HolidayHolidays on a Budget

Entertain in StyleTop Tips for Holiday Gatherings

WINTER 2014-2015

Jetset without the stress

TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN

How to be a savvy shopper

+LOOK INSIDE FOR DETAILSWin!Enter for a

c hance to

A Party Etiquette Checklist

Being the best guest

HOLIDAY 3

INTRODUCTION U

There’s nothing like the holiday season to conjure up memories of family, tradition, great meals and relaxation. By the same token, the word holidays inspires anxiety in many with all of the frenzied shopping, planning and cooking.

As someone who lacks any skills in the kitchen,

the thought of entertaining truly inspires fear in me which is why I have developed my own holiday tradition. We have started having family occasions that are pot luck. This way, the stress is not always on me, the food assortment is amazing and quite frankly, no one has to smile their way through the meal pretending that my cooking is even remotely tasty. It may be different than most holiday dinners, but it’s what works for us.

That’s what the holidays should be about. Doing what works for you and your family. It’s not about making sure that everything looks like Martha Stewart put it together but it’s about the memories that will be made and the traditions that will endure.

This holiday season I issue you a challenge. A challenge to forget about the work stress, homework, after school programs, carpools and whatever else fills your typical day. Forget about the pictures in magazines that show you

Holiday SeasonSTAND OUT

MAKE THIS

Feel free to share your thoughts with us by e-mailing us at holidayguide@ptpamedia.com

what your home should look like in order to entertain and the perfect dinner table setting that is too fancy to actually include children in a meal. I challenge you to relax and just enjoy. Enjoy your family and friends.

Make this holiday season stand out by creating beautiful new memories and reminiscing about old ones. Bring out picture albums and old holiday cards and laugh or cry over the times you’ve shared together. Put away your devices for those few hours. I promise your cell phone won’t leave you because of neglect, it might even appreciate the break. The connections you can make while face to face and not through facetime, are priceless so enjoy every minute, because life can change in the blink of an eye, so why have any regrets?

From our family to yours, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!

Sharon Vinderine CEO, PTPA MEDIA

4 HOLIDAY

What’s HotQ GIFT GUIDE

We have put together our top ten favorite holiday gifts!

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Keurig Keurig 2.0 K300 Coffee Brewing System with Carafe allows you to brew more than 250 varieties of coffee, tea, specialty beverages and even iced beverages. $179.99

Stop-it Stop-it! is an easy to use retractable, portable, bright red net that is highly visible from a far and helps to set safer play boundaries where ever you choose to use it. $49.99

Boogie Board 8.5"The Boogie Board LCD Writing Tablet is the paperless, electronic alternative to memo pads, sketchbooks, sticky notes, and dry erase boards. $39.99

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HOLIDAY 5

FlavourMasterA 10 - in - 1 Compact Countertop pressure and slow cooker, that makes healthy delicious food, fast, and without sacrificing flavour. $139.99

SimplyFunLetter Slide is a fun new game where you’ll learn consonants and vowels, spelling and vocabulary. Ages 7+. $34.99

Kobo H20Kobo H2O is the first premium eReader that truly allows for worry-free eReading because of its waterproof and dustproof design. $179.99

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HOLIDAY 7

PARTY PLANNING p

BY STEPHANIE KEEPING [ spaceshipsandlaserbeams.com ]

Decorations To save the budget, skip buying new decorations and use the holiday décor stash that hides in most attics and basements. The twinkle of simple, white lights adds ambience; candle light has a good reputation for good reason! Consider using LED candles to be free of the constant checking real candlelight requires, especially when kids are part of the crowd.

Focus decorations in limited areas. A front door welcome, the food buffet and a small arrangement or two on end tables will allow guests to move freely. If there is a fireplace, a mantel is a logical focal point as well.

MusicPut together a playlist that includes a variety of styles and tempos. Music choices will affect the mood of a party; the pace of the gathering will likely shift as the afternoon or evening unfolds. Music will keep the energy moving.

In this precious season of sparkle and light, plan ahead, make it

simple and keep the glow!

