From whimsical encounters with St. Nick to enthralling and enduring folktales, these books invite your students to celebrate diverse festivals of light. Â The Bells of Christmas by Virginia Hamilton Enjoy a season of love and anticipation with this 1890’s tale of an African-American family Christmas in Ohio. Â The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by […]
 To make the ornament I buy a glass ball for each of the children. Then I paint the palm of their hand white with acrylic paint. I place the ball in their hand and ever so gently they close their hand around the ball. When the white paint dries they use paint pens and […]
 Gingerbread Ornaments  3/4 cup of cinnamon 1 tablespoon of allspice 2 tablespoons of cloves 1 tablespoon of nutmeg 1 cup of applesauce  Combine first 4 ingredients and blend well. Stir in applesauce and mix well. Roll out ¼ inch thick on ungreased cookie sheet. Cut with cookie cutters of different shapes. Put […]
 Using a cookie cutter as a template I cut out a tree (any seasonal shape would look great) and then cut out the middle to leave a tree frame.  I cut out