Kids Ain't Cheap

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St. Patrick’s Day Fun Facts

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The shamrock is the symbol of Saint Patrick's Day
Image from Pixabay

St. Patrick’s Day is this Thursday — so I thought I would provide you with some interesting facts that you can use, to dazzle your friends and family. I assure you, they will be in awe of your vast St. Patrick’s Day knowledge!

I searched the web – far and wide – for what I thought were the most interesting and surprising facts about St. Patrick’s Day. So here they are:

Random Facts about St. Patrick’s Day

  • Shamrocks are the national flower of Ireland. St. Patrick used the Shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity; The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. The Four-leaf clover is used to represent; faith, hope, love, and luck.
  • The original color used to represent St. Patrick’s Day was blue — not green.
  • Each year – starting in 1962 – the Chicago River is dyed green in honor of St. Patrick’s day.
  • The original Guinness Brewery in Dublin had a 9,000 year lease. As noted on the Guinness website, “The 1759 lease is no longer valid as the Company purchased the lands outright many years ago.“
  • Corned beef is actually not the traditional Irish meal for St. Patrick’s Day. The Irish are far more likely to serve Bacon and Cabbage. Irish bacon was quite expensive so to save money Irish-Americans began using corned beef instead.
  • According to Irish folklore, when leprechauns aren’t hanging out at rainbows, hiding pots of gold, or granting wishes — they are shoe makers. That must be their day job. Hey — they’ve got to pay the bills too ya know!
  • Speaking of leprechauns, they were first described to be wearing red and gold — not green.
  • St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17th because he is believed to have died March 17th in the year 461 AD.

Have a Wonderful St. Patrick’s Day!

Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

Valentine’s Day Nostalgia

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Valentine's Dy
Photo on Mysie.com

I am so excited about Valentine’s Day! My husband and I usually do a date night –  sushi, typically – and while that’s always fun, and I really enjoy getting some alone time with my hubby; I’m looking forward to Valentine’s Day for a different reason this year.

At first, I couldn’t really figure out why I’m so jazzed about Valentine’s Day this year. I’m not crazy about hearts, I prefer jelly beans to chocolate, and my husband and I don’t make a big deal out of the holiday. However, I began to realize that I have really fond memories, of the Valentines parties we  had  in grade school. Since this is the boys’ first year in preschool, that means it’s the first year they get to do a Valentine’s party and card exchange.

Valentine’s Day as a kid

I keep thinking about how much I enjoyed Valentine’s Day as a kid. I have mentioned before that I am not crafty and that it was even worse when I was young. I always colored outside the lines and my drawings were hard to decipher. One time our teacher gave us each a big piece of paper and said we could make anything we wanted, I tried making a paper purse; which just ended up being a messy blob of paper, glue and tissues. The teacher later told me she meant we could draw whatever we wanted to. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Well, why didn’t she say that?

When it came to Valentine’s Day though, I really tried to do my best and make my Valentine’s mailbox the best that it could be! I was sure to put just the right amount of glitter, hearts and paper doilies on it. I also carefully wrote my name, so it would be easy for my classmates to locate.

I loved when it was time to go around placing our cards and goodies into each other’s bags. After that we would sit down and go through them. That’s when I had to see if, 1) the boy I had a crush on gave me a card and 2) analyze what the card was trying to tell me. Did he like me, like-like me, or should I just drown my sorrows in some Tang and forget about him because the card said “I don’t want to be your Valentine.” Lucky for me, there aren’t any Valentine’s cards like that (at least not in the packages that kids give out), so I always came out hopeful.

Anyway, my boys aren’t at that age yet but N. carefully selected his Spider-man Valentine’s with lollipops for his class and A. chose Scooby-Doo with pencils. They keep asking me when they can take their cards to school and have their party. I guess I’m not the only one who is excited. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Are you doing anything for Valentine’s Day? What is your favorite Valentine’s Day memory?

Tips for making your New Year’s Resolutions Stick!

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New Years ResolutionsDid you make any resolutions for 2011? Are you worried that you won’t be able to follow through? It is said that more than half of the people that make resolutions, give them up after just a couple of weeks! So what’s the point of even making resolutions?

Well, the point is that setting goals for ourselves is the best way to reach our objective or to change a negative behavior. Without some sort of plan – followed by action – your desire is really just a wish, not a goal.

Deciding to make a resolution is a great first step to attaining what you desire. Whether your start date is January 1st or June 14th – it doesn’t really matter but there are a few other things you should to do to ensure your success!

