The Everything Family Christmas Book (58 page)

Secret Santa

Christmas is the season of giving (and receiving), so how about a Secret Santa gift exchange as a theme for your party? You can adjust the amount of money to be spent according to the income of the guests, but $10–$15 is usually a good maximum amount to spend on a gift.

Secret Santa can be done in a variety of ways, but the easiest is probably to have everyone bring a wrapped gift that will be good for either gender, then draw numbers at the party (number 1 picks a gift first). Or, if you know for certain who is coming, put all the names in a hat and match people up so that everyone has a special Secret Santa.

Party Ideas for Children

If you’re looking for a good way to keep children occupied during those long days before the holiday, why not throw a Christmas party? Try a few of the following ideas for your festive gathering.

Banner Afternoon

Find a large roll of paper and roll it out across the floor. Assign each child an area and the tools to decorate, and have the group make a giant holiday banner for a children’s hospital, nursing home, or other charitable institution.

Buy card and craft supplies and have the children make Christmas cards for parents or brothers and sisters. Not only does it keep children happily and creatively occupied, it’s also a lovely surprise when parents come to pick up children from the party.

Festive Game Twists

Play a holiday version of “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” with “Pin the Nose on Rudolph” or “Pin the Star on the Tree.” Just set up the appropriate poster, and place adhesive tape on the object the child tries to affix to it. Children can also play the old game of “Duck, duck, goose,” as “Rudolph, Rudolph, reindeer.”

“Rudolph in the Middle” is another fun game: Children form a circle with one child in the middle. The children hold hands and walk in a circle, singing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” On the word “glows,” the children all drop to the floor. The child in the middle must tag someone on the outside before they sit down; if she succeeds, the tagged player goes to the middle.

These games easily lead into an all-time favorite: musical chairs, played with Christmas songs such as “Jingle Bells,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” or other Christmas songs. When playing with very young children, have the number of chairs equal the number of children, so that nobody feels left out; for older children, it ups the fun factor to take away the chairs.

Stocking Stuffers

To borrow from another holiday, entertain with the “Christmas Stocking Hunt.” Fill many small stockings with various candies, nuts, crayons, gum, or other small items and then create a Christmas version of an Easter egg hunt, with stockings hidden in various out-of-the way spots around the house.

The “Stocking Puzzle Game” is another great party activity for children. Using magazines, cut out pictures of toys and trinkets that would be appropriate to put in a stocking. Tape the pictures to cardboard, then cut the cardboard into irregular shapes like a puzzle. Put each puzzle into an envelope and put the envelopes into stockings. (Depending upon the size of the puzzle, you may wish to put more than one in each stocking.) Give each child a stocking and have them complete the puzzles; the one who finishes first gets to pick the first simple prize from a big stocking. (Have plenty of trinkets on hand—you don’t want to leave a player unhappy!)

Quiet Time

For a quiet interlude or as a prelude to an afternoon nap, gather the children around for story time. Pick out a favorite Christmas reading that’s both age and culture appropriate, and share some holiday fun.

Take the Stress Out of Christmas

It’s so tempting to try to fit everything into the Christmas season: entertaining, quality time with family, concerts, decorating, baking, sending cards—it’s no wonder that anticipation for the season can be tinged with a little trepidation, too. It can be a stressful time, simply because it’s so busy, or because it reminds you of friends and family who can’t be with you.

Think of what might be major stressors for you over the holiday season, and try to head them off well before the holiday approaches. Above all, remember that the Christmas season is about goodwill, togetherness, and hope. It’s not about being everything to everyone, and it’s not about perfection. Try these tips to help you cope.

Gift Giving

Gifts can be tricky things. We all love to give and receive over the holidays, but it’s easy to go overboard or to feel overwhelmed at the sheer number of gifts that need to be purchased. If this is your situation, talk to friends and family members about changing the way that you approach gifts this year.

If you have a talent for arts or crafts—beadwork, jewelry, scrapbooking, painting, picture framing, carpentry, stained glass, knitting, embroidery, sewing, or metalwork, for example—home-made gifts may be part of the answer. Start well ahead of time, however, to avoid putting too much stress on yourself close to Christmas.

Options include setting price limits on gifts; buying only for the children in your extended family, rather than everyone; drawing names within a circle of friends or family to buy a gift for one person, rather than for everyone; and even agreeing to go out for a holiday meal (perhaps in January, when everyone needs a pick-me-up) in lieu of buying gifts. You can also suggest making contributions to charity instead of giving gifts.

Christmas morning can come way too early for many parents of young children. Keep them occupied first thing by letting them open their stockings while still in bed, as long as they know that the presents under the tree have to stay unmolested until you get up!