Plan aheadDon’t get stuck in the kitchen and miss out on all that great company conversation. Plan a menu that can mostly be made ahead of time. Lovely presentation helps guests enjoy favorite recipes before they take a bite. A holiday buffet is much easier to pull together than a formal sit-down dinner. Make sure there are enough dishes, utensils and glasses to accommodate the gang and have them ready before company arrives. Make it memorablePlan an activity to engage the group. It might be something as simple as a hot cocoa bar where everyone gathers around to concoct their specialty; a sing along; a game tournament; a nature hike. Set up toy and craft stations for the younger set so they are happily busy.

Holiday. Doesn’t that very word stir eager anticipation? Traditionally,

seasonal holiday celebrations encompass family and friends taking time out of the everyday to honor, appreciate and enjoy one another.

This year, consider what is significant about the season and decide how to celebrate that. Drop traditions that no longer have importance. Keep things simple and revel in the holiday glow. Here are a few tips to help you hold on to the peace of the season while entertaining the near and dear.

8 HOLIDAY

U FAMILY FINANCE

5MoneySaveWAYS TO

ON HOLIDAY GIFTS

$

BY MOLLY STILLMAN [ stillbeingmolly.com ]

Families everywhere are always looking to find ways to cut back on expenses during this time of year, especially when it comes to gift giving.

Other than hand making or DIYing a gift, there are plenty of ways you can cut expenses without cutting the experience and joy of the

holidays. Here are five simple ways to save money on gifts during the holidays.

Don't let holiday expenses stress you out! Check out these great tips to keep

your family's finances on budget.

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Set a budget and stick to itIt is SO easy to to “impulse buy” gifts for people. You see something you want to get someone, and then it snowballs. Suddenly you find yourself overspending and in the red financially. Before you head out to buy one gift, make a list of all of the people you need to buy for and set a budget for each person - then stick to the budget. That way you won’t risk overspending or going over.

Gift an experienceInstead of buying some expensive gift that the recipient will only use once or twice and then forget about, gift them an experience. Maybe dinner and a movie, a road trip to the mountains, or maybe a home spa day. It doesn’t have to be anything lavish or expensive. The experience means more than the amount spent.

Gift of serviceHave a talk with your spouse and children about the possibility of replacing family gift giving with volunteering. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, bring meals to homeless people, buy gifts for a family in need. Find some way to give back!

Do a gift exchangeIn larger families, it can be really easy to spend way too much money during the holidays. Instead, have every family member pull a name and buy a gift for that person. That way everyone gets a gift, but not everyone has to break the bank!

Gift something they already ownThis one only really works on younger kids. Think of how many books and toys that your kids own and how many of those items they never play with. Try wrapping up some old books or old toys that they’ve never played with or have been forgotten about. You’d be surprised how quickly that old book or toy becomes something new and exciting.

10 HOLIDAY

GIFT GIVINGQ

Class Gift Get the kids together to make a personalized card or poster for the teacher, and each input one item for a themed gift. For example a Movie Night can include microwave popcorn, a couple DVDs, gift certificates, a cozy blanket and more.

Classroom Supplies Teachers are often going into their own pocket books to provide for their classes. This year, ask you children's teacher what they need help with in their classroom.

Best Teacher EverMrs. Crabapple

Something Personalized

A monogrammed tote bag or personalized

stationary will definitely be a hit.

Gift Cards This was at the top of all of their lists. The favorites: Chapters or Barnes & Noble, movies tickets, and Starbucks or David's Tea. Do a little research first, you wouldn’t want to get a liquor store gift card for someone who doesn’t drink.

BY AMY WORRELL [ ptpa.com ]

Top Teacher GiftsAfter speaking with several teachers we think we know

what they really want this holiday season!

Something Homemade

Whether it be a card from the

little ones or baked goods

from bigger kids, homemade gifts

are sure to please.

Fun. Stimulating. Sustainable. Play.

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12 HOLIDAY

- DIY

WHAT YOU NEED✱ greeting cards✱ hole punch ✱ scissors✱ glue gun✱ terracotta pot✱ wooden dowel✱ styrofoam block

DIRECTIONS1 First, stick the wooden

dowel in the middle of the styrofoam block, and glue the block to the bottom of your pot. You'll want to trim the block to be flush with, or lower than, the top of the pot. And then, the fun begins.

2 Make yourself a template. What? No free printable? Not this time. The size of your template depends on the pot your building your tree in. It should be the shape shown in this picture, and should be as long as half the diameter of the pot. Make sure you write Template on it, so you don't confuse it for a leaf.