Start Small & Keep it Realistic

If the goal you have set for yourself involves many different steps finally to achieving it; you really need to set up mini goals first. Depending on what it is, you may want to start with daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, five year, and ten year goals.

For example, if you goal is to start your own business, and you want to be making $500,000 a year — that could be really tough to reach your first year out. However, if you break it down by what you think you want to make monthly, then increase that as you attain each level, you will feel more accomplished and confident; which can help propel you to your ultimate goal.

Write it Down

People who write out what they would like to achieve – and include a timeline – have a much better chance at reaching their goals.

When you write out what you want, you think things out a little more thoroughly. You can develop a plan of action, keep track of your progress and see what you still need to do to reach the next level.

If you keep track of what you are doing but are still falling short; sometimes going over your notes will alert you to something you may be missing. Keeping a journal is also an excellent way to record your progress.

Be Positive

Don’t say; “I really hope I can quit smoking this year.” Instead you’ll want to say; “This is the year I will become a non-smoker.”

As you continue through each day of not smoking, refer to yourself as a non-smoker because that’s what you are. Think it and be it!

I tried to quit smoking unsuccessfully many times but when I finally realized – that for me – it was mind over matter and I really wanted to be smoke free — I was able to do it. That was nearly 10 years ago!

Use Affirmations

I know for some people using affirmations may seem silly or uncomfortable. You might be picturing SNL’s Stuart Smalley as he looks in the mirror and says; “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggonit, people like me!”  I get it – believe me – I really get how weird it can feel, but you know what? It works; so give it a try why don’t you! You’ve got nothing to lose.

Enlist Help

Ask people for help. If you are trying to eat healthier be sure you let your friends and family know. If they can make good eating choices while they are around you; that can make a huge difference in your success. If you are giving up soda, maybe the other people you live with can help you out with your goal.

Haven’t set a resolution yet — but want to? Here are some of the most popular New Year’s resolutions that people make,  just to give you a few ideas:

  • Lose Weight/Get Fit
  • Quit Smoking/Drink Less
  • Reduce Debt/Save Money
  • Get Organized/Manage Time Better
  • Enjoy Life More/ Try New Things
  • Help Others/Go Green

Whatever your goals or resolutions are for 2011; I wish you all the best and much success!

What methods have you used to accomplish your resolutions in the past?

Happy New Year!

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The New Year is a time for looking back and looking forward
Photo by Christmasstockimages.com

Happy New Year everyone!  I had a pretty good 2010 and really looking forward to seeing what 2011 will bring.

We had a party at our house last night and really had a blast.  Nothing too crazy, nowhere near as big as my parties used to be, just a few close friends and family, music, games for the kids, beer and drinks for the adults and a good cigar to say goodbye to 2010.  With all that going on last night it meant for a rough start to 2011 but it was worth it.  Every new year should start with at least a little bit of a hangover so things can only improve as you go.

My debt story

As I have mentioned in previous posts, my wife and I are in significant debt from a business that we ran for several years that ultimately failed.  Shortly after it’s failure at the end of 2007, I was able to sell what assets we had left in the business and secure a job for me and my employees with the company that bought me out.   Later in that same year, my wife, who used to work for me, got a great job in her chosen profession.

2008 became the year we started over but we were starting over with a huge pile of debt that really hamstrung us.  We sat down, created a budget and created a 5 year plan to eliminate the majority of our debt.  We would do without most perks and focus on two things; our debt and our two boys.  2008 and 2009 were VERY difficult years but we stayed on track, stuck to our plan, tightened our belts and made it through them.  2010 was still a struggle but it was the first year where we really started making some progress.

I am very happy to report that 2010 ended with a bang, it was the first year in a long time where we had a little breathing room and could enjoy ourselves a little more while dealing with a little less stress.  The Ecommerce company that acquired my old business had it’s most successful year ever and I have been able to gain some ownership in that company.  My wife’s job continues to go well and we have much to be thankful for.

It was looking a little bleak for awhile but with the success of 2010 and the hopes that 2011 brings, it’s looking better and better that we will be able to pay off the majority of our debt by the end of 2012.

How optimistic are you for the new year?

Get Fit in the New Year without Spending a Fortune

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Fitness tips on a budget
Image from Pixabay

It’s the New Year again! Are you making any resolutions?

Some of the most popular ones are to:

  • Get organized
  • Try new things
  • Manage time better
  • Reduce debt
  • Lose weight and get fit

If the last two items are on your resolution list, then this post is for you.

