Things to Do - Celebrate the End of Two Weeks of Christmas

The kids had two full weeks off for Christmas break this year, which was exhausting. Super fun. But still exhausting.






We started the festivities out on Saturday, February 19th by having Dan's parents over for a mini-celebration (with gifts of course). And food. Lots of food. The next morning we left for four days in NYC (photos coming soon).



We returned from NYC on Wednesday night, the 30th, (after driving through hours of torrential rain) and started preparations for a huge(ish) Christmas Eve feast with all of Dan's family. The cousins bonded and played (mostly) outside as temps neared 80 degrees (which did sort of dampen the Christmas spirit).





Christmas morning was a typical celebration of consumerism's excess. The kids opened package after package, while I continually asked myself, "do they really need all of this crap? where are we even going to put it?"

Luckily, for the first year ever nobody cried. Though, poor P came close, she really wanted an itouch, so Santa (being the crafty saver that he is) decided to save a little money and buy her a refurbished 4th generation edition. Apparently, Apple changed all software between the 4th and 6th editions, making them completely incompatible. So P can't download almost any apps (including all the basics like netflix and spotify). I'm a little cranky at Apple right now (a lot cranky). Oh well, now she can text, which is enough.



For Christmas dinner we made another feast (of course) and invited friends to dinner, who brought fondue (yum). Plus, my mom flew in from Chicago.







Somewhere in the night, we decided to play 90s tunes and dance around the kitchen (which I'm sure (sarcasm) was really fun for my mom). Then we moved onto David Allan Coe's Darlin' and the singing could not be stopped.



Where were the kids you ask? Costuming, of course.



My mom looks like she's having fun, um, right? I mean, what could be better than watching 30/40 year olds make fools of themselves?

And then things were mellow for awhile. Lots of boardgames and leftovers. We took my mom to see Wonder at the Renwick Gallery. Watched bad movies. Napped. I had two photoshoots.



NYE's began at 6 pm, as we moved between four houses for our progressive party. I wish I would have brought my camera for the whole event, because the kids had a blast singing karaoke and playing soccer.










Our house was the last stop (around 11:00 pm), by that point we had lost about 50% of the revelers. But everyone still had a great time ringing in the new year. Dan made (amazing) homemade ice cream sandwiches and we left out slips of paper to throw in the fire pit, where everyone could write the things they wanted to leave behind in 2015. Lots of papers talked about not fighting with siblings anymore, but I'm trying not to raise my hopes too high.



We spent the (final) weekend recovering. My roommate from undergrad came to town with her husband and his parents, who I visited at their home in Chile 13 or so years ago. It was so great to see them again!

So that was our "two weeks of Christmas". Super awesome in so many ways. It felt amazing to see so many family and friends in such a short period of time. But I'm also totally ready for the kids to return to school.

How about you? Did you enjoy your two weeks of Christmas?

Things to Do - MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! - Random Links & Cherish This Day

Merry Christmas everyone (which seems somewhat bizarre to say as it is 71 degrees today)! Earlier this week, we took a quick vacation to NYC and I fell in love with this little statue at the Met. I'll have more photos of the trip up in the next few weeks, but in the meantime, have a fantastic holiday weekend!

RANDOM LINKS:

* I LOVE this gallery wall!!!

* The lists keep coming - (1) The Atlantic's 5 books we missed in 2015; (2) Vulture's the 10 best podcasts of 2015; (3) The New Yorker's best books of 2015; (4) The New Yorker's favorite portraits of 2015; (5) NPR's favorite songs of 2015.

* 8 winter activities to enjoy in Europe. I WANT TO GO!!

* Brooke Collier photography continues to amaze me.

* 34 long articles to read over the holidays (link via Miss Moss).

* 46 Christmas cookie recipes from around the world. These all look awesome!

* Aren't these buildings so colorful and beautiful?