Shopping Strategies

Shop like Santa: Make a list and check it twice. If you start with a list and a budget, you can easily see how your budget divides between each person. To make things easier for yourself, choose the same kind of gift for certain people (e.g., teachers, letter carriers, etc.): gift cards to local coffee shops, for example, or small baskets from gourmet food stores.

Check store flyers, the Internet, and catalogs for ideas and prices so you can narrow down what you’re looking for and figure out what’s good value (and what’s not). Once you’re ready to shop, check that you have your list in hand, comfy shoes on your feet, and a place to take a break when you get tired. Shop the malls early in the day to beat the crowds, and stick to your list.

The same goes for grocery shopping: Make a list, double check it, and then hit the supermarket while it’s still quiet. If it’s faster for you to shop alone, make sure that you ask someone at home to be there when you return to help you unload.

Add batteries to your list, for toys, cameras, and other holiday items. And, if it’s possible that people might present you with gifts that you’re not expecting, add a couple of versatile “just-in-case” items that you can gift wrap. Gourmet food or chocolates work well for both men and women, and if you don’t use them as gifts, you can enjoy them yourself in January!

Reduce Your Load

Do you really need to send cards to everyone on your list? Or invite twenty people to an elaborate holiday party? Take a look at what you expect of yourself during the holidays, and consider either cutting down on the volume or cutting certain items out completely.

For example, why not decorate only one room—say, the living room where the tree will be placed? And rather than spending a full day balancing on a ladder outside the house as you string lights, try using ground-based floodlights that make a small holiday display shine.

Don’t be afraid to say no. After all, no one in your home will fully enjoy Christmas if you’re exhausted. In the same vein, learn to delegate tasks that you don’t need to do yourself. Every member of the family should be helping out, as age and abilities allow.

Be in the Moment

Whether you have your hands deep in cookie dough or tied up in ribbons and tape, try to enjoy the sensations of the moment, remembering what the Christmas season is all about. Do whatever’s needed to maintain as much peace and joy as you can: Take breaks (short walks can be a great stress reliever); avoid overindulging in either food or alcohol (it just makes the stress worse in the end); and don’t forget to breathe deeply (short, shallow breaths increase your stress levels).

Keep Christmas Safe

As thoughts turn to Christmas trees and holiday cheer, taking a few quick and simple precautions can keep your home and family happy through the holidays. When it comes to decorating, home security or entertaining, making health and safety a priority will help keep Christmas as stress-free as possible.

Decorating

To reduce fire risk, keep natural Christmas trees very well watered. Make a fresh diagonal cut on the bottom of the trunk before placing it in a sturdy holder, so that the tree doesn’t seal itself and prevent the uptake of water. Check the holder’s water level daily, and keep the tree away from sources of heat. Tether it, if necessary, to avoid pets and children knocking or pulling it over.

Check the manufacturer’s recommendations for artificial trees. Some shouldn’t be used with strings of electric lights because of a shock hazard. Test your smoke detectors monthly (especially just before houseguests arrive for Christmas) to make sure everything’s working properly.

Check your lights for damaged cords or broken bulbs before you string them up. Replace damaged or burned-out bulbs promptly; too many broken ones can cause the others to overheat. Never leave a bulb socket empty. Use clips rather than staples to put up the outdoor lights, as the staples can penetrate the cord, causing a shock and potential fire.

All electrical components, including extension cords, should have the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) or Canadian Standards Association (CSA) label of approval, to ensure that they’ve been tested for safety. Do your part, and use them for their original purpose: Indoor cords and lights aren’t sturdy enough for outdoor use, while outdoor lights may burn too warmly for indoor use.

Be careful when decorating stair railings, indoors and out. Make sure that garlands and other trimmings don’t prevent people from getting a good grasp on the railing.

Breakable or potentially toxic tree decorations should be kept out of the reach of children and pets. Poinsettias aren’t considered toxic plants, but holly and mistletoe are. For a complete list, call your local Poison Control Center, or check its Web site.

Never leave lit candles and fireplaces unattended, and closely supervise children and pets in such areas. A sturdy fireguard can be used to keep little ones from getting too close to the fireplace.

Security

It’s a busy time for everyone at Christmas, and unfortunately that includes thieves. Keep houses and vehicles locked, garage doors closed, and valuables out of sight. Entrances should be well lit, and bushes shouldn’t obscure windows (otherwise, thieves can use them to hide behind while they gain access to your home).

If you’re going on vacation, take normal precautions: Light timers should be variable to have the best effect; driveways should be kept shoveled; and mail or newspaper delivery should be either stopped or picked up daily by a neighbor.

Be careful, too, when shopping. Busy shopping malls can offer opportunities for pickpockets and purse “dippers.” Put presents in car trunks, or at least cover them so that passersby can’t see that there’s anything inside your vehicle to steal. Avoid transferring packages into your trunk and then going into a building: If someone’s watching the parking lot, you’ve just let them know there’s something potentially valuable in the trunk.