Back in October I wrote a post titled Wanted: Motivation to Run. I explained how I have been terribly lazy as far as exercise concerned and I was thinking that if I could get into running, that would be a really great. However, I also confessed that I cannot stand running. Shortly after that post was published my cousin called to check-in with me to see how the running was going. Well, I hadn’t started yet.

Then a friend of mine who does run – and is training for a 1/2 marathon – read my post and invited me to run with her. As much as I wanted to, I just thought I might be out of my league running with someone who loves to run. Long story short, after a month long stint of doing yoga and the Wii Fit, I fell back into my old habit of not exercising but I know I need to find a way to get active and stick to it! So, even though I’m not big on New Year’s Resolutions I am going to give them a try this year — and one of the resolutions I am going to make is to lose a little weight and get fit.

I am really ready to get back into shape but I’m also trying to reduce debt, so I’m not ready to fork out the money for a gym membership just yet. It’s not that I don’t think they are worth the money, I just want to make sure that I have the time and motivation to take full advantage of everything a gym has to offer. So I decided to do some research to see what weight loss programs and exercise options are available that will motivate me, fit with my lifestyle and won’t cost a fortune.

Find Free Support

I was able to locate several free weight loss plans:

FitClick.com
Spark People (which I signed up for just to see what it was)
Biggest Loser League

I didn’t join all of these of course but they all say that they provide free recipes, meal plans, workout plans, calorie counts, community support and so much more. These types of websites can be highly motivating for many folks. I decided to check out Spark People and see how that one works for me. I’ll let you know what I think about it. The great thing is – since it’s free – if I don’t like it I can try one of the dozens of other free programs.

Keep Track of What You Eat

If you have a smartphone this can be pretty easy. All you need to do is find a calorie tracker app (there are a lot of free ones out there) and you are all set. This is a way not only to keep track of what you are putting into your body but you also find out how many calories you are consuming. It has been shown that simply writing down what you eat can help you lose weight.

Often times we (and by this I mean me) just eat mindlessly; while watching television, working on the computer, or snacking because we are bored. If you have to write down what you eat, you might think twice about picking up that brownie. I downloaded the diet and calorie counter through Spark People. It was free and I have already calculated my breakfast. I was very surprised that the banana I had was 207 calories! I am not trying to diet or anything now, I am simply keeping track of my diet and exercise so I know what I need to work on.

If you don’t have a smartphone you can keep track via your computer or just keep a notebook handy write down what you eat and figure out your calories at the end of the day. You can find calorie information on the web fairly easy or in a book.

Get Walking

This is a totally free good for you excercise plan. The only thing it may cost you is a good pair of walking shoes. The most simple thing for any of us to do is to just get walking. It takes a lot to get me out the door but once I’m outside (as long as it isn’t raining or freezing) I really enjoy myself. I just need to myself go!

(Via Amazon.com Only $7.99 at the time of posting)

Workout at Home

The thing with working out at home is that you can fit excercise into your schedule pretty easily. You just have to pick your program and pick your time. There are as lot of great DVDs out there that can help you get a workout and if you don’t think you can get a good workout at home, you are wrong. I have the Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga DVD and it really kicks my booty.

Eat Healthy

Sometimes folks think that eating healthy means spending a lot to do so — not true though. If you are couponing, purchasing fruit and veggies in season and you cut way back on eating out, you can eat right and even save money! Check out my post 10 Ways to Save on Your Grocery Bill these are tips that you can use in addition to couponing — or if you aren’t into coupons using these tips on their own will still help you save.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress and I would LOVE to hear some of your New Year’s Resolutions as well. If you are making a New Year’s resolution you may want to check aead my post from last year Tips for making your NewYear’s Relsolution Stick.

Good Luck and Happy New Year!!!

Are you trying to get fit next year? What is your plan?

Some Last Minute Gifts Before the New Year

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Last minute gift ideas
Image from Christmasstockimages.com

If you are anything like me, you will surely have forgotten one or two close friends over the holidays.  Or you might have forgotten that you promised to bring something to the New Year’s potluck celebration at your brother’s house.  If this is so, then here are some ideas that I’ve used this year and over the past few years, when this happens to me.

Last Minute Gift Ideas:

First you have to look at the recipient of this gift.  Is this person a close friend, a recently-made friend, or a colleague?  This matters as this will dictate the theme of the gift you will be giving.

