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Ideas for Grandmas

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  • #19966
    Anonymous

      My grandkids are coming for the first Xmas ever – I need some ideas to make it special – I have heard of reindeer food etc. etc.  Your help is appreciated!!!

      #21145
      Anonymous

        My daughter (3) came home from school with Magical Christmas dust.  “This Christmas Evesprinkle the Magical Christmas Dust on your lawn/  The glitter will sparkle in the moon light and help Santa find your house.  The smell of the oats will guide the reindeer.”  It’s nothing more than oatmeal and glitter in a bag with the note attached.  She combined the glitter and oats.  She CAN”T wait for Christmas Eve to put it out!

        We also make ornaments out of paper and paint or color them.  I use two layers of cardstock with a ribbon glued in between.  Use real glue – the glue sticks don’t hold well enough and let them dry before decorating.  Everybody gets one at Christmas.

        We also bake cookies.  My daughter has been making cutouts with “sparkles” since she was 1.  Those are the kind of things I want her to have for Christmas memories and all are frugal.  

        #21148
        Anonymous

          Talcum boot prints quietly placed on the carpet after bedtime Christmas Eve will put the kids in shock Christmas morning.  It won’t hurt them if they step in it or get it on their skin, (use baking soda if someone is really allergic/asthmatic.)  The scent of the powder freshens up the smell of the carpet and room (plus vacuuming up is a breeze.)

          #21154
          Anonymous

            Reindeer food is oatmeal, glitter and colored sprinkles, or any other food decoration you want to put in.  Its easy and my step-daughter who is 8 loves to make it then put it out on Christmas eve.  
            I’ve also got sliegh bells and I or someone else who was in on the fun would sneak outside right before they went to bed and would run around ringing the bells so it sounds like Santa is right around the corner :D .   The kids don’t put up any kind of fuss about going to bed.  But make sure you tell them that they can’t look out the window or Santa will know they are not in bed asleep and just keep going.  Works every time.  My son and daughter remember this from when they were little and intend to do they same for their children when they have some. ;D

            #21597
            Anonymous

              My grandmother used to fill our stockings with items she remembers Santa bringing her: oranges, apples and walnuts. Sometimes she’d add a big peppermint stick and some simple gifts. She was born in 1896 and in that era, there were no refrigerated train cars so you could only get citrus shipped in the winter when it would not spoil. I really treasure the stories she told us of her own childhood,when Christmases were more simple and meaningful. Perhaps if you incorporate things from your own childhood, it would continue a nice tradition.
               And, remember, Christmas is a religious holiday! Doing things like attending church services, setting up a nativity scene and reading the Christmas story from the book of Luke in the Bible are always the most meaningful things you can do. Some families today bake a birthday cake for the Baby Jesus and have a children’s party for Him.

              #21856
              imported_blackeyedsusan
              Participant

                I know this post is old but here are some ideas maybe someone will use.  If you saved any of your kids Christmas artwork from school it would be cute to hang it somewhere so that the grandkids can see what mom or dad made for Christmas.  I used to hang my kid's artwork on the pantry doors in the kitchen.
                  Also, you could decorate with kids in mind.  You can make your kitchen look like Mrs. Claus's kitchen by having lots of  gingerbread people figurines sitting around. Also, toy soldiers, Christmas bears, Santas, anything that appeals to kids.  Buy a Christmas cookie jar.  You can also fill pretty glass jars with lids with candy canes and Christmas candies.  Of course, mom and dad decide how much they can have.  You don't have to invest a lot of money, you can get little glass figures at the Dollar Store or thrift shops, antique shops. Cute stuffed animal Chirstmas decorations are cute too and you can set them around anywhere. Hang fake icecicles  and snowflakes in the windows.
                A small train track running beneath the Christmas tree would be a fun memory of grandma's house for kids. 
                Buy some Christmas books to read to them.  The prettier the illustrations, the better.  I found some really pretty kid's Christmas books at a Garden Ridge store last Christmas.  You can get books cheaper online or,again,-the good old thrift stores sell books cheap and you never know what you'll find.
                  I started a collection of  small ceramic angels that I display on an old glass perfume tray.  I have been looking in antique stores and thrift stores for a couple of years and I have 14 little ceramic angels now.  I don't buy just any one I see, it has to be one I really like and have something special about it.  Some are old and some aren't.  If you have a granddaughter you can show her your collection of angels and let her give names to them.  Tell her they will be hers when she gets older.
                I have also started collecting Christmas mice figures. 
                You could buy a small tree just for the kids and help them string popcorn and cranberries for garlands and decorate the tree together. Hang candy canes on it.  You could buy some colored paper and yarn and have them cut out paper ornaments and color them with markers and put yarn through them to hang on the tree.  Be sure to have them write their name and age on the back.  Don't forget to play Christmas music and have hot chocolate and popcorn to eat while you decorate the tree.
                Find a special Christmas plate to put  out with cookies for Santa.  The next morning have a half eaten cookie left on the plate and a glass with a little milk left in it sitting out. 
                You could try to find someone to dress up like Santa and make a surprise visit to your grandchildren.  A friend of ours did this for our kids one year. 
                If you have a piano you could gather around it and sing Christmas carols.
                You can buy something called Crackers for the table on Christmas day at places like Marshall's.  In case you don't know, they are used in England and are tubes wrapped up in Christmas paper.  They pop (crack)  when you open them and there is a little prize inside.
                If the children are older try taking them to a Christmas event where you live.  We took the kids to Muppets on Ice and my daughter loved to see the Nutcraker ballet at Christmastime.  There are free events too.  Go iceskating.  Drive through a light display or just drive around at night and look at lights on houses.
                Rent kid Christmas videos. Find out if there is a live nativity display near where you live. Go to church on Chrismas morning.
                Make Christmas about Jesus's birth and a time for family doing fun activities and enjoying all the beauty of the season and not so much about the gifts. I think that's the way to enjoy Christmas. 

                #21881
                imported_Adward
                Participant

                  I like to share what I 'm doing for Christmas and hope it helps:

                  1. preparing ecards: it's an easy and frugal way to send your wishes to people over the world. I always create my own ecard for different people including my parents, friends and even clients. There're many free Christmas templates and other resources online so the only thing you should do is gathering all stuff into PowerPoint and then convert it into Flash-based ecard.

                  2. searching coupons: I like do such lazy thing through the Internet, and it really save lots of money. My major target is those impressive small stuff at Amazon or Ebay. Not only do I decorate my house with them, but also send to my firends as gifts. I just want coupons of coupon, the more the better.

                  #21882
                  imported_refuge821
                  Participant

                    Thanks for sharing ideas.  I love that there are so many ideas on here because of people willing to take time to share.  Happy New Year!

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