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Create a Christ-centered FUN Christmas and Advent with this book of crafts, songs, games, and meaningful focus. Complete with music CD … Crafts Games Christmas Spiritual Advent Kids Faith Family Wreath Prophecy Shepherds CD Music

The continued presentation of the “Wonder” Christmas mini album kit. … “Mini album kit” kit album mini “Paris kit” scrapbooking “paper crafting” “album kitsMini’s Mini albums” scrapbook “scrap book” Pictures crafts family christmas funny “how to” “do it yourself” video flowers buttons paper “paper craft” “family albums” paris

17th Annual FIESTA-WORLD CRAFT BAZAAR Saturday – November 21st (10 to 4 pm) Florence Filberg Centre (Upstairs and Down) Courtenays FIESTA-WORLD CRAFT BAZAAR is now the largest fair trade global craft fair in Canada. Organizations and businesses from eastern Canada, lower mainland, Gibsons, and across Vancouver Island will be coming together to sell unique and exquisite clothing and crafts from around the world! There will be something for every price range and person on your list. Theres …

Christmas is about family. Here is a collection of five crafts that you can make as a family to teach the true meaning and symbols of Christmas. Children will learn to identify Christmas using their five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Pick and choose the activities you think your family will best enjoy, and spread them throughout the season. Start new traditions. Most importantly, use the activities to talk as a family.

Sight Activities

Take a Christmas Lights Drive: Pile everyone in the van after dark and tour your city or a nicely decorated neighborhood. Some cities will have a town center that will be lit up. Ask your children which decorations are their favorites and why. Talk about how the twinkling lights resemble the stars. Remind them that on the night Jesus was born a new star shone in the sky, announcing his birth to the whole world. Even people in different countries knew the Christ-child was born, and some wise men traveled to find him.

Sound Activities

Christmas Caroling: Delight your neighbors by singing on their doorsteps, or just gather around the piano and sing as a family. You may even attend a community “sing-in,” or another recital, or watch one on TV. Christmas carols and caroling have a somewhat obscure history. Indeed, in many countries any jovial celebrating of the holiday was outlawed until the 1700s! Caroling can be traced back to England around this period, and it was a community event. Groups would go house to house, singing in exchange for eggnog or wassail. Caroling fosters a feeling of community as we reach out to others and spread joy. Some of the most popular carols to sing are Silent Night, Jingle Bells, and We Wish you a Merry Christmas.

Smell Activities

Trim the tree: Like holly, the evergreen reminds us that life will come again. The pine aroma fills our heart and mind with hopes of the year to come. If you use an artificial tree in your home, you can take your children on a walk through a Christmas tree lot. You can hang a swag, or even a branch with a fragrant pinecone.

Taste Activities

Peppermint Candy Canes: As you enjoy a candy cane with your family, point out the symbols of the shepherd’s crook, and the colors. Red represents Jesus’ sacrifice, and white is for his purity. When turned upside-down, the shape also becomes a “J,” which can also be a reminder that Christmas is a time to remember Jesus. The mint flavoring also has seasonal significance. Hyssop, a plant in the mint family, was used in Old Testament times to purify (or cleanse) oneself. Peppermint might now remind us of Jesus’ purity.

Touch Activities

Snow Angels: After a good snowfall, bundle everyone up and walk to the park or your own backyard. Demonstrate how to make snow angels by falling backward into a fresh bank. Sweep straightened arms and legs back and forth to create the wings and gown of the angel. Stand up carefully and admire everyone’s work. When the family is back indoors talk about the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary, when she found out she would soon give birth to the baby Jesus. Also talk about the angel who visited the shepherds on the night Jesus was born. He said to them, “Fear not, for I bring good tidings of great joy!” Although Christ was not really born in December, it is the time chosen to celebrate his birth. During the winter all the plants seem dead, but after Christmas the world gets closer to spring when all the flowers come back to life. Jesus’ birth was a promise that everyone who followed him would also live after death.

Your friends, relatives and neighbors are eagerly looking forward to your annual Christmas photo cards.  But how do you make this year’s holiday card really fresh and original? Here are seven ideas to help you make your new photo Christmas cards stand out.

1. Go black and white photo for a dramatic look.  Many digital cameras have a setting that will enable you to take your photo in black and white. Or you can change a color snapshot to grayscale in your photo editing software. If you don’t know how to do it yourself, most photo card companies can do it for you at no extra charge.