If this is for a close friend- this is the easiest person to give a gift to. The best last minute gift is something they can use, something that is still unique, and something that is easy to make or find.  I’ve discovered that men and women alike really appreciate something for the home.  Here is a short list of home gifts:

  1. A really nice, big serving dish- good for parties and the like
  2. A charming oil burner- wonderful for the room or the living room
  3. A basket with potpourri- a rustic air freshener
  4. A set of organic soap

If your friend is a colleague- this is the person that is not so easy to gift because there is that professional barrier that can hold you back.  Here are some presents that my colleagues liked.

  1. A compact desktop- to hold pens, clips, pins, post its and the like
  2. A personalized pen- this is great to have when signing those checks, papers, contracts. It’s very professional-looking
  3. A bottle of good wine in a beautiful pouch- after the wine is consumed, the bottle and the pouch can be reused
  4. A stylish and compact laptop bag- this is a must have for the workers of this day and, thankfully, you can find really nice ones for a bargain price.

What are some of your gift ideas?  I’ll bet I can use these next year.

Now, if you forgot that you committed a dish to this year’s potluck, try something sweet and simple like a Leche Flan.  This is milk custard in English, and before you knock it, try it first.  It is delicious, sweet, and very easy to make.

You will need:

  • a double boiler
  • aluminum foil
  • a dozen eggs
  • a can of evaporated milk
  • a teaspoon of lemon essence
  • a cup of sugar, brown or white
  • a cup of water
  • a Llanera (flan mould)- one big one or a few smaller ones

How to Make This Dish:

  1. In a saucepan, mix the sugar and the water in equal amounts over medium heat.  You have to use medium heat or you will burn the syrup. Mix this until it gets drippy, not thick.
  2. Transfer equal amounts of this syrup to the Llanera(s) and leave it to sit for a while to cool.
  3. Separate the yolks from the whites. You need only the yolks.
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine the yolks and evaporated milk slowly, mixing in the lemon essence at the end.  It should be light yellow and liquid at the end.
  5. Pour this mixture into the Llaneras in equal amounts.
  6. Cover the Llaneras with the foil and steam in the dopuble boiler for an hour or until cooked. You will know this is cooked when a knife comes out clean after insertion. make sure this is a smooth and not a serrated knife.
  7. Run a smooth knife along the edges of the pan and then turn over slowly into your serving dish.

Viola!  You have Leche Flan. Trust me, this is a simple and delicious dish that everyone will surely love. Let me know if you’ve tried this and how you liked it.

What are your favorite last minute gift ideas?

A Homemade Gift to Light the Way

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ParolFor last minute gifts, some people choose to go the DIY way.  I am one those people and I choose this route for two reasons.  One, I do not want to go out and brave the Christmas shopping chaos of last-minute panic buyers; Two, I want the gift to be special even if it is simple, which a lot of my homemade items are.  The personal touch makes the gift special.

I’ve mentioned before that one staple in my country is the Christmas star or the ‘Parol’.  This is a lantern made traditionally of bamboo sticks and colorful cellophane, white rice paper or Japanese paper.  There are strips of paper coming from the two bottom points that represent the stars rays. The religious symbolism in this lantern comes from the star of Bethlehem that guided the Three Wise Men on their search for the baby Jesus.  No home is complete without some variation of the Christmas star.

How to make a Parol

One gift that is special, can be used again, symbolizes the season, and is just plain pretty is this Parol. And because of traditional simple roots, it is also easy to make at home.

You will Need:

  • Bamboo sticks
  • Very durable thin string
  • Strong glue
  • Colored cellophane- for a glossy look OR
  • White rice paper- for a classic look OR
  • Colored Japanese Paper- for a modern but muted look

Steps:

  1. Make some thin sticks from a medium sized bamboo pole (fresher is better) that you might be able to find at wholesale flower markets or craft shops.  If you can’t or don’t want to make these on your own, go and look for ready-made ones. They are just as good.
  2. Tie five sticks into the shape of a star and make two of these forms.
  3. Connect the ends of the stars and insert braces inside the star to make it three-dimensional.
  4. Once secure, cover this frame with your choice of paper using the strong glue. You can get fancy and add frills, cut-out paper doilies, fringes, tails, etc. and attach them to the two bottom ends.
  5. Optional: you can purchase a ready-made socket with wiring then it will be easy to put a light bulb inside your parol. Just make sure it doesn’t get too hot or the lantern could burst into flames.

And, viola!  You have your Parol.