DIY: Greeting Card Tree

BY TAMMY CHILD [ mysecretlifeathome.blogspot.com ]

Here is a wonderfully simple craft that will make the most of your holiday card stack. Make a cup of tea, put on wintery movie, and before you know it you'll have a super cute holiday card tree!

3 Use your template to trace out your first leaf and then punch a hole in the rounded part.

4 Next, bring the two corners together and secure with a dab of hot glue. You really don't need much glue to get the ends to stick. The two ends that are glued together will be the underside of the leaf, so make sure the patterned side of the card is facing out.

5 Ta da! One leaf complete! Repeat steps 1-5 until you have quite a few leaves.

6 Thread the leaves onto the wooden dowel, working around in a circle.

7 Once you have completed two rows, trim the template slightly. Make some more leaves, complete two rows, and trim the template again. The leaves get smaller as you work up the tree, forming a tree shape. Once you get to the top, your leaves will be pretty small, so be careful with the glue gun!

8 Top if off with a bow, or an ornament, or both.

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Homemade Ornament Wreath

WHAT YOU NEED✱ Foam wreath✱ Hot glue gun✱ (100-150) Christmas tree

ornaments of various colors and sizes

✱ Ribbon

DIRECTIONS1 First, tie a piece of ribbon

around the wreath so you will be able to hang it up. Remember, it will be covered in ornaments so it's important to do this first!

BY JENNA SHAUGHNESSY [ wifeinprogressblog.com ]

Here is an amazingly easy Pinterest inspired ornament wreath that won't break your bank!

2 Remove all metal tops on the ornaments.

3 Hot glue the largest ornaments to the outside of the wreath

4 Begin to fill in the front and back of the wreath. You can balance the wreath on a table or box to keep from putting pressure on the ornaments.

5 Once the wreath starts to look full, sit it upright and look for more gaps. Fill these in with the smallest ornaments.

6 Don't forget to make sure the inner circle of the wreath is also filled.

7 Let it cool and you're all done! Don't worry if it's not perfect. Once it's hung up, you won't notice any remaining gaps.

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14 HOLIDAY

SEASONSz

Winter Fun

1 Winter HikingSnowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and hiking through the snow are all great activities to do with the family. Enjoy games of “Eye Spy”, collect pine cones, and look for animal tracks with younger children. Pack you camera and some binoculars, be ready for impromptu snowball fights, and admire the beauty of winter with your kids.

2 Snow PaintingAdd some color to the white snowy landscapes by painting the snow! Get the kids to help create a variety of colors by adding 10-20 drops of food color to water, you can also use unsweetened Kool-Aid to make the “paint”. Using spray bottles, turkey basters, and paint brushes, you can easily create a beautiful snow art gallery.

3 Hit the SlopesTake the family out for a skiing, snowboarding, and tubing adventure. If it’s your first time skiing or snowboarding, look for a family deal for equipment rentals and lift tickets, and get a lesson for the whole family! Tubing and tobogganing are less expensive and require no special skills, and are just as much fun! Either way, dress warm and stay safe on the slopes!

4 Build a SnowmanTake this typical activity and throw a snowman-building contest! Invite your friends and get creative by dressing your snowman in old costumes or used clothing. Decide which snowmen are the best and finish the day off with a batch of hot chocolate.

5 Christmas Light DisplaysA nice drive on Candy Cane lane is the perfect end to a long day of outdoor winter play. Bring some hot chocolates in portable cups, play holiday music on the speakers, and drive around your local neighborhoods to find the most beautiful holiday light displays. There’s no better way of getting into the spirit of the season!

BY MARGARITA RECZEK [ WestCoastMama.net ]

5 Ideas for the Whole Family

Cold temperatures and snowy days can make heading outdoors seem like a chore, rather than an afternoon of fun. Instead, find your inner child, bundle up the kids and head outside to play! Here are five great ideas for getting outside with the whole family.

THEY'RE HERE

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16 HOLIDAY

✱

o FOOD

These tender potatoes mashed with roasted garlic and drizzled with truffle oil make an undoubtedly luscious side dish. Remember, when using truffles, truffle salt and truffle oil, a little goes a long way.

