10 Ways to Teach Children the True Spirit of Christmas

In this world of consumerism and blatant disregard for others feelings, wants, needs, and happiness, I think it is time to take a step back an look at what we are teaching the future generation. ( I am guilty also--I'm certainly not pointing fingers.) Knowing many of you out there are facing this same dilemma, I created a list of activities you can do with your children to keep the true Spirit of Christmas alive.


1.  Bake cookies to take to your local nursing home, (some nursing homes may not allow this--you could also knit, crochet, or sew a small gift or ornament, or just go and visit with the residents   there).

They may not be pretty but the kids had a blast making these cookies.

2.  Volunteer at a local homeless shelter or soup kitchen if your children are old enough (or maybe a food pantry if you have younger children). Or take toys and games to a local Children's hospital and stay to visit and play with the children who have to be in the hospital this time of year. (Please don't take a sick child to the hospital to play with other sick children...we don't want to spread germs around. There are plenty of children in the hospital though who are not contagious--I would definitely call ahead for this one though).

3.  Adopt an Angel from the Angel Tree and let your child help with the shopping. (If you need to answer Santa questions, remind your child of the gifts he or she gets from parents, siblings etc and that these moms and dads also want to be able to give their child something). There are other options here as well, such as Operation Christmas Child, Toys for Tots etc.

4.  If you have the means, adopt a whole Christmas family! They may need everything from tree and trimmings to food for Christmas dinner as well as gifts for under the tree.

5.  Make secret gift baskets for your neighbors. When you deliver the basket, ring their doorbell and run (the kids will love the "secret" part of this one.

6.  Encourage your children to part with gently used books and toys they no longer play with. Explain that you will take them to a store where parents who can't afford new toys can buy them for their children. (Personally, I shop second-hand stores even when I have the means to purchase new...I find excellent deals on books especially).

7.  Have a homemade Christmas where none of the gifts are store-bought. (Or you can allow your child to ask for only one or two special gifts and have the rest be homemade).

I made this "Rapunzel" hat for Munchkin last Christmas.

8.  Shop local businesses instead of big box stores so that area merchants can have a good Christmas too. (Chances are, those gifts are of higher quality as well). Explain to your children why you are shopping local vendors. (I frequently order cupcakes or cookies from a local bakery even though I enjoy making those things for myself...it keeps my money in the community).

9.  Make a big deal of it when your child does something to help someone else. Tell them how proud you are...they are more likely to do it again if you notice and praise them for it.

10.  Take your children to church, not just at Christmas, but year-round. Pray for them and with them, remembering those less fortunate in your prayers. Opportunities to volunteer abound in churches...volunteer! Keep the spirit of giving alive all year. (If you don't like the church you previously attended or visited, keep looking...find the church God is leading you to.)

I hope this list gives you some ideas on how to keep the Christmas spirit alive in your family. Feel free to add your own ideas in the comments section, and stay tuned for more Christmas posts and tutorials for hand-made gifts.

Check out my link party page to see where I am linking.

Crochet Hats

No tutorial this time, just some pictures for inspiration. I do occasionally have these for sale. If you are interested, you can check out my Facebook page and send me a message.

Owl hats!

Cabbage Patch Doll hair hat!

Monster's Inc!

Penguin hat!

Monster hat!

Christmas Owl hat and scarf set.

Thomas the Train hat.

All of these hats were made by me mostly without a pattern...the one I did use a pattern on was Thomas, and I actually modified it so much it really doesn't count...I ended up only using the pattern for making the number 1 on the side of the hat.

I hope that you enjoyed the pictures and are inspired to make some of your own. I have a very limited selection of hats already made and ready to ship. I will try to get pictures on my Facebook page in the next day or so. 

Check out my link party page to see where I am linking.

Use your Crap challenge.

I am joining the Use Your Crap link party at Shannon's blog. Today is supposed to be our first post, but I didn't get a chance to fully complete a project today (but I did work some on a rag rug I had already started). For this challenge, we are not supposed to buy a single new craft item for the rest of the year. I do have quite a large stash so I may be able to do this challenge, but I am making one special exception for myself for buying things. My brother-in-law has finally started going through some of my sister's old things (she passed away last year), and anything that belonged to her for crafting, I will still purchase...because it was hers. I purchased quite a bit from him this morning already, so there may not be anymore.

I didn't get a project finished today, but I did get my stash put (mostly) in one spot. I had it covering the bunkbeds for a long time, but got a shelf for it set aside today and set everything on/around it. There are still probably about four totes of stuff not shown in my pictures, and some plarn and t-yarn and juice pouches.

My stash (or most of it)

Yarn stash!

More yarn stash (and still more in the bottom of a tote)

My stash is still very unorganized...I need to sort it by type of fabric and color and whatever else I can think of. Right now, I really don't even know what all I have...only that I have enough to keep me busy for awhile!

Remembering Rebekah

Well, I am not sure if I had mentioned it on this blog before, but I have a younger sister named Rebekah who lost her battle with cancer about a year and a half ago. Her husband is finally parting with some of her things, so I went to his house to pick out what I wanted before the yard sale starts tomorrow. I came home with 2 large totes full of yarn and fabric. As I went through all of those things, I realized again how much alike she and I are.

She had loads of fabric that had been picked up at yardsales (still had the masking tape and price on it), and several things it looked like she was planning to repurpose...like an old bedsheet and some curtains. She loved making handmade gifts for everyone, and she was great at it! I wish I could have shared with her when I found out how to make t-shirt yarn, and plarn...I know she would have loved reusing old things and making them new again. (Another thing I found was about 10 crochet needles in only 2-3 sizes...like me, she would misplace one and go buy another).

The other great thing about getting those boxes of her stuff, was finding her half-finished projects (she was working on several things). I feel like there is still a part of her wrapped up in that yarn (the part-finished things) because it is something she put work and love into. I am still deciding what to do with those projects though. I certainly will never unravel them, but should I try to finish them out?...(I don't even know specifically what she was making). Or should I just tie them off as they are and give them to her closest friends and family?

I have thoroughly enjoyed my evening of reminising and the glimpse of my Bekah that I miss so much. She was my best friend in the world, and I will never feel that I did enough to show her that when she was alive.