You can make this any size and any color you want.  You can make this lit or not. You can make this to be attached directly to the wall or as a hanging piece or even as the décor at the end of the stick for your lawn.  The point is, you can be flexible.  If you are especially artistic, you can create a design on the body of the star as well.  Here are some sample pictures:

I think these are the perfect, whimsical, special Christmas gift to give to your friends.  Even here in the Philippines, where the Parol is a staple, these simple homemade stars are still much appreciated.  There is that added bonus that it is re-usable, cost-effective, and environment friendly.  With a little effort, some materials, and a little bit of imagination, you can give that special gift.

Do you make homemade gifts? What is your favorite to make?

What I Got for Christmas!

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My christmas presents
Photo from DeviantArt

Christmas is over and the chaos is behind us.  It seems so passe to say it because almost everyone says that Christmas is their favorite time of year but count me among the masses, I love it!  It’s a crazy month for me, I am part owner of a popular Ecommerce company and we do an insane amount of business during the month of December so it keeps me really busy.  It’s really tough to stay in the spirit and do all the family stuff, all the work stuff, the blogging and still remain happy and festive, but somehow, I do manage it.  I think I would be crushed if any Christmas passed me by without taking the time to be with family and enjoy our traditions so no matter how hectic it becomes, it is one of those things I will always make time for.

Now that Christmas is passed and we are approaching the New Year, I thought it would be fun to list the wonderful things I got this year.

Under the Tree!

Kodak Zx3 Digital Video Camera

I Love this digital video camera! It’s an economical choice for families, it’s only $149 and takes really great video at up to 1080p.  There are a few choices in the $100 – $150 range for small digital video cameras but my wife picked this one because it’s waterproof.  We spend a lot of time at my mother-in-laws pool during the summer and I can’t wait to get some underwater footage of the kids.  I am excited to start using this to both capture family moments and to add a new dimension to KidsAintCheap!  I will be doing a review on it in a future post

Craft Beer!

That’s right, my wife knows what I like and really enjoy craft beer.  It’s my parental aid of choice 🙂  When unwinding after a stressful day, there is nothing like a quality beer.  My wife has gotten pretty good at picking out what I would like.  She travels a lot for work and a few of the places she travels to have some great beer stores that carry nothing but craft beer.  She got me an excellent selection this year.

Homebrew Equipment and Books

In addition to enjoying craft beer, I also enjoy making my own beer.  My family got some excellent suggestions from my wife and got me a few new books and some equipment that will hopefully improve the quality of my brew.

Restaurant Gift Certificates

As I mention on the about us page of this site, we are in signficant debt and live on a very strict and limited budget.  We do without most luxuries which includes going out to dinner.  We love to eat good food but in the last two years, we could very rarely afford it.  This year we were grateful and happy to get gift certificates (enough to cover the entire meal) to one of our favorite local restaurants.

With Our Powers Combined, we are Platypus!

I am a big fan of Snorgtees.com, they have some really hilarious t-shirts and I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy.  I have only ever used the site to buy gifts for other people because as I mentioned, we are broke and do without things we don’t need.  However, one of my favorite tees is this one and my wife bought it for me.  She spent more than we budgeted but I can’t complain too much!

I also got a bunch of smaller items and some much needed clothing but that is a good synopsis of the physical gifts I was most excited about from my wife, my parents and the rest of my family.  As much as I loved all of those things, they don’t come close to the best gift I got this year.

Not under the Tree

The greatest gift I got this year was not physical and many people wouldn’t even define it as a gift but those people are wrong.  The greatest gift I got this year was seeing the unbridled joy, happiness and excitement on my children’s faces all weekend long.  This was the greatest Christmas morning I have ever had, to see them so enthusiastically embrace the idea of Santa Claus and the excitement in their eyes when they saw the pile of treasure they received was just priceless.  I hope to have many more Christmas’s like this with my family but I know this unbridled youthful joy won’t last forever so I intend to savor every minute of it.

Brian

P.S. For those interested, here is a video I shot the day after Christmas in the freezing cold at a local park.  It’s my two boys riding their brand new bikes.  I shot the video with my new Kodak Zx3!

What did you get for Christmas this year?

Merry Christmas Everyone!

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I know, it’s not Christmas yet but I don’t plan on being online over the next two days so I wanted to take a minute and extend a very Merry Christmas to everyone that has subscribed to our feed or visits our web site.  We only just launched in October and already our readership and recognition in our own space is growing.  Thanks Everyone!

Merry Christmas
Found on Flickr

The Magic and Meaning of Christmas

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The spirit of Christmas
Image on DeviantArt

I can still remember the anticipation I felt – as a child – waiting for Santa. My brother would usually wake up first – several times actually; 10pm, 12am, 2am, then finally at 5am — I would get up with him. I don’t think that kid even slept a wink; he was just so excited.

