3 Things To Keep In Mind For Christmas With Little Ones
The Worst Part Of Family Vacations
We are officially home!We survived our flight with three little boys and they did great! They love flying and usually don't mind a day at the airport. This trip was a little different because they were so sad to leave my husband's side of the family! It's always the worst part of visiting family... The leaving part.The only way our boys were willing to leave their house was after promising we would Facetime every day. Thank God for technology! It makes it so nice when you miss family that lives far away.They're also extremely excited because we're only home for a few days and then we're off to see my family! Even more cousins, aunts, uncles, and a Harley riding grandpa to spoil them rotten!Since we only have a few days home we thought we'd relax on the couch and do nothing... If only!Now, we're racing around to get ready for baby Luke's 2nd birthday party, dealing with the poor little guy's ear infection, and packing for our next trip! Oh, and how could I forget decorating for Christmas!
Spreading Christmas Cheer!
One of my favorite things to put up this year is our fluffy fake snow! After moving to the Midwest I've developed a strange relationship with the snow. There's just so much here! It's not like the movies! You get snowed in, you do everything in your power to stay inside, and you try to stay under your blanket all day!Luckily my fluffy fake snow is cute and festive without the freezing temperatures!
Passing Down Christmas Traditions
How could I forget my new little nativity scene!Growing up, I counted down the days until my mom would bring out her nativity scene. She would lay down her fluffy snow and set up the whole village. One by one my brother and I would watch her set up each house and then she'd get to the stable. The best part of the whole village! It lit up and reminded us what the whole nativity scene was about.My husband knows how important my mom's nativity scene has always been to my siblings and I, but we've been worried about the kids. Nativity scenes can be pricey and I've never liked to stress about decorations. I'd rather enjoy the season than worry about my kid's touching everything.This is exactly why our tree is filled with felt ornaments, all of our decorations can be played with, and it's all about fun rather than "off limits."Then I found this! I was walking up and down the festive Target aisles, like I would do every day if I could, and found this gem! It's the perfect nativity scene for this stage in our family. The kids can play with it and we can talk about the message rather than telling them they can't play with it.I'd show you the rest of our decorations, but we just got home from vacation and the house is less than impressive!
3 Things To Keep In Mind For Christmas With Little Ones
Having three little boys under 6 has definitely taught me something. Over the years we've figured out a few things that have helped us to enjoy our holidays more!
Avoid The Breakables.
As your kids get older you can upgrade your decorations. While they're little, stick to non-breakables when you can. Look for felt ornaments and decorations that won't break if they're dropped or knocked over. It's going to relieve some of your stress and the kids won't have to worry about what they can and can't touch.
How Can The Kids Get Involved?
One of the reasons kids start touching everything is that it's all novel! They don't see these things every day and just want to play and have fun! One thing we've done over the years is get the kid's their own decorations. We have a little box and it's full of their Christmas decorations! They love it because we let them decorate however they choose. They even have their own little tree!Create your own kid's Christmas box this year! Take the kids to the store and let them pick and choose what to put inside. You can add to it each year!
Enjoy The Christmas Season!
Christmas is about so much more than the stress that can come along with it. To quote a very inspirational person..."The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."Don't put too much on your plate and try to remember to have fun! Take time to just walk around your neighborhood with hot cocoa in hand and look at the Christmas lights. Find simple ways your family can enjoy the holiday season without all the stress.A few of our favorites are holiday movie nights, decorating pre-made sugar cookies, and listening to Christmas music all day!