INGREDIENTS21/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled

and cut into 1-inch chunks1/2 head garlic, roasted2/3 cup heavy cream2/3 cup milk3 tbsp butter2 tsp truffle oil2 tbsp fresh chives,

chopped - for garnish

Brussels sprouts! Mini cabbages, so cute and absolutely delicious. You don't like Brussels sprouts? No way! If you don't like them, you probably haven’t had them the right way. When you cook them right and add a little bacon, nothing quite beats the taste of Brussels sprouts.

INGREDIENTS2 lbs Brussels sprouts,

trimmed, small sprouts left whole and larger sprouts halved

6 slices bacon, chopped2 tbsp butter 1 clove garlic,

mincedsalt and pepper

POTATO TIP: It's important to simmer rather than boil potatoes for even cooking.

The key to the light fluffy texture in these potatoes is the food mill or ricer.

BY LINDSIE LIZOTTE [ momsbistro.net ]

The Perfect Sides ChocolateMix it up this holiday season with some side dishes your family is sure to love!

DIRECTIONS1. Preheat oven to 425F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.2. Once boiling, add Brussels sprouts and cook 10 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside.3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook chopped bacon, stirring constantly until crispy - 7-8 minutes.4. Add Brussels sprouts and butter to pan and toss to combine.5. Add garlic and cook until you can smell it - about 30 seconds or so.6. Pour Brussels sprouts and bacon onto prepared sheet tray and roast in preheated oven until Brussels sprouts are crispy about 10 more minutes.7. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

DIRECTIONS1. Wrap a head of garlic in foil, and roast at 450F for 20 minutes, or until tender. Let cool, and set aside 5 cloves.2. In a large pot, combine potatoes and add water to cover.3. Bring to a boil over high heat and add 2 tbsp salt.4. Lower the heat to medium, cover partially and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are ender when pierced with a fork.5. Drain.6. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine cream, milk and butter. Heat just until the butter melts, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.7. Set a potato ricer on the rum of the pot used to cook potatoes. Half fill the ricer with cooked potatoes and roasted garlic cloves and press them through. Repeat until all potatoes are pureed.8. Using a silicone spatula, add the hot milk and cream and mix in by hand until combined.9. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.10. Drizzle with truffle oil and serve immediately.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon Truffled Mashed Potatoes

HOLIDAY 17

Hopefully this hot chocolate

recipe will bring you the same warmth this

holiday season that it brings me.

BY NICOLE NARED [ bsugarmama.com ]

In the winter for breakfast, my grandmother would make me hot chocolate and toast with peanut butter. She would always buy the instant hot chocolate with mini marshmallows, which would

disintegrate within seconds of the hot water being added to the mix. Unless you wanted to burn your mouth, it was impossible to drink that hot chocolate fast enough to taste the marshmallows. Then one day my grandmother filled me with such wonder and started putting real marshmallows inside the hot chocolate, making it an extra wonderful treat to drink! Even today when I drink hot chocolate I cross over into the realm in which she exists, lay on her chest, and take in her natural scent of peppermint, fabric softener, and a hint of tobacco.

INGREDIENTS11/2 c. half in half1 c. heavy cream1/4 c. sugar1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa1/4 c. chocolate syrup1 tsp. vanilla extract2 tsp. rum (optional)

DIRECTIONS✱ In a medium sauce pan, bring

half and half and heavy cream to a slight boil.

✱ Once the milk has started simmering, pour in the sugar and stir for about 2 minutes so it will dissolve. Turn the heat low and sift in the cocoa.

✱ Stir until completely dissolved (you might have to whisk a little bit to break up any large clumps of cocoa).

✱ Once the milk starts to look like chocolate milk, add in the chocolate syrup, vanilla extract, and rum if you are using it.

✱ Stir until well mixed.

✱ Serve with marshmallows or whipped cream!

HotChocolate

The Recipe

18 HOLIDAY

X TRAVEL

Air travel can be stressful on a good day, but when you add winter weather, flight delays, and tired children into the mix, it can be

downright ugly. The good news is that with a little preparation, traveling with small children doesn't have to be as horrible as you think.

Tips to Make Air Travel During The Holidays More Manageable

BY DANI RYAN [ cloudywithachanceofwine.com ]

Pay Attention To Flight SchedulesIt’s often impossible to schedule flights around naps and bedtime, but you are much more likely to have a smooth journey if you start off with a well-rested child. So try to book your travel for first thing in the morning, and put your child to bed earlier than normal the night before take-off.

