ok people. help me get into christmas...

lauren grier

you're like stars
lol.
I said a couple days ago that I am going to try a lot harder this year to really get into the whole christmas shizz.

relevant

so.. I want to do christmasy things.. and make sure ce enjoys everything as well. Of course we have the birthdayness in the middle of it.. but What do you do to get into the holiday spirit? What things are small that I Can do :p I'm not going to go all out crazy. Baby Steps. haha

I even bought my first christmas present on the 2nd (not for ce for someone else).. This is the earliest I've ever bought a present :p I usually wait until after Ce's birthday (19th).. So that's a big deal too hahaa
 
ce put up the tree, and decorated it, by himself .. lol. So that's done. It looks decrepit though :p and is def not mood enhancing :p
 
Watch Christmas movies. Drive around and look at Christmas lights. Listen to Christmas music. Read Christmas books. Puke Christmas.
 
driving around to houses where they do tons of outside Christmas lights.
Christmas music
Christmas crafts (make snowflakes, ornaments, etc)
 
Make snowflakes. Make homemade hot cocoa (I have a YUMMY recipe). We made cinnamon dough ornaments today. I have that recipe, too, if you want it. :)
 
Pass on anything that's work!! (I spent the afternoon wrapping presents...tiring)

I would say do something to invoke your heart....like watching a sentimental Christmas movie (Miracle on 34th street is a good one), watching a favorite childhood Christmas special (Charlie brown,rudolph...), reading something spiritual, make the house smell good (bake cookies, or just burn a Christmassy smelling candle).

I know what you mean about not feeling Christmassy. For 8 years I worked in retail. Christmas was just plain NUTS. I dreaded that time of year. I was so glad when it was over. Now that I'm a SAHM it's alot more fun!
 
Looking at Christmas lights always makes me happy. Do you have zoo lights or parks that do Christmas lights? Those are always fun and the kids like that. Don't live in Arizona. I have the hardest time getting into Christmas here...
 
Make one of those construction paper ring chains, and let him tear off one ring each day until Christmas. It really helps them count it down and it's all cute to watch how excited they get as the chain gets shorter. :)
 
Make one of those construction paper ring chains, and let him tear off one ring each day until Christmas. It really helps them count it down and it's all cute to watch how excited they get as the chain gets shorter. :)

that's a cute idea.. i would have never come up with that ^_^ i didn't know that was why people made those :p haha
 
Start some sort of tradition...something Ce will look forward to every year. When my kids get excited about our traditions, it helps me get into the spirit. Make a Christmas decoration with Ce or take him to the store and have him pick one out. Every year he will be excited to get it out (at least that is the case with my kids).
 
Open container of Eggnogg, add Brandy, sprinkle with Nutmeg. Enjoy Christmas. :p

No, seriously... I have the hardest time getting into Christmas. Once the house is decorated, I'm good - but it's the getting there part that is hard for me. I have two decorations out now... I'm hoping by the end of this week I'll be done.
 
Watching The Polar Express always puts me in the Christmas mood....or even The Santa Clause, which is a little less sentimental and more humourous.
 
Open container of Eggnogg, add Brandy, sprinkle with Nutmeg. Enjoy Christmas. :p

This hahaha! But I don't like eggnog, so any booze will do :p

Seriously, I go in spurts. Like a couple of weeks ago, I was so excited. And now that I realize I am not as close to being ready as I thought I was, I'm annoyed instead LOL
 
We strung popcorn for the tree the other day and so far I think it has been kids favorite activity!! It's cheap and it's easy!! Even my 6 year old boy did it easily and had so much fun!!!
 
i thought i was the only emo christmas person :P i get REALLY crabby about putting the tree up...something about trying to coordinate it all... and not break crap. eh. :P

we have:

made construction paper stuff to put in the windows (stocking, snowman & tree - making snowflakes angers me haha)

made snowmen

saw santa at the civic center

put up the tree and some other christmas bows and crap :P

watched christmas stuff on dvd and netflix (rudolph, polar express and cartoons' holiday specials)

eta: baked cookies. and they've watched me put together some cookies in a jar gifty things
 
Here's the recipe!

Cinnamon Dough Ornaments
1 1/2 cups ground cinnamon
1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup white school glue
bowl
plastic food wrap
rolling pin
wax paper
cookie cutters or a knife
ribbon or yarn for hanging
a straw

1. Mix cinnamon, applesauce, and glue together in a bowl. The dough should be thick as cookie dough. Add a bit of water if the dough is too stiff.
2. Remove from bowl and knead. Put back in bowl; cover with plastic. Let sit for at least a half hour.
3. Remove the dough, knead again to make sure it’s smooth. Flatten/roll the dough between waxed paper until it’s between 1/4″ thick and 1/8″ thick.
4. Cut out desired shapes; use a straw to punch a hole for the ribbon to hang. The circle of dough will pull out with the straw.
5. Gently place the shapes on a piece of clean wax paper. They will 3-4 days to dry. You will need to turn them over a couple of times a day for them to dry flat.
 
it's hard for me to give you any direction, because i feel the same as you.
this weekend we will bake some cookies together and put the gingerbread house together.
we might also run out to hartford and see the lights at constitution plaza.
the fake tree will go up (my oldest is allergic to real trees) and the stockings and window lights.
the following week, we'll have dinner at the mall and the kids will see santa (and i'll be on pins and needles hoping they don't ask for something that wasn't on their lists.) see even that comes with anxiety for me.
we decorate the tree on my mother's birthday and have done so every year since she passed. we have a birthday cake and the kids get little gifts that my mom would have liked them to have - this year the theme is board games - my mom loved board games!
my sister and her kids come too. it's a really fun evening. after they leave i rearrange the entire tree though.
on christmas morning the first one to find the pickle that santa hid in the tree gets a little gift. usually candy.
i think that's everything. i think the best thing you can do is start traditions that you do every year. the kids excitement is infectious sometimes.
 
our big tradition is coffee filter snowflakes. lol i know it's silly but the girls LOVE it and every year we add some more decoration to them that we didn't the year before. this year i promised emma she could add glitter *twitch* :blink:

once they're up and in the window everything it seems like it's officially christmas time.
 
I'm right with you. It's hard to get into the Christmas Spirit anymore now that the boys are older, but I don't have Grandchildren yet.

Even putting up the tree doesn't seem to help me. It all seems like such a formality anymore.

I think the fact that we don't have anything to do -- not really any gifts to open -- on Christmas makes it just like any other day and kind of boring. The boys want money, so usually it's one gift and some money....that doesn't fill a whole Christmas morning. There's no anticipation and excitement anymore.

I don't get gifts, so there's no anticipation and excitement there either.
 
thank you girls <3 i'm going to try to do some st uff with ce this week. including fixing our sad sad tree that he .. decorated. LOL
 
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