Page 96 - Parents Magazine (December 2019)
P. 96
LIFEÑ Celebrate
Audible.com. Listen to them
I
M A K E T A S E A S O N
on the drive to Grandma’s.
O F S T O RY TI M E
3. Try an Icelandic tradition.
1. Take a holiday trip to the Give each family member
library. Check out books like a book on Christmas Eve,
Angelina’s Christmas, Little and spend the rest of the 7
Robin’s Christmas, and Mice night reading.
Skating, which all emphasize 4. Read The Night Before Keep Special
the spirit of giving. Gift an Christmas on Christmas Eve. Ornaments S PA R K
eggnog latte to your favorite Catherine Hong, who writes Safe E XC ITE M E NT
librarian on your way in. about children’s books as If trimming the
2. Download Christmas @mrslittlebooks on Instagram, tree with your great-
audiobooks. Get the recommends finding the grandmother’s
original Walter Matthau out-of-print edition illustrated baubles seems too risky
narration of How the Grinch by Gyo Fujikawa. “Her elfin, with a toddler
Stole Christmas! and an jelly-bellied, soot-smudged running around, try these 8. Start a silly ritual. Holly
Charlesworth, the blogger
exclusive Tim Curry reading Santa is my favorite Santa,” techniques that
of A Christmas Carol at says Hong. display your treasures behind My Sister’s Suitcase,
holds an annual Santa-beard
farther from little contest for her brood. Every
hands and curious pets.
family member makes a “beard”
with shaving cream on his
or her face, no mirrors allowed.
When they’re all done, they
take pictures, then hold a
secret-ballot vote to determine
who has the best beard.
9. Remember their inanimate
friends. If your child has a
beloved stuffed animal or doll,
pick out a present for the toy
or doll together, wrap it up, and
put it under the tree for Teddy
On the chandelier
to open on Christmas morning.
10. Play tourist in your own
town. Load everyone into the
car in their pj’s with a thermos
of hot cocoa, and go on a
holiday-lights tour of the
neighborhood. Take it to the
next level by giving each
house a score of 1 to 10 and
choosing your family’s
favorite front-yard display!
11. Watch the same holiday
movie every year. The family
On branches in a vase of Parents contributor Jodi
Levine loves the movie Elf and
established a policy to watch
it only once a year, with cousins,
right before Christmas. To
make it even more fun, they
serve goofy Elf-themed foods
and decorate.
C R E AT E
T R E E
TR ADITION S A M P U P TH E
A N TI C I PATI O N
12. Write a letter to Santa.
With some help from the
On wooden dowels hung
5. Play “I spy” with the 6. Gift your child an ornament on the wall United States Postal Service,
ornaments on your tree. every year. (Or ask a he’ll write back, complete
To start the game, flick off the grandparent to do it!) Make it with a North Pole postmark!
overhead lights and keep a small nod to a big moment Find details for the Letters
only the tree lights on. For an or interest of the last year. From Santa program at the
additional challenge, hide When your child grows up, Postal Service’s website
a favorite ornament and see he’ll have a collection started (usps.com), including Saint
who can spot it first. for his own family. Nick’s mailing address.
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