* New York Time's the year in pictures and how they made the cut; "The process always reminds me of how crucial a sense of voice, a sense of authorship is in making pictures. We are often looking at many different visual interpretations of the same event, and so it gives me a heightened appreciation for what any individual photographer brings to a story. You aren’t just documenting what’s happening in front of you. There’s a huge amount of decision-making that goes into the kind of picture that you as a photographer are going to make, as opposed to someone who could be standing a foot away from you."

Things to Watch - Christmas on Netflix (December 2015)

In case you're looking for something to watch this December . . .



HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! I'm pretty excited about A Very Murray Christmas!

[Disclaimer- I receive compensation for posting about Netflix, but I decide what I want to write about and what I want to say.]

Things to Do - Our Holiday Cards & Calendar from Pinhole Press

Once again we went with Pinhole Press for our Holiday Cards. This year we didn't have a single family photo that wasn't an iphone snapshot, so I really wanted a card that allowed for multiple pictures, esp. since I took SO MANY PHOTOS in Europe. And I love Pinhole Press's clean designs.

Plus, it's wonderful that Pinhole Press lets you customize the message on the back of the card.

[By the way, sorry for the photo quality (the cards look much better in person], I love taking pictures of people, but I have no knack for styling and product photography].





And their desktop calendars, as always, are lovely. I buy one every year and it keeps me on track (well, at least it keeps me more on track than I'd be without it).

Pinhole Press is offering 25% off holiday cards and address labels through Thanksgiving with the code HOLIDAY25. Click here to check out all their options.

HAPPY ALMOST THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!! Have a great holiday!

(This post was sponsored by Pinhole Press, but the creative input is all me.)

Things to Do - 7 Ways to Ward Off the Gimmies This Holiday Season

Every year my friend Tara puts together this amazing event called the Gifts That Give Hope gift fair, where kids can "shop for unique and meaningful teacher and grandparent gifts personalized by your child, learn more about 15 locally based nonprofit organizations, enjoy festive holiday music and refreshments, visit with Santa, enjoy facepainting and kid's activities, all while teaching children the true meaning of giving by shopping at our Children's Gift Fair."

Usually, we're out of town for the fair, but this year we can't wait to participate. If you're interested, Gifts That Give Hope will take place this Saturday from 10 am til 2pm at Calvary United Methodist Church (2315 S Grant St. Arlington VA 22202).

In the meantime, check out Tara and Katherine's wonderful article about how to avoid the holiday gimmies.
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7 Ways to Ward off The Gimmies This Holiday Season

For many of parents, the kids’ first glimpse of the glistening holiday display at the mall ushers in a side of the holiday season that triggers a pounding headache: The kids come down with a case of The Gimmies.

It’s hard to blame them. The television, the radio and—good grief—even the mailbox are full of ads for items add to their ever-expanding wish lists. “I want a bike,” “I need a Transformer,” or “I’m going to ask Santa for an American Girl doll.” Often, the appeals come from kids who would never nag for a toy, outside of this increasingly amped-up season draped in snowy wonder.

In the age of thoughtful parenting, many of us wrestle with how to deal with it all — not just the gifts, but how to merge family traditions without making the whole month of December into a celebration of decadence and spoiling. What none of us want is a collection of rotten kids to live with for 11 months of the year, when the guests have gone, the Elf on a Shelf has moved back north and the family routines return to normal.

Here are seven ways to ward off The Gimmies, many of them borrowed from friends and loved ones who, like us, are wishing for oodles of holiday joy, but hoping we can get through it without create little monsters.

1. Make the holiday season about more than presents; make it about experiences. These don’t need to be elaborate, Facebook-ready photo-ops. Instead, put away your to-do list. Slow down. Take a holiday light drive. Bake cookies with the kids, and then sit down to enjoy one yourself. Be sure—throughout the month—to talk about gratitude for all that you have and all that you can do.

2. Get rid of the catalogs. They fill your mailbox, pile up on your counters and are menus for The Gimmies. Instead, steer kids—and gift givers—to activities like skating lessons, outings and other memory-makers.

