We're always looking for fun things to do as a family. This is especially true during this time of year when the energy and anticipation run so high! So here's the first of a new feature here at Kids Meal Crowd...the Thompson Top 5!"What are Your 5 Favorite Holiday Activities to do with Your Kids?"
- Watching Holiday Shows -- This is something both my husband and I enjoyed as kids, and have passed that along to our children. Old favorites like Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas...and new favorites like The Polar Express, ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas line up and Christmas Vacation (OK this last one isn't new, and more a parent favorite, but I had to add it!).
- Christmas Lights -- We are blessed to live in a town with a really spectacular local attraction, the LaSallette Shrine Christmas Lights. It is really beautiful and lights up the whole hillside. You can see it across the lake and visitors come from all over to explore the display, drink hot chocolate in the shrine cafeteria, and make a birthday card for baby Jesus. We also really enjoy the big Holiday Tree being lit in the middle of the Dartmouth Green, and other holiday events in the Dartmouth community.
- Little Wieners -- For one reason or another, "Little Wieners" has become a favorite holiday appetizer. The kids all like hot dogs, and the sauce is sweet and tangy, plus its super easy. Throw into your slow cooker the following items: 1/2 big jar of grape jelly and 2 bottles of chili sauce (near the ketchup at the store, but NOT cocktail sauce, which is in similar bottles! lesson learned.) plus a big package (or two smaller ones) of cocktail wieners/L'il Smokies. Cook on high if you need them to warm up immediately, or on low for the longer period of time. The longer they cook, the better they taste - the tangy sauce is flavorful. Not a gourmet offering, but family fave!
- Shopping at the "Mom Store" -- The week before Christmas, I usually open up the "Mom Store" for business. Here is where I have a few items set aside for each child based on their interests or what I think they might like, and then I have each of the three kids come in and "shop" for something that they want to "buy" as a gift for each other. The Rules: The kids earn the opportunity to shop at the Mom Store by completing chores we outline, they must pick something out for each one of their siblings and parents plus an item to donate to another family, and we wrap the gifts (except the donation) right then and there to place under the tree. The items I use for this are usually in the $15 and under range, so smaller things -- but not stocking stuffers. I can tell they look forward to this, as when I tell the kids to save some money for Christmas shopping, they tell me "Why, are you charging us money at the Mom Store this year?". Too funny.
- Sledding on Christmas Eve -- When we moved to NH in 2007 and decided that we would save Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for our personal family celebration, this new tradition of sledding on Christmas Eve was born. There is a great sledding hill right next to the LaSallette Shrine mentioned above. By the moonlight and the light of the holiday display, we like to take few runs down the hill on our sleds. We take our dog Zoe as well -- and it is all so much fun. I have to say that I was not all that excited when Todd suggested this, but it has turned out to be a great way to burn off some of the holiday energy and tire the kids out before Santa arrives.
What are your favorite activities to do with kids during the holidays? Would love to see them in the comments section. Happy December!
Disclosure: This post is a contest entry. TwitterMoms and Nickelodeon are partnering to give away a small number of AMEX gift cards and Dora's Christmas Carol DVDs. See the contest details here.
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