As parents, we have all learned new things about Christmas time (and all other celebrations, respectively) now that our kids are around. There are now new traditions, new safety practices, and new purchasing skills all revolving around our holidays. We learn what kind of things to buy, how much to spend, and how to make things fair. Before kids, we could just get a couple of gifts for each other and family, set up the Christmas tree, and eat dinner together and that was it. Things are certainly different now!
Some may take part in the "Santa Clause" fun. The jolly, bearded, fat guy in a big red suit that somehow fits down your chimney (or through your front door) with a bag full of presents. I personally love making Christmas magical for my kids, my oldest gets so excited about Santa and his gifts magically appearing on Christmas morning. This year, he even made "Reindeer food" out of oats and green and red tortilla chips at preschool. I thought it was the cutest thing. He is all about putting out cookies and milk for Santa. Last year my husband ate them and you should have seen the look on his face when he woke up and found them gone. He must have told a dozen people - "Santa ate the cookies!" It was too good.
Sometimes decorations aren't so simple anymore with littler ones around. I know some people that put a playpen around their tree to keep it safe from destructive little ones. My son still steals ornaments and plays with them in his room. The baby likes to crawl over to the tree and snag the ones hanging off of the bottom. When I was little, I used to play with the little people sliding around the magnetic frozen pond. I would take the little people out of the nativity and lose them. I personally put my more meaningful and expensive decorations up a little higher. Someday they will be safe, but for now I will protect them from curious hands.
What to buy? It is difficult every year trying to figure out the perfect presents for our kids, and I imagine it only gets harder as they get older. Thankfully the baby was easy this year, he needs some age appropriate toys and a jumperoo, so that took care of him. My four-year-old, however, is a little more difficult. He does like Mario Brothers and monster trucks, but there's only so much I can do with that. I ended up getting him a Kinect and a couple games along with the usual selection of toys. It is hard to get him toys though, because he already has so many.
Every parent has different experiences and insights on handling the holidays with kids. I have learned so much from other people who have kids, and I've picked up lots of things that I now do with my kids. It can be a tough time in some areas just as much as it can be wonderful and fun. For more experiences and advice on how to make your family holidays great, please visit these threads made right here on Parentingforums.org for some great info from some great people:
http://www.parentingforums.org/showthread.php?t=12830
http://www.parentingforums.org/showthread.php?t=12835
http://www.parentingforums.org/showthread.php?t=12831
http://www.parentingforums.org/showthread.php?t=12832
http://www.parentingforums.org/showthread.php?t=12833
http://www.parentingforums.org/showthread.php?t=12834
Have something to add? Please feel free! I'm sure we could all use all the help we can get.
Some may take part in the "Santa Clause" fun. The jolly, bearded, fat guy in a big red suit that somehow fits down your chimney (or through your front door) with a bag full of presents. I personally love making Christmas magical for my kids, my oldest gets so excited about Santa and his gifts magically appearing on Christmas morning. This year, he even made "Reindeer food" out of oats and green and red tortilla chips at preschool. I thought it was the cutest thing. He is all about putting out cookies and milk for Santa. Last year my husband ate them and you should have seen the look on his face when he woke up and found them gone. He must have told a dozen people - "Santa ate the cookies!" It was too good.
Sometimes decorations aren't so simple anymore with littler ones around. I know some people that put a playpen around their tree to keep it safe from destructive little ones. My son still steals ornaments and plays with them in his room. The baby likes to crawl over to the tree and snag the ones hanging off of the bottom. When I was little, I used to play with the little people sliding around the magnetic frozen pond. I would take the little people out of the nativity and lose them. I personally put my more meaningful and expensive decorations up a little higher. Someday they will be safe, but for now I will protect them from curious hands.
What to buy? It is difficult every year trying to figure out the perfect presents for our kids, and I imagine it only gets harder as they get older. Thankfully the baby was easy this year, he needs some age appropriate toys and a jumperoo, so that took care of him. My four-year-old, however, is a little more difficult. He does like Mario Brothers and monster trucks, but there's only so much I can do with that. I ended up getting him a Kinect and a couple games along with the usual selection of toys. It is hard to get him toys though, because he already has so many.
Every parent has different experiences and insights on handling the holidays with kids. I have learned so much from other people who have kids, and I've picked up lots of things that I now do with my kids. It can be a tough time in some areas just as much as it can be wonderful and fun. For more experiences and advice on how to make your family holidays great, please visit these threads made right here on Parentingforums.org for some great info from some great people:
http://www.parentingforums.org/showthread.php?t=12830
http://www.parentingforums.org/showthread.php?t=12835
http://www.parentingforums.org/showthread.php?t=12831
http://www.parentingforums.org/showthread.php?t=12832
http://www.parentingforums.org/showthread.php?t=12833
http://www.parentingforums.org/showthread.php?t=12834
Have something to add? Please feel free! I'm sure we could all use all the help we can get.