3. If you have indulgent family members, ask them to limit gifts. This can get tough. However, at the end of the season, mom and dad have to be the Curator of the New Toy Collection. Muster all your diplomacy and ask for their support. Hopefully, they’ll understand that you’re doing your best to raise good-natured and appreciative children.

4. If you wind up overwhelmed by generosity, tuck some gifts away, if you can do it without hurting anyone’s feelings. Save them for the summer—or even a big spring snowstorm—when they won’t get so lost in the holiday deluge.

5. Let the giving be the receiving. Have the kids help pick out presents and talk to them about giving thoughtfully. When it makes sense, help them make
some gifts, even simple ones. (Read: Don’t look at Pinterest first. Construction paper snowflakes and glitter are still adorable.)

6. Talk about the meaning of the holidays. If you are Jewish, teach your children about the miraculous menorah that burned for eight days. Explain the significance of eating delicious food cooked in oil, like latkes, and invite friends over for dinner. If you are Christian, make Advent and the coming of Jesus a significant part of the December narrative. Get to a Christmas pageant or see a live Nativity. Think of ways to get through to the little ones: Why not bake a birthday cake for Baby Jesus? Whatever your beliefs, use them to start a conversation with your kids about the traditions of your holiday.

7. Be generous yourself. Talk with your children about adopting a family or contributing to Toys for Tots. Remind your kids that not everyone has a lot. We adore the charity Gifts that Give Hope, which hosts alternative gift fairs online and in the United States and Canada. There, shoppers can purchase acts of kindness for loved ones, rather than another sweater. These conversation pieces at the holidays can remind everyone—young and old—about the value of supporting charities that help the homeless, sick children and others who need a hand.

- Tara Bibb and Katherine Shrader are Arlington, Va., moms, and board members at Gifts that Give Hope. They are doing their best to discourage The Gimmies, but know there will be plenty of moments that test them between now and New Year’s.

Things to Make - Everyday Advent Calendar (2014)

For the past three years, I've made the kids an "everyday advent calendar" to count down the days til Christmas (click here to see previous calendars). I almost skipped this year, as the children become older we don't craft as much as used to. Plus every year I find it more and more challenging to find things that all three of them enjoy. But, this is my one dorky parental indulgence of the holiday season (well, and Santa hats). I sort of love putting it together and watching them unwrap a new "surprise" every morning. Here's the 2014 list, let's hope they like it:

December 1 - Let's make new friends. [Okay, so I sort of splurged here, but lately all three of my kids are into Lego Friends, so this seemed like an easy pick.]



December 2 - Let's create together.



December 3 - Let's make cookies together.

December 4 - Let's wii together. [Our old wii sports is scratched beyond use and Dan really wanted a new copy, so this is really for him (surprise honey!)]



December 5 - Let's tell jokes together.



December 6 - Let's watch a movie together (Elf).

December 7 - Let's play a new game together [we're like the only people I know who don't own Uno].



December 8 - Let's make (salt dough) ornaments together.

December 9 - Let's buy things for each other [each kids receives money for sibling gifts].

December 10 - Let's go ice skating together.

December 11 - Let's make snowflakes together.

December 12 - Let's be funny together.



December 13 - Let's help people together [each child receives money for the Gifts That Give Hope Gift Fair].

December 14 - Let's watch a movie together (The Christmas Story).

December 15 - Let's make gingerbread houses together.

December 16 - Let's look at Xmas lights and drink hot cocoa together.

December 17 - Let's make body scrubs for teachers' gifts together [click here for recipe].

December 18 - Let's watch a movie together (Muppet Christmas Carol [Netflix streaming] ).

December 19 - Let's party on the solstice together.



December 20 - Let's read together [books to be determined, though this one looks pretty awesome].

December 21 - Let's play a new game together.



December 22 - Let's be silly together.



December 23 - Let's watch a movie together (White Christmas [Netflix streaming]).

December 24 - Let's make cookies for Santa together.