I will be explaining to my daughter too. Its never to young to learn to be a responsible Trick-or-Treater!! This one is from a website aptly called Halloween Safety.

1. Children should go out during daylight hours only unless accompanied by a responsible adult.

2. Plan a safe route so parents know where their older kids will be at all times. Set a time for their return home. Make sure that your child is old enough and responsible enough to go out by themselves.

3. Let your children know not to cut through back alleys and fields. Make sure they know to stay in populated places and don’t go off the beaten track. Stay in well lighted areas.

3. Stop only at familiar houses in your own neighborhood unless they are accompanied by an adult.

4. Small children should never be allowed to go out alone on Halloween. Make sure an older sibling or adult is with them.

5. Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you.

6. Instruct your child to never go into the home of a stranger or get into their car.

7. Make sure your child carries a flashlight, glow stick or has reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars.

8. Let them know that they should stay together as a group if going out to Trick or Treat without an adult.

[tags]Halloween, Safety tips,Trick or Treating, Kids safety,Toy Story 2[/tags]

This Halloween, lets not forget the furry members of our family. Aside from dressing them up (pet-willing, although I think the photo you see above is a little over-the-top - would brave old Lassie really want to be dressed as fast food?), we as responsible pet parents, should also take into account their safety and well-being.

In my household, we have quite a menagerie going - four tabby cats and a persian kitten; a basset hound, a copper retriever and a doberman; two turtles; 2 doves; and two pigeons (homing I think), so I’ve found some useful tips from the ASPCA to keep in mind:

1. No tricks, no treats: That bowlful of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms can be very dangerous for dogs and cats, and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed. If you suspect your pet has ingested a potentially dangerous substance, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (USA).

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, yet they can produce gastrointestinal upset should pets ingest them. Intestinal blockage could even occur if large pieces are ingested.

3. Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise extreme caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don’t put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume can cause undue stress.

6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn’t annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal’s movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe or bark. Keep a look out for small, dangling, or easily chewed-off pieces on the costume that your pet could choke on.

7. Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not obstruct her vision in any way. Even the sweetest animals can get snappy when they can’t see.

8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room during peak trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn’t dart outside.

10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and become lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip increase the chances that he or she will be returned to you.

[tags]Halloween,Pets,Pet safety,Halloween tips,costumes,safety tips[/tags]

If you haven’t worked out your childrens’ Halloween costume yet (which is highly unlikely), you may be needing some last-minute-ideas. As our society is sadly at the whim of Hollywood, some of the favourites this year are in the film category. So think of Pirates of the Carribean, Superman (this one is a mainstay really), Princesses, Angels and Devils.

If you already have stuff at home you can recycle, all the better! As my daughter has three Halloween parties over the weekend, two of them on the same day - I didn’t want to spoil the “Jessie” costume for the later event, so I made her a “makeshift” angel costume from what we had at home. Namely:

1 pair of feathered angel wings (bought about 3 years ago and still in good condition)

1 “magic” white shirt (her Grandmother got this in Vegas, its “magic” because its as tiny as a doll’s shirt but expands to fit everyone - even my husband, who is a pretty big man- it also has an “icing-like” texture which goes perfectly with the look)

1 white crinkle skirt with silver sequined garter. (the Issey Miyake crumpled look complemented the rest of the outfit well)

1 pair of Dorothy’s ruby slippers (ok, this did not really go, but it probably wont fit her next month, and she loves it, so hey)

It took about 5 minutes to assemble, then topped off with a nice bubbly white hair accessory - voila!!

[tags]Halloween costumes,kids costumes,Toy Story,Angel costume[/tags]