Don’t Ignore IllnessesWhen it comes to planning a trip, especially during the winter months, there’s always a high degree of probability your little one is going to get sick the day before you travel, which can make for a miserable experience for everyone. So make sure to have them cleared for travel by your doctor, and always buy travel insurance!

Stock Up On MedsYou never know when your child is going to hurt themselves, spike a fever, have an allergic reaction, develop diarrhea, or start projectile vomiting when you’re 30,000+ feet in the air, so never (ever!) board a plane without a miniature pharmacy in your carry-on luggage.

FlyingChildren

GUIDE TO

WITH

SURVIVOR'S THE

HOLIDAY 19

Don’t overdo it with clothes. Little ones don’t need more than 2 pair of pj’s in a week and an outfit a day with a couple extra shirts. Nobody is going to mind if your little one is a little dirty! Older children don't need more than 2 pairs of pajamas, and an outfit a day.Pack according to where you are going. If things like diapers and formula are easily accessible and at the same cost, save the space in your suitcase.Bring along a familiar toy or blanket. Put it where they are sleeping to help with the transition to new sleep arrangements.Do your research. Are there laundry facilities, drug stores or discount stores nearby? If so you may be able to save some precious room in your luggage.

Take Lots Of SnacksThis is especially important if you're the parent of a picky eater!

Make A Surprise Travel BagFill a special bag with gift-wrapped toys and activities you know your child will like, and allow them to select and open one gift every 30-60 minutes. Works like a charm!

Choose Your Seats WiselyWindow seats are great for kids as they can decorate them with window clings and lean against them when they're sleeping, and aisle seats are a must if you have a child that suffers from motion sickness, so book wisely!

Bring A Change Of ClothesFor everyone.

RelaxWhether you’re traveling on an airplane with your kids for 30 minutes or 30 hours, it isn’t easy, so if things don’t go as planned (spoiler alert: they won’t), take a few deep breaths, order yourself a glass of wine, and remember that this, too, shall pass!

Packing Tips

TRADITIONSk

Holiday TraditionsSURVIVING & MIXING

A marriage between two people is really a marriage between two families and gives birth to a mix of new traditions and customs. These may not have seemed difficult to juggle during the early years of marriage but with the addition of kids, things can get a bit tricky. With the holidays around the corner, even if you’re not battling different religions under one roof, you’re bound to be juggling different ways of celebrating the same occasion. How does a blended family mix things up without losing important traditions or driving the entire family crazy? Here are a few tips:

Keep calm and have a happy blended holiday.

BY YASHY MURPHY [ babyandlife.com ]

COMMUNICATE THE PRIORITIES: Sit down with your spouse or partner and determine which traditions are mandatory and which ones can slip off the list. Create a MUST HAVE vs. NICE TO HAVE list

EXPERIMENT: Think of ways to merge the nice to have lists. Perhaps it’s the inclusion of a traditional dish from one side of the family during Christmas eve dinner or opening one gift on Christmas eve with one set of grandparents and then having breakfast the next morning with the other pair

FOCUS ON FAMILY: Remind yourself that the holidays are about family. Ensure you have some

downtime for your nuclear family slotted into the busy schedule. Watch a movie together in your PJs or go out for a walk. Spend time together doing nothing.

LET IT GO: Sometimes you have to channel your inner Elsa. Have realistic expectations and don’t expect everything to happen perfectly. Bite your tongue, eat Great Grandma’s hard as a rock Challah and wear the hideous sweater cousin Jane knitted for you. Some things are going to drive you crazy, you just have to let it... go.

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24 HOLIDAY

GIFT GIVING

BY BECKY MANSFIELD [ yourmodernfamily.com ]

Be Honest.If you are embarrassed to give a re-gifted gift, just be honest. Give the re-gifted cookie jar and fill it with cookies. “I was given this cookie jar and knew that it belonged in your kitchen, but I filled it with your favorite cookies!”

Save money. If gift giving is a tradition amongst your friends and family but you’d rather they don’t spend their hard-earned money on you, let them know you’d be happy to accept re-gifted presents. You could even host a re-gift party where everyone brings an item to swap.

Kids have no idea. Children love gifts. Most will be excited to unwrap anything. Some might even be more excited about the packaging the gift came in! The best part is, they will have no idea if the gift is new, used, or re-gifted. You could even re-gift toys they already own, but have forgotten about. This is a great way to breathe new life into a stale toy box.

