Gather The Family and Start Counting!

There is so much anticipation during the Christmas holiday. Why not take advantage of another opportunity to gather the family and enjoy it? There are a variety of advent calendars
to choose from.

Each morning during December, gather the family and sing a Christmas carol before you open a window. You could even hand out a little treat for each child as they take turns opening a window on the calendar.

Start this fun little tradition and pass it on. You can make this tradition as simple or as elaborate as you wish. Your children will love it as they have a special moment with mom and dad before everyone starts their day! Good times!

PJ's Are The Passport

Warm up the car and don your PJ's and go for a Christmas drive to look at the lights in your area. Make sure you have doughnuts and chocolate milk to treat everyone as you do the drive.

Put a Christmas CD in or turn on the radio to play some fun Christmas tunes as you cruise through your city with your children. It can be a short or a long drive depending on the age of your children but old and young alike enjoy seeing the lights and get into the spirit of the season! Happy driving!

Tis The Season For A New Family Tradition

Time to welcome in Christmas with the family gathered round! Create a formal dinner just for your family. Use the fine china, crystal, silver,etc... Try serving at least three courses (can be simple salad, dinner, and dessert.)

Here are some cute ideas for setting your fancy table and don't forget to come up with conversation ideas as well. No time better for being together and laughing, talking, and making memories with your children.

*Place a different cookie cutter at every family member's place setting. Use holiday ribbon as a napkin ring holder and tie the cookie cutter to the napkin.

*Have a box dinner sitting on each plate. Decorate a white gift box just the right size to hold a picnic dinner and fill each box with tissue, food, napkin, and some Christmas accessories like a small ornament, or candy cane and set on each plate. Sure to surprise your children and they will love all the delightful things to eat on their fancy picnic.

*Decorate a paper napkin with a holiday stamp. Stamp the edge or the middle of the napkin. If you like, you could use a fabric napkin. Tie the napkin with a raffia bow and place on a fancy holiday dinner plate.

*Tie several bells on a ribbon and tie it to the stem of the goblet.

*Cover your table with white quilt batting. Put various sizes of styrofoam balls on the table for snowballs and decorate with sleighs and handmade snowmen. There you have a frosty table setting.

*Use a neck scarf for a placemat and a mitten to put the silverware in.

Add candles and soft Christmas music in the background. Perfect setting to gather as a family and welcome in this joyous holiday season! Afterwards, read a special Christmas story by the light of the tree.

It's Not Too Early To Start Getting Ready for Christmas!

" Of all the festivals, however that of Christmas awakens the stronger and most heartfelt associations." Washington Irving, in his book titled Old Christmas made this observation. When someone just says the word "Christmas", it conjures up warm fuzzy feelings and memories in all of us.

If you want to stress less this Christmas and enjoy more, start now to prepare for Christmas! Take a look at your gift giving list. Decide if you will make or buy gifts for those on your list. At Christmas Twigs ,we have a variety of gifts to give anyone on your list.

How about starting a new tradition? Draw names and exchange Christmas stockings. We have beautiful heirloom quality handmade Felt Christmas Stockings at Christmas Twigs perfect for any member of your family! (Makes a great gift for birthdays, new babies, wedding or Christmas!)

Here is how the tradition works. After exchanging names, each member of your family fills the stocking with fun gifts tailored to fit the person they are giving the stocking to. This especially works well when your children are older. You can choose a theme for the gifts going in the stocking or a theme for everyone to follow as a family. It can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you want it to be. Start now to find items on sale and tstart now to have plenty of time to purchase or make items that the gift receiver will really like.

Don't forget to fill the stocking with Christmas treats and favorite candy of the person you are giving the stocking to. When Christmas comes, designate a special night for the stocking exchange. It could be at your yearly family Christmas party or closer to Christmas. If you have family members living far away who can't make it to the party, you can either have them open their stocking Christmas morning or when you hold your family party call them and put them on speaker phone as everyone takes their turn finding treasures in their stocking. Then they too can take their turn. Just a special note. Who ever picked their name will have to mail their stocking ahead of time.

It really is a lot of fun to see how creative everyone can get! Make some lasting memories and start a stocking exchange in your family this year! With a little planning it is sure to become a lasting tradition in your home!

Visit Christmas Twigs today for all of your festive Christmas decorating, gift giving, and ideas to make your holidays brighter, less stressful, and more enjoyable!