Easy Last-Minute Christmas Crafts

We are in the last week before Christmas and, if your kids are anything like mine, they are probably driving you a little bonkers with their pent-up energy. I think my kids are going to BURST from excitement, so I have had to come up with some fun things to occupy them as they eagerly await the BIG DAY.

These are just some fun, easy crafts that anyone can do and all they require is paper and crayons!

The first are paper chains. Perhaps you remember these from your own childhood? This is a super-easy version and you can pretty much design anything you want for them -- I had a lot of fun designing these for my younger kids, who are a bit young to design and cut, but were very happy to color:

Here are the basic instructions. Make sure that you fold your paper into an "M" shape and that the arms of your characters go to the very edges of the paper:

After cutting them out, color and design them any way you want!

I found this other printable online. It is a Christmas angel that you print out, color, cut-out and then wrap around and tape so that she can stand up. I used card-stock for her and she makes a lovely centerpiece. I have included the link for this project and while you are at the site, check out all the other really beautiful printouts for all seasons (or if you just like angels and fairies.)

One last printable, also found online -- a beautiful nativity to print and color! My 12-year-old daughter really enjoyed this one. She did the cutting and easy taping together and we have it displayed on a shelf. Again, we used card-stock for this:

We thank the host sites very much for sharing such wonderful printouts with the public and we at 'Tis the Season hope that these little crafts help brighten your Christmas season (and keep the kiddies occupied even for just a few hours.)

Enjoying Apples + A Little Giveaway

CLOSED
It's that time of year again in New England (and much of the north) -- apple harvest time! As late summer takes on a distinct chill in the evening air, my kids start to think about fall delights. I have to admit that with our short summers, it's a bit disenchanting to start thinking about these things as early as my kids would like to, so I try to put them off until the appropriate time. If some of my kids had their way, we would decorate in autumn glory on September 1, but I stress the importance of waiting.

First, I want them to appreciate the seasons in the moment. Like I said, summer is particularly fleeting in New Hampshire (especially this year) and, though it's tempting to jump ahead to the next thing, we need to really relish and enjoy the gift that God has given us now to its fullest. (I admit, it's a little harder to do when spring is on the horizon after our typical long winters.)

Second, I realize that celebrating too soon sort of kills the event. You know what I mean -- how many of us cringe when we see Christmas decorations at WalMart before Halloween? How does it feel to open your birthday presents early? We don't want to be immune to those very special times . . .

I love what the Bible says, in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." I always say that half the fun of any event is the anticipation of it, but in a timely manner. Nothing is more depressing than being sick of Christmas music by December 1.

These are some of our typical September rituals . . .

1. Celebrate Labor Day
2. Back to school
3. Celebrate September birthday
4. Do a homeschool study on fall events
5. Go to a County Fair
6. Celebrate first day of fall: decorate and make fall cupcakes. Start lighting candles every evening.
7. Go apple picking and take scenic drive

Though eager to get going on all these events, the kids really do appreciate the schedule and they appreciate the events more for their structure. I have read many times how important tradition is to children and you can bet that my children remember them ALL and will not let one pass by uncelebrated. We do change things up a bit in some years, depending on various factors, but we do not deviate very far from that schedule. I know that the children will continue these rituals with their own families.

So, we are up to step 4! In anticipation of our annual apple-picking excursion, I like to read some fun books about apples and Johnny Appleseed with the younger children. (But don't kid yourself -- my older children like to listen in, too!) I also add a lot of printouts, puzzles, and coloring pages for them to work on while I read out loud. I give them a notebook to keep them in as a neat Unit Study -- it's one of the times during our school day that the kids are eager to begin.

Here are a few examples of the books we read:

I particularly love The Life and Times of the Apple. Charles Micucci does an absolutely beautiful job with the artwork and the book is chocked full of information and history of apples in America (Did you know, for example, that only the crab apple is native to the United States?) He shows you various apple types, how they are grown, and even an "apple timeline." (Besides this wonderful book, he writes on other natural topics in the same delightful manner. Check him out on Amazon!)

We always read about John Chapman, AKA "Johnny Appleseed."

For kids who are a little older and reading independently:

This is also a good opportunity for me to pull out this gem:

Though not really scientific in nature, it is a beautifully explained practical example of the Holy Trinity. For example, the author explains that there are 3 parts to the apple -- the peel, the flesh, and the core. They are all different and unique, but they are still ALL APPLE.
(If you are interested in any of these books, you can find them on our "'Tis the Season" bookstore link on the sidebar.)

Like I said, I love to add activities and printouts to our study. I will post one link to get you started (I hate wading through dozens of links; it's overwhelming!), but if you want more options, do a Google search on "apples"; that will keep you busy for hours! ::grin:::
http://www.tooter4kids.com/Apples/apple_links.htm

Now for some fun for YOU! In honor of this harvest season, I thought it would be fun to have a little DRAWING! I found these cute finger towels at Rite Aid. (Who knew?) It is a 2-pack; one towel is brown with a basket of red apples and the words, "Bushel and a Peck" stitched on it and the other is a matching white towel with brown spots. These are fun to put out in the fall, but also for anyone with an apple decor in their kitchen.


To enter, simply leave a comment telling us what your favorite season is and why. Please feel free to elaborate or just a quick sentence. We love to hear your stories and connect as much as possible! I'm sure others enjoy it, too.

On Monday at noon, we will draw a name using Random.org, so it will be completely free from human error. If your name is drawn, it will be announced and you can contact us with your mailing information. If we do not get a response within a week, we will re-do the drawing. Thanks and God bless you during this wonderful season!