Share the Love. If your trash could be someone else’s treasure, then your gift could be someone else’s gift! We have all received something that we don’t need, or maybe doesn’t fit our personality so if your gift is unopened and you know someone that would love it, go for it!

Q

Regifting

This is the season of giving our time, our love, our friendship... not our money or our things. Give the gift of memories.

Let’s face it: gifts are expensive. Especially if you add up your family, friends, teachers, classmates, extended family, colleagues… the list goes on and on. We don’t all have the budget to accommodate everyone, so maybe we turn to *gasp re-gifting.

Here are some great reasons you don’t have to be nervous about re-gifting this holiday season.

Everyone's Doing it

1) Buy Age Appropriate Toys. The age stated on the package is not there because the marketing guys thought it looked pretty. It is a guideline that you should absolutely follow. These guidelines are based on extensive research and take safety measures into account.2) Non-Toxic is not just for cleaning products. Check the hazard symbols on the packages, if there are a bunch of skeletons and x’s, you may want to opt for something that talks about being lead free, containing non-toxic materials.3) Toys do not have to have ribbons and strings to be fun. Save your sanity and buy toys that don’t require you to sit by your child while they are doing the activity in order to keep them safe.4) Opt for products that have certifications and/or awards. These symbols usually mean that the product has

SmartIts toy shopping time! The most dreaded time of year when you walk through the aisles trying to remember all of the children you need to buy for, who likes what and ensure that you aren’t repeating a gift from last year. Here are some tips to help you stay on track.

Shopping Tipsundergone some testing by third parties and if they have earned a “seal of approval”, it is usually a good sign. Were the products tested by real families or was there a generic survey conducted? It makes a difference to the value of that seal.5) Quality is key! If you are going to spend money, spend it on something that is going to last. It’s pretty easy to tell if something is made well by how durable it is and the materials used in the parts. Spend a couple of extra dollars if it will be the difference between a toy lasting a week or a few years.Most important tip? Remember, the holidays are not just about the stress of shopping, cooking, planning and list making, they are really all about the family time, the down time, the device free time and the memories that your children will carry with them into adulthood.

26 HOLIDAY

HOLIDAY TRADITIONSX

Say CheeseWhen the perfect picture with the man in red goes

horribly wrong!

ICOMMUNITY

Not everyone needs the latest tech or a lavish gift; sometimes the perfect present is the gift of giving, itself. Why not try one of these ideas with your family, and teach your children what true holiday spirit entails.

1 Volunteer Check your local shelters or food banks for opportunities to help prepare dry food packages or sort clothing. This is a big help to charities who are swamped this time of year.

2 DonateMany organizations collect gently used hats, gloves, scarves and coats over the holidays. Other winter items are also helpful.

BY KELSI ANDREW [ ptpa.com ]

Holiday Giving5 Ways to give back during the holidays

3 Adopt a FamilyHoliday angel or family adoption programs allow families a chance to be sponsored for a meal or a gift wish list.

4 Host a Food DriveSet up a drive for your family and friends, and encourage that guests bring an item of food instead of a hostess gift or treats for the kids.

5 Errands for the Elderly If you live in a northern city, why not offer to shovel or de-ice the driveway or path of an elderly neighbor? If you live in a southern city (lucky you) you can offer to fulfill shopping lists, wrap gifts or mail letters.

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HOLIDAY 29

SPECIAL NEEDS N

The holidays can be enough to make any family stressed, but when you have a child with special needs, it can be even tougher. Here are some tips

to help manage your holiday season.

SLEEP: Lack of sleep in kids and adults has been linked to everything from obesity, diabetes, depression and heart problems. During this busy time, make extra efforts to keep the family on regular sleep schedules. If you go to a family

BY LISA LIGHTNER [ adayinourshoes.com ]

Making holiday plans when you have a child with special needs.

Holiday Helpers

outing, change the kids into their PJs before you get in the car to make the transition easier.

WORK: If you have work pending, do it. Get tasks done so they are not weighing on you. Most students will be off from school anywhere from a few days to a week or more. That’s a really long time with no academic stimulation. Talk to teachers and therapists about things you can do at home. to reinforce what they are doing at school.