2. The more, the merrier.  This year, include more than just the kids in your photo Christmas cards.  Get in the picture with them!  One year my uncle remarked that while he enjoyed receiving a photo of the kids every year, he would like to see a picture of us, too. So, gather the entire family, even the pets.  And if you have an opportunity during the year to attend a large family get together with grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins, you might consider using a large group family photo.

3. Pack the Santa hat on vacation. Whether you’re going to the beach, sightseeing in the city or pumpkin picking in the fall, bring along a holiday prop or two, such as a Christmas stocking or ornament.  When you’re taking photos of your family excursion, include a few with everyone holding or wearing the Christmas props for refreshingly different holiday photo.

4. Think personality.  While you might enjoy a posed photo of your children all cleaned up, in nice clothes, with not even a hair out of place, it doesn’t show off their real personalities.  For more interesting photo Christmas cards, try taking some candid photos of your kids doing things they enjoy.  Or pose them with props that reflect their interests or accomplishments.

5. Scrapbook a page.  If you’re creative, you can put together several cropped photos and your greeting on holiday background paper, then photograph or scan it to be used as your photo Christmas card.  Since most photo card companies use 4 x 6 inch photos to produce your cards, trim a standard 12 x 12 inch scrapbooking page to 12 inches wide by 8 inches high as your background for your layout.

6. Embellish it.  Even if you have already ordered standard photo Christmas cards, you might still be able to jazz them up a bit.  Check out the scrapbooking aisles in your local craft store for tiny embellishments, such as bows, ribbons, and other holiday dimensional items.  These are practically flat, since they are meant for a scrapbook page, so they will still fit into your envelope after you glue them on your cards.

7. Shop around.  There are so many photo Christmas card companies on the internet that are offering unique, original, personalized designs.  Some designs can even contain multiple photos, so you don’t have to worry about getting that one perfect snapshot.  Or they will put your photo into the shape of an ornament, tree, or other holiday symbol.  Many companies will let you write your own message, so you have more choices and options.  They come in all price ranges, so it pays to do some browsing.

So, don’t be afraid to try something a little different with your photo Christmas cards this year.  With a little imagination, your holiday photo cards will be truly special.

Personalized ornaments are a way to add spice and a way to let the person you give the gift to, know that you are thinking exclusively of them. Not only that, but by using personalized ornaments as one of your gifts, it is very similar to shopping for a unique greeting card that has it’s own personal message to the receiver.

If we look at how commercialized our lives have become over the years, it is actually quite shocking to know a child expects a commercial IPod versus unique personalized ornaments which can express ‘I Love You’. IPods can be purchased any time of the year and carries with it no special meaning plus it is not a gift that can be kept for years and even passed down to other members in a family.

Whatever happened to the ‘real’ Christmas trees that smell up the room with it’s scent? How about the family event of decorating the tree with popcorn that the family spends time popping and then stringing together in order to cover the tree in strands of it? What ever happened to the personalized ornaments made by children or family by either crafting them in school or at home? So, the 3 year old makes an odd shaped Santa that hangs on the tree and then goes on the tree every year. Take a photograph of this and add to your photo album. This child is only 3 years old one time and can only do this one Christmas in it’s life. Enjoy it.

Why can’t the ‘old’ way of wrapping presents again introduced to our family instead of having a store commercially wrap them. How about pulling out the roll of aluminum foil, grabbing some string or yarn (these can be colored with food coloring too), cut up an old shirt with a cute pattern, and wrap some really great looking presents for under the Christmas tree.

Whatever happened to the homemade candy taffy the family cooked together and then pulled and pulled and pulled until it reached the right consistency to be eaten? What about the popcorn balls that the children help roll together in balls and is delicious for the family on Christmas day?

We can bring back the family unit by creating an environment that creates happy memories over and over again throughout the year and begin by the easiest holiday of all, which is Christmas. There are so many things we can do to make this holiday unique for our family and friends. Personalized Ornaments for the Christmas tree is one very easy way to do this and then add other things that create situations where the family and/or friends join together to do them. Bring the digital camera. You will find many opportunities to take special photos throughout all the events that you plan.

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What are you going to do to make this year’s photo Christmas cards really stand out?  You don’t have to fall back on the same old ideas this holiday.  Here are ten suggestions to help you make this season’s family greeting the best one yet.