We had to wait until 6am to wake our Mom up though. It seemed like that hour took forever. Thank goodness our stockings were always right outside our bedroom doors, so we would go through those while we waited.

When I think back to some of my favorite Christmases; I can still feel the butterflies of excitement, the thrill of discovering I had received my most wished for gift and how happy I was to read the letter that Santa had left for me – ME!

Even though I can still tap into those feelings and the excitement of that time – part of me – wasn’t sure I really wanted to do the whole Santa thing with the boys. I really never expressed this to anyone (they would surely think I had lost my mind), and it’s hard to explain how someone – who loves everything about Christmas – could even consider, not allowing her children the same magical experience that she had, growing up.

Of course, Santa does visit our house, and this year the boys are over the moon with excitement. It’s amazing to see how everything is really clicking for them this year but — it again got me thinking, “Is Santa really a good thing to do? Does it take away from the true meaning of Christmas? Is it confusing them?  How can I tell them lying is wrong, when here I am doing it?”

It’s been hard for me to really explain how we go from; “Santa visits you and brings you toys” to “We are celebrating Jesus’ birthday.” If it’s hard for me to figure out how to explain it, you can imagine how hard it would be for a preschool age child to understand it. Clearly — I needed to learn more.

The story of the first Santa

So, I decided to go in search of the first Santa – St. Nicholas.

I was very happy to discover a web site devoted to St. Nicholas. The St. Nicolas Center was able to really connect the dots for me. It showed me how I could incorporate Santa (which represents the spirit of giving) without feeling like I was taking away from the true meaning of Christmas; which if course is to celebrate God’s greatest gift — the birth of Jesus Christ.

To gain a better appreciation – and more understanding – of this wonderful man; I encourage you to visit the site yourself. There is a lot of great information to be gleaned from this web site and many activities geared toward children as well.

I can now explain to the boys that St. Nicholas was a man who loved Jesus very, very much! He loved Jesus so much that he decided to follow His teachings, and rid himself of all his worldly possessions. St. Nick was a kind and generous man who lived to make people happy, to protect children, and to provide for those in need.

St. Nicholas represents the spirit of giving — and there is the magic. When we give gifts out of love instead of obligation — that is when we can be joyful and experience the thrill and delight that the season brings.

Connecting Jesus to gift giving

Jesus is the meaning and the true reason for the Christmas season.

Deuteronomy 16:17
Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you.

Teaching children to give and give with love, is link that connects Santa and our Savior.

What does Christmas mean to you?

Super Simple Christmas Crafts for Kids

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Simple christmas crafts for kidsOkay – before we go any further – I just have something I need tell you all; I am not a super-duper, craft-tastic, Mom. You might be saying, “Come on Christie, you can do crafts! Anyone can be crafty if they really set their mind to it.” Ha! Not true — and here is a quick example to illustrate my point.

When I was pregnant with our boys, I was on bed rest for 3 months. So, I thought maybe I would try to learn how to crochet. My Mom is great and it, and so was my Grandma — so naturally I had to be great at it too, right? Wrong!

My Mom brought me lots of yarn, a few books on crocheting, and spent some time tutoring me on how to make a baby blanket. You would think that someone with 3 months to spare; someone whose day consisted of watching “Little House on the Prairie,” court room dramas, and eating peanut butter toast, would be able to carve out a few hours each day to really perfect the art of crocheting.

Nope! Not me. I made two blanket-ish looking things, but even the dog was too embarrassed to use them. I can’t say that I blame her.

I’ve tried scrap booking, needle point, and sewing; none of which turned out well.

I’m fine with that. I have other talents. I don’t need to be crafty to be complete; but kids love crafts — so I’ve had to bite the bullet and figure out how to do some of these things.

My point is this, if I tell you I have crafts to share, crafts which are simple and easy; you’d better believe they are. I really dislike doing a search for simple crafts; only to  discover I need 20 items, oodles of time (and patience), and there is about a 99% chance our dog will end up with glitter and paint all over her.

So here are 4 crafts for you, which are simple and not too terribly messy. I promise!

Christmas Tree Ornament:

What you need:

  • Craft Sticks
  • Glue gun
  • Green felt or construction paper
  • Markers
  • pipe cleaner/ribbon/yarn
  • foam stickers

Now — you can make this as simple or elaborate as you would like. I have two 3yr olds so we go the simple route.