EAT: Eat, and eat healthy. Sure, indulge in treats in moderation. But when a machine doesn’t have good fuel, it doesn’t run well. Make sure you know what everyone is eating, especially for allergies and similar issues. Let your hostess know that you are bringing a lunchbox for your child so as not to insult. It’s better to be prepared with foods that your child can eat, instead of having your evening ruined because they are hungry and cranky.

EMOTIONS: Allow yourself and your kids to have plenty of down time to deal with emotions. If you have a rigid-thinking “there is no Santa” child in your house, acknowledge that with your other kids. Let them be angry about it or experience whatever emotions they have. Let yourself mourn over the losses and frustrations you’re feeling.

PLAY: Play. Get moving. Walk the dog. Find an area that is enjoyable to your child and get some outdoors activity. If your child has played video games for 10 hours every day for 10 days how well is he going to readjust to school?

SAY NO: Don’t overextend yourself or your family. Learn to say no without guilt. There’s a phrase: "When you say yes to something, you're saying no to something else." You don’t have to do it all.

30

ETIQUETTEy

Be The Best Guest!

BY STACEY HUNTE [ ptpa.com ]

Getting invited to a holiday event can be quite an accomplishment for some, and being a repeat guest for those must attend gatherings requires work

on the guest side. Most party goers don’t give proper guest etiquette a single thought, and some break the barriers of inexcusable behavior never to be seen again. If you are hoping to leave a good impression at the next holiday gathering, here are a few key tips.

RSVP, RSVP, RSVPWhether you are attending or not, be sure to reply in a timely fashion. Most holiday gatherings involve great food and drinks, so generally understanding the number of guests in attendance well in advance is extremely important to the host. The only time it’s acceptable to change your plans to attend is if you are sick or have a death in the family. There is nothing worse than having 10 people RSVP yes, and 9 no-shows.

KNOW YOUR LIMITSome guidelines state the no more than one drink per hour with food will allow for complete control over any situation and a regret free morning.

BE AWARE OF THE TIMEUnless the event is at your BFF’s or partner's house, where you are comfortable hanging out for days, be aware of the time you arrive and depart to any holiday gathering. Always treat the event like a reservation at a restaurant. Never be more than 10 minutes late, and make the effort to be there for a good chunk of time. Don’t attend for a “dine and dash”. If there is a proper sit down dinner involved, be sure to hang around long enough to offer help in the clean-up and enjoy a possible after dinner beverage. Never out stay everyone so that you are left watching your host yawn and make motions to the front door.

Use common sense and treat your host in the manner you would want to be treated if the event was in your home. If you are fortunate enough, you’ll be the first on the list next year!

32 HOLIDAY

TRADITIONSU

Just like that, I became the mother of a non-believer. It was something I had looked to with a mixture of sadness and dread.

Yet when she did learn the truth about Santa, I didn’t see the face of a little girl whose holiday had just crumbled or who now saw the world with faithless eyes. No magic had died for her. It simply had a new maker.

Knowing Santa isn’t real won’t change the way we celebrate Christmas. We will still make lists, still bake cookies, still receive gifts.

The only difference is that now she knows her dad

and I are the ones checking those lists, eating the cookies, giving the gifts. She will realize the magic she has felt every year of her life doesn’t come from some elusive stranger who visits every child in the world, but that it exists in her everyday life and comes from the two people who love her more than anyone. And we create it only for her and her brother. No one else.

I admit I feel a certain satisfaction in knowing credit will finally be given where credit is due. Maybe now she will understand why her dad and I put a little more on our plates and take a little more out of our pockets during this time of year. We want her life to be built upon the story of happy memories…just as our parents did for us, and their parents did for them.

We want our kids to one day understand that we parents may not fly in a magic sleigh or be able to fit down a chimney, but these same people who wash their underwear and ask them to clear the table are also capable of making one day of the year feel so magical, we had to give the glory to a mythical miracle worker for it to even seem plausible.

So I don’t mind that my daughter finally knows her dad and I are Santa Claus. It just means that when she doesn’t get that iPhone under the tree this year, she won’t think she has somehow failed the judgment of a bearded break-in artist with a keen sense of morality. She will instead know mom and dad are simply cheapskates and believers in the school of thought that nothing really good can come of an eight-year-old with an iPhone. More importantly, it also means she now knows we are the makers of magic.

“Mom? Are you and Dad really Santa?”

BY KELLY SUELLENTROP [ areyoufinishedyet.com ]

The Magic RemainsThe Myth Is Over But

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