Give each child their own nativity set. It could be one they can play with or one that’s handmade.  Let them keep it in their room.

Teach children customs from another faith or country.  serve smelts, spaghetti with anchovies, and shrimp on Christmas Eve as the Italians do.  You could light a Hanukkah candles to remember where the Jewish and Christian faiths come from.  Families from Denmark hold hands and dance around the tree.

Trim the tree a little differently this year:

• Use baby’s belongings- including toys, booties, rattles shoes.  Add paper chain as garland.
• How about a tree full of trains?
• Try a Victorian tree using lace as garland.
• Have a tree full of small dolls and stuffed animals.
• A fruit tree with ornaments or apples and strawberries.  String popcorn as garland.
• Glue family photos to ld cards or construction papers and hang on tree.

A tree topper doesn’t have to be a star.  How about a bouquet of ribbons or irredecent twist paper?  Try baby shoes attached to a big bow; a favorite or antique doll; a cuddly stuffed bear.

A festive table includes special napkin settings:

• Wrap a napkin around silverware and tie with pretty ribbon and a candy-cane.
• Make a cinnamon ornaments for each person to keep and attach with ribbon around napkin.
• Nestle silverware inside napkin.  Wrap with ribbon and add a silk poinsettia.

Give a photo album gift.  Put a photo album together featuring one person.  Your children will appreciate a special collection  of their smiles.  Add stickers for color to birthdays, holidays.  Label pages with names and dates. (Gail Signor)

Have a craft day. Set aside one day and invite nieces and nephews over.  Pull out a box of material, paint, etc.  Put on od t-shirts and go to town!  These works of art may turn into Christmas gifts. (Gail Signor)

Lastly, remember “the holidays” are not just one special day but a collection of memories strung together throughout the whole season.  Enjoy the process!

Encouragement: A publication by Angela DiCicco and Gail Signor