Directions:

  1. I let the boys color the crafts sticks with green markers.
  2. Then I hot glued the sticks together to make a triangle and attached green felt to the back.
  3. I had some wonderful winter themed foam stickers that a friend gave me and just let the boys put them on as they would like.
  4. Finally, I glued a pipe cleaner on the back so we could hang the ornament up.

See? Simple! If you have older kids, they can use craft glue and they might like to decorate the tree with buttons, glitter glue, puff paint, uncooked pasta, paints, or whatever else you can think of.

We also did some Snowflake Ornaments which consist of the same materials. These are just craft sticks, hot glue, paint, glitter puff paint, and a pipe cleaner. Here’s a photo:

Salt Dough Ornaments

I loved making these because I love to cook. The boys enjoyed cutting out the shapes and decorating them.

What you need:

  • 1 Cup Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Salt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Cookie cutters
  • Paint
  • Glitter Spray (optional — but totally cool)
  • Black Marker
  • Ribbon/yarn/string

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees
  2. Combine flour, salt and water. Knead and flour dough until it isn’t sticky anymore
  3. Roll out dough until about 1/4 inch thick
  4. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters (if you don’t have cookie cutters handy you can cut into squares or triangles and things like that)
  5. Cook for 2 hours
  6. Let cool
  7. Let the kids paint and decorate. We painted one day and the next they decorated with markers
  8. Give ornaments a little spritz with glitter spray and you are good to go!

Hang them on the tree, tie them on packages, or let the kids wrap them up to give to grandparents.

Foam Sticker Collage

This one is so simple; I’m almost embarrassed to include it — but my kids were quiet for a long time doing this project and they were really proud of their work.

What you need:

  • Construction Paper
  • Foam Stickers

Directions:

  1. Get out the paper
  2. Get out the stickers
  3. Let the kids go crazy creating!

These are simple and the biggest mess you’ll have to clean up, are the backings from the stickers and whatever stickers fall on the floor. That’s it!

The kids get to have fun and I don’t have to stress about the mess. It’s a win, win for all!

If you have a simple craft idea you’d like to share — please do! I’d love to hear about it.

Are you crafty? What crafts do you enjoy making?

The Greatest Christmas Movies of All Time!

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They may not be the greatest Christmas movies of all time but they area most certainly my favorites. As soon as Thanksgiving is behind me and we get into Christmas mode, I break out my Christmas DVD’s and we start watching. I don’t let a Christmas season pass without without watching every movie on this list. It’s a fun and important part of our families tradition.

If you don’t own any of these and want to pick them up, we recommend Amazon. They have a huge selection of used merchandise available. Most aren’t being sold directly by Amazon, they are sold by other merchants in the Amazon marketplace but I personally prefer it to buying through ebay, it seems better controlled. Many of the movies in the below list are available used for $5 – $10.

1. Scrooge

ScroogeThis version of the Christmas Carol story is by no means the most popular. Most people I know have never seen it and it was not a favorite of the critics but what do they know. This version happens to be my favorite and is also my top pick for our Christmas movie list. It stars Albert Finney as both young and old Scrooge and he does a phenomenal job. It was made in 1970 and what sets it apart from the rest is the music. That’s right, it’s a good old-fashioned musical and it’s one of the things I love about it. I grew up watching this movie. Every year for as long as I can remember, I have watched this movie with my family; first with my parents and sister and now with my wife and boys. I still look forward to it every year. If you don’t own it, it’s a good one to grab and is available from Amazon at Scrooge DVD

2. It’s a Wonderful Life

wonderful-life
It was a very tough decision between this movie and Scrooge for my #1 pick but in the end, Scrooge won out by a very small margin. It’s a Wonderful Life came out in 1946 and stars James Stewart and Donna Reed. I love this movie more than I can describe. I have been watching it for years but it still tugs at my emotional heartstrings and brings tears to my eyes when everyone comes together to help George Bailey in his time of need. If you don’t own it, it’s a must see and it is available from Amazon at It’s a Wonderful Life DVD

3. Miracle on 34th Street

Miracle on 34th StreetAnother Christmas classic! There have been a few versions of this movie over the years but none of the remakes can hold a candle to the original. Miracle on 34th Street came out in 1947 and stars Edmund Gwenn as Santa Clause, John Payne as Fred Gailey, the beautiful Maureen O’Hara as Doris Walker and a young Natalie Wood as her daughter, Susan Walker. It’s about a sweet and kind old man who believes he is Santa Claus. He is surrounded by skeptics but in the end, everyone comes to believe and understand that some things are always worth believing in, even after you become an adult and think you know better. It is available from Amazon at Miracle on 34th Street DVD

