This guide is some simple suggestions on having a great holiday season with younger children.

We have create very special memories in our household by these low or no cost family activities.

Those cards you received we made in to gift tags by cutting our last years cards up with craft scissors and then punch a hole and loop ribbon or yarn through to make gift tags. Then we enclosed a couple in each card we sent out. We always enjoyed seeing a lot of those tags returned to our home with gifts attached of course.

We built gingerbread houses from milk cartons and use graham crackers and lot of candy (half which did not make it to the house). And always made one for the birds by using a foundation of crackers and then a light coating of peanut butter and bird seed. We would set our house on the porch and watch all our chirpy friends come sing to us.

Make special reindeer food to put out on Christmas eve. A simple mixture of oatmeal and glitter shaken up with the explanation of glitter helps Santa to find your house and the oats help the reindeer to snack while Santa is busy. One year my nephew got out the ladder and actually place it on the roof by carry the kids up and letting them sprinkle where it was sure to be seen.

However our favorite family thing to do is search the house for new unused items (does not matter what it is) examples samples, small toys, crayons,pencils, books, straws, craft supplies . Just any thing new and place them into a basket wrap it up and some one your neighbor hood having a hard time, deliver it to them on Christmas give by just setting it on their porch.

This has gotten so big in our family we now pick one family and sponsor a family basket with some gifts for everyone in the house we have chosen. The adults get inexpensive gloves and a toy for each child and a canned ham, potatoes, and holiday meals fixings.

Just enjoy the simple things at the Holidays and smile knowing you created memories that will last a life time. Thank you for allowing to take a trip down memory lane.