1. Try a different spin on a traditional theme.  This fall take a picture of the kids with a pumpkin snowman.  Just stack three pumpkins, graduating in size with the biggest on the bottom and their stems removed.  Paint a face on the top pumpkin, carve a small hole to hold the carrot nose, then put a Santa hat or wool cap on top and add a scarf.  If you live near the beach, you can make a sand snowman instead.

2. Transform an ordinary photo Christmas card into a religious one by adding your favorite Bible verse. Look for a company that will let you create your own personalized message, instead of just sticking with the text shown on the sample.

3. Nothing is cuter than a holiday greeting that contains a photo of an adorable animal in a seasonal setting.  The easiest way to achieve this look yourself is to take a picture of your sleeping dog or cat on top a sheet of wrapping paper or under the tree.  Add the caption, “peace on earth” and wait for the “aaaahs”.

4. Create a four seasons look with a multi photo Christmas card that has space for four photos.  Then choose pictures of your kids from the past year during the winter, spring, summer and fall. Personalize it with the words, “thinking of you at Christmas…and all year, too!”

5. Is your little one a budding artist?  He or she can help you to create a really unique holiday greeting.  Ask him to draw a picture of the family with crayons. Then, it’s your turn to cut out the faces of each family member from snapshots and glue them to the top of the crayon bodies. Take a close up photo of the masterpiece for this year’s card.

6. Are you famous for your holiday baking? If you’re always being asked for the recipe for one of your seasonal goodies, you can turn that into a fun photo Christmas card.  Write out the directions on a pretty recipe card, then clip a family photo onto the card, perhaps of the kids baking cookies. Be careful not to cover any of the instructions with that picture. You might want to add the words, “wishing you a sweet Christmas”.

7. For impact, try black and white with a touch of color.  Your favorite photo with the kids in Santa hats can be changed into an artistic black and white picture with just the Santa hats in red.  Most online photo Christmas card companies will do this for you at no extra charge.

8. Make a statement.  What makes your family tick?  Are you a bunch of beach bums, taking advantage of sun and surf every possible moment in the summer?  Then include photos in your holiday greeting of the kids playing in the waves and building sand castles.  Are you all sports enthusiasts? Then feature action shots of your children playing for their team.  Are you involved in animal rescue, active in politics, big on barbecues, busy selling homemade jewelry at craft shows, passionate about your faith? Find a way to work it into your pictures.  This year, instead of a posed portrait, give people a glimpse into your family dynamics.

9. Send a holiday greeting that takes a trip down memory lane.  For this idea, you will need to select Christmas cards that feature multiple photos.  Choose your current favorite family picture and then add one or more photos of the kids when they were younger for a then and now effect. You might want to ask the card company to change the older photos to black and white or make the current picture larger than the rest. Don’t forget to add captions underneath indicating the year the photographs were taken.

10. If you’re still looking for a fresh idea for this year’s Christmas greeting, then it’s time to browse. Start searching through the huge variety of designs in photo holiday cards online until you find one in particular that inspires you.  Maybe it’s a candy cane motif and you’ll think of posing the kids with comically oversized candy canes.  Or you’ll fall in love with one that has a pale blue background with snowflakes, which might lead you to dress the family in shades of blue.  Many times, it’s easier to pick out the card first, which will set the tone for the pictures you want to include.

This year you can have an amazing photo Christmas card that gets rave reviews from friends and relatives.  All it takes is a little inspiration and thought to make this season’s greeting a one of a kind expression of your family.

If you ask people what their favorite holiday many will exclaim, Christmas! When asked why, some will mention Santa Claus and getting gifts, but most will list things like festive parties, Christmas carols, and twinkling light displays as reasons for their love of the holiday.

The pleasant memories invoked by annual activities like these help to form cherished Christmas traditions that get passed down through families for generations. This is certainly true for my family and at the first hints of autumn we start to feel excitement for the coming holiday season! Here are five holiday traditions you and your family can use to begin creating Christmas memories.Christmas Movies

My family’s Christmas traditions begin on Thanksgiving Day by watching the 1947 black & white version of Miracle on 34th Street. Over the years, we have collected more than 30 Christmas themed DVDs and videos. So, it has become an anticipated tradition for us to gather together to sip hot cocoa and eat Christmas cookies while we watch one of those movies every night throughout the month of December.Holiday Baking

At our house everyone looks forward to the first week of Christmas vacation, when we go into baking mode and spend 3-4 days baking our favorite Christmas cookies! Everyone gets together at someones house and each person bakes their favorite holiday treats. During this time we take time to remember Christmas past.