4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerI don’t care how good the latest computer animation technology becomes, there will always be a place for these classic stop-motion animated movies. The animation is just beautiful, and not that “beautiful for it’s time” nonsense, these movies are beautiful for any time! I am a big fan of all the Rankin/Bass Christmas classics but I decided to just put my favorite one in the top 10. It’s a great story and is typically the first movie we watch to kick off the Christmas season. It is available from Amazon at Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer DVD. They also have a box set that includes Rudolph and a bunch of the others called Original Christmas Classics

5. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

National Lampoon's Christmas VacationIt’s time to bring on the funny! This is the third installment in the Griswold vacation series and it is my favorite. Once again Clark Griswold bites off more than he can chew as he pursues the perfect family Christmas. Despite his best intentions, the Griswold luck takes over and everything goes downhill in a very hysterical way. The movie came out in 1989 and stars Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo and Randy Quaid before he completely fell off his rocker. The movie is packed full of funny moments and we all have our favorites but really, how can you get through the Christmas season without hearing Randy Quaid utter those immortal words…”Shitters full”. It is available from Amazon at Christmas Vacation DVD.

6. Elf

Elf
I am not a huge Will Ferrel fan, I can usually take him or leave but there are three movies he has done that I love and Elf is one of them. It’s the perfect vehicle for his brand of humor. The first time I saw this movie was in the theater when it first came out with a few friends. I wasn’t actually that impressed. I thought it was okay but didn’t plan on watching it again. The next year I was channel surfing and I came across Elf. I ended up watching it again and LOVED it. Not sure why it did click the first time but I have watched it every year since then. It is available from Amazon at Elf DVD.

7. Die Hard

Die HardThat’s Right! Before you start complaining, Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie and there is nothing I want to see more after being dragged out into the cold to go Christmas shopping with my wife. There are actually a few great action movies that we love to watch at Christmas time, the first Die Hard is my favorite but Lethal Weapon and LA Confidential aren’t far behind! What makes it a Christmas movie? The whole thing takes place at a Christmas party and if that’s not enough, he beats the bad guy by hiding his gun with Christmas Ho Ho Ho tape! C’mon, it’s jolly and awesome all at the same time! It is available from Amazon at Die Hard DVD.

8. Christmas Story

A Christmas Story
Yes, I am in the “I Love Christmas Story” camp. It seems to me that people either love this movie or can’t stand it and don’t understand why people like it. I am in the love camp. I enjoy the movie from beginning to end. The movie came out in 1983 and my family has been watching it every since. I watch this movie once a year and it cracks me up every year. We are the proud owners of a leg lamp desk lamp, leg lamp night light and a set of Christmas lights. After all, they are major awards! It is available from Amazon at Christmas Story DVD.

9. Love Actually

Love ActuallyI hesitated to put this movie on this list because after all, this is a chick flick and I am sure my wife is going to read this. I try not to admit when I like these kinds of movies, otherwise, I will be flooded with them. But I would be remiss if I left this movie off the list because I really enjoy it. Few things express the spirit of Christmas more then Love and that is what this movie is all about. It came out in 2003 and has a lot of stars. It’s a movie about a different couples and how their love lives interact during the Christmas season. It’s heartwarming and full of the Christmas spirit. It is available from Amazon at Love Actually DVD.

 

10. Polar Express

Polar ExpressIf I had watched this movie alone, I am not sure it would have made it into my top 10. It’s a great movie, don’t get me wrong, but I on it’s own, it’s not a top 10 for me. The tipping point was watching it with my oldest boy last year. He was 3 at the time and was obsessed with trains. When we showed him this movie at Christmas time it was such a special and memorable experience that I couldn’t wait to show it to him again. He was at the edge of his seat with unbridled joy and excitement last year. It was all the things that mattered to him at that moment, Trains and Santa Claus. It is available from Amazon at Polar Express DVD.

Other Movies that I Love but Didn’t Make it to the Top 10

It was really tough narrowing it down to my favorite 10 because I have more than 10 that I really love. I did my best to select the best of the best but it is by no means complete. Here are the rest of the movies in my Christmas collection that I enjoy watching each and every year.

Well there you have it, those are my top 10 Christmas movies. Christmas movies are something I have a real passion for so please, take a few minutes and post your comments below.

What are your favorite Christmas Movies?

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