What Can I Give??

>
The Next Gift!!

This December, there were a lot of family traditions we had to skip. But there was a very special one we kept this morning!

When someone has the privilege of opening a gift, they then get to choose the next one to *give*.

It blesses my Mamma heart to hear the children ask, “Can I give the next gift?!”

9:36. Stockings were pilfered, gifts given, breakfast shared and now a full day available to make memories. Like reading the rest of the Christmas Story from Luke around the fire. Those are the memories that count!! Merry Christmas, friends!

What Can I Give?

> A Rice Krispie Pop!

Timothy wanted to make these yummy gifts for his brothers and sisters. It was the perfect thing because he is old enough to stir & melt the marshmallows and butter, mix in the krispies, and have a lot of fun decorating the “pops”.

We added popsicle sticks to the rice krispie treats to mix it up a bit. I’ve seen them dipped in or drizzled with chocolate as well, but the faces he made from dried fruit are so Timbo!!

Whether you’re wanting to make a last minute treat or gathering ideas for next year, try this one! Kiddos with allergies can also make this treat- we even have a healthy version that is sugar free & uses brown rice syrup to sweeten & bond. We didn’t use that one.

Merry Christmas!!!

What Can I Give?

> A Reindeer Ornament!

This simple ornament is special because it records the size of your child’s hand- I imagine unpacking this next year and hearing Andrew exclaim, “Wow! I’m big now!”

It’s pretty much a no-brainer, so I’ll just list the supplies you need & let you go from there.

*Cardboard or Card stock (to trace hand on)
* Brown Pipe Cleaner for antlers
* Red button, pom pom, paint (etc) for nose
* Googly eye, black marker, sequin (etc) for eye
* Single Hole Punch & Ribbon to hang

One craft book suggested covering the whole handprint in felt. Or you could paint your little one’s palm and press onto the cardboard. Or leave it plain. Or decorate it. Or cut it out of the tanned skin of a recently-bagged deer. What? You forgot to tan yours? Hmm- look for road kill? No? Okay, maybe we should just stick with paint.

What Can I Give?

>

Have you ever seen such a cool bookmark?

(Shake your head “no”!)

Timothy made these last year and I think they’re pretty special. They’ve held up well, so we won’t be making them this year… because that would be redundant. Unique, long-lasting, and beautiful. Email me a picture if you make them- I’ll post it here for others to see!

:How To:
1) Have fun with watercolors on white paper. Let dry.
2) Cut card stock (any color) into desired bookmark size.
3) Cut the dry watercolor into strips, blocks, hearts, lines, or whatever your Picasso wants!
4) Glue the watercolor shapes onto the card stock.
5) Write a message on the back. Young children can dictate and sign. Don’t forget the date!
6) Laminate. I took ours to School Aids and had it laminated for a couple of dollars. You could buy contact paper and do it yourself, but only if you have no school supply store within a hundred miles… it’s cheaper & easier & lasts longer if they do it.

Give with a good book, in a Christmas card, or wrap it!

What Can I Give?

>

What Can I Give?

>

You can give a friendly Greeting!

There are many ways to share your life with friends and family far and near. A perinneal favorite (made better when accompanied by food or photos) is the Christmas Card!!

Now, over the years I’ve observed three camps of Christmas-card-writers. There is the “traditional card signer”. Your Aunt Isabel picks out a lovely card in a foil-lined envelope, signs her name (and the chihuahua’s, too) and considers her duty fulfilled for another year. Lovely on the wall, these are somewhat lacking in the “personal touch” department.

The second camp would be the “letter writers” camp. Your cousin, who homeschools her twelve children out on their organic farm, writes a brief four-page update of their life over the past year (pausing mid-letter to put the bread in the oven and give her 14 year old a calculus test). It is accompanied by a bookmark hand-embroidered by six-year-old Grace. Lovely. Truly… lovely.

You know the third group- the “family photo” in an envelope. You love seeing the fam but wish there was at least a “Merry Christmas- Love you!” handwritten on there somewhere!

This year, Shutterfly is offering a family photo greeting card- making your Christmas Card duties easier than ever. You pick the photo (or photos) to share and have room inside for a handwritten note. It has the personal feel of a letter but brings none of the guilt to your readers…

I’m trying to decide between the card at the top of the page and a quicker (but still striking) flat stationary card like this.

I’ve given Shutterfly photo books as gifts in the past and been very pleased with them. And I thought of doing a mug for my coffee-loving Dad. They cover it all! But I’m for sure going to be mailing a sweet photo card because they’re offering a great promotion for bloggers to earn free cards!

Look for your Olsen family card in the mail this year… and I hope my letter never made you roll your eyes and want to burn it. My goal is to share some laughs and show Christ’s sufficiency in every event in our lives! I’m glad I could find a photo card to hopefully accomplish the same purpose. Here’s to one more way to say Merry Christmas!

What Can I Give?

>I’ve been asked, “What do your children make for Christmas Presents?” This month, I’ll attempt to share. I’m not a crafty person, so please don’t stone me for the really simple (or simply ugly) ones!

As today is the first day, I’ll post the most time consuming so you have plenty of time. Drum Roll, please! (dum da da dum dum dummmm…)

It’s a Reindeer Ornament!!!
* Cut three pieces of seven count plastic canvas about 1 5/8″ or 10 holes square.
* Take two squares and slip stitch two sides together.
* Hold the two stitched pieces together and open the unstitched sides. Stitch the third square on one side of the unstitched plastic.
* Continue to corner and down other side, you now have a pyramid effect.
* Now the “reindeer” can be squeezed and the unstitched side will open like a mouth!!
* The one my sunday school teacher gave me as a child had a tag that read, “Squeeze my cheeks and I’ll give you a kiss.” Or you could put, “Give me a squeeze and I’ll give you a kiss.” I’ve opted not to do tags at all.
* Hershey kisses are used for the kiss. Attach a piece of yarn to the back to hang as an ornament.

This is a great “keeper”. You can make one for each kiddo. They can make them for grandparents or teachers or friends. Sometimes, I’ll move it to a new branch every time I put a new Hershey Kiss in so it’s like a treasure hunt in our tree. Have fun with it!

* The photo on this is not one I made, it is from the net. I can’t find the link for attribution (it’s from last year).

What Can I Give?

>
It’s Christmastime! Moms and Dads are carefully choosing gifts- and at our house, the children are realizing “it is more blessed to give than to receive” as well! But with 6 kiddos, we can’t give them enough money to each buy gifts for each other and for grandparents and friends! Simple solution? The crafty Christmas.

Confession: I am not a “crafty” person. (Mostly because I don’t deal well with messes.) But this time of year I do strive to overcome my complex and help the children create Christmas gifts!

We have made ornaments from popsicle sticks, a reindeer that holds a hershey kiss (coming tomorrow), doll clothes, bookmarks, potholders, birdhouses… lots of hands-on and inexpensive ways for children to show their care!

The Dollar Store is a great option (we let the children do chores- like folding socks- to earn $ for gifts), but I maintain that gifts from children are more meaningful when they’re handmade.

Check back often for lots of Merry Christmas Gift Ideas!!