When we are all done we divide up the goodies and take them home to enjoy or hand out as gifts.Christmas Trees

This Christmas tradition can be a point of contention as there are many strong and varied opinions on this topic.

Many families put up their Christmas tree the weekend before Thanksgiving or earlier while a few will wait until Christmas Eve. Some choose the one-time purchase, pine needle-free convenience of a life-like artificial tree, but for others only a fragrant, fresh-cut live tree will do.

But, whether you choose a real tree or not; choose a theme that the family will have fun with for years.Christmas Stockings

Another cherished tradition is the hanging of stockings on Christmas Eve for Santa to fill with goodies!

Christmas stockings come in many sizes and styles, from sophisticated store-bought ones to homemade hand-crafted ones. The type of stockings you choose to hang may vary from year to year or you may choose to use the same stockings every Christmas.

But whatever you decide to do be sure to have lots of fun things and tasty treats to fill them.Santa Letters

At Christmas time it is traditional for children to write letters to Santa Claus telling him how good they’ve been all year and requesting specific toys from him as a reward for their good behavior.

A new twist on this old tradition is to have Santa write letters to the kids. It’s an excellent way to encourage youngsters to continue good behavior and to keep the mystique of Santa alive.

If you don’t feel that you can write a letter from Santa to your kids go to LettersFromSanta

There’s something inherently magical about the Christmas season. – We’re all more patient, more loving, and a bit more aware and thankful of all the blessings that we’re surrounded by. So it should really come as no surprise to anyone that the holiday season is the one where families and loved ones spend the most time together. With all the Christmas baking and decorating, this time spent together isn’t just for holiday parties! – There is something magical about growing up with wonderful holiday traditions, and so here we’re going to talk about five things you can do to not only boost your holiday spirit, but leave your child with some of the most amazing Christmas season memories.

1. Anyone who’s done Christmas shopping in the past is sure to have seen those small, 2-3 foot tall Christmas trees they sell. They’re cheap and small enough for easy storage, and a perfect way to spruce up a child’s room. Buy one for your kid, and spend some time finding ornaments and decorations that fit their interests together! Does your daughter love pink? Go out with her and look for some pretty pink ornaments and lights, or just buy up one of those pink trees! Or maybe your son loves football. – You’re sure to be able to find football ornaments! Decorating one of those mini trees with your kid is a great way to bond in the Christmas season.

2. Christmas cookies are probably one of the most common holiday traditions. – Who doesn’t bake up cookies to give away to friends and family? Inviting your kids to help you bake holiday treats is a great way to spend time together! You can also decorate some pretty tins with your child to put cookies into that they can give to teachers or friends! So get the Christmas music playing and start baking those treats!

3. Christmas crafts are another great thing to do with your children. – Making ornaments or holiday themed decorations to place around the house can be very fun and make all the things you decorate with all the more special. A day spent decorating your house not only makes the Christmas decorating easier on everyone, but a far more enjoyable experience than doing it alone.

4. A lesser-known tradition that my family loves is the gag gifts. My family is quite large, but it can be done with any number of people. Here’s how it works: soon after Thanksgiving, have everyone write their name on small pieces of paper. Jumble the names in a hat, and have everyone draw out a name, making sure that no one gets their own name. The name a person draws is the person they have to buy a goofy, funny, or embarrassing gag gift for. You can choose if everyone should know who has drawn whom, or if you want to keep it a secret until Christmas Eve, when the gifts are specially delivered and opened! It’s a lot of fun, and is a great activity that can have a lot of thought put into it!

5. Planning Christmas themed activity nights with your family is also a great way to bring everyone together. Whip up some hot chocolate, eggnog, or hot cider and some snacks, and pull up a collection of Christmas movies to watch. Or you could plan a Christmas carol karaoke night! There are plenty of fun things you can do with your family, and planning these little mini parties is a great way to bond and create some fun holiday memories.

It’s so unfortunate that many of us spend so much effort doing the things that create stress around the holidays, when with just a little bit of time and energy we can do the things that really make Christmas special and bring our families closer together. This is a time of loving, kindness, and fun. This season opens itself up for endless ways to enjoy it, and no matter what your interests are you can find a great activity that you enjoy. For children, these are some of the most magical, memorable moments they’ll ever remember, and all of these wonderful traditions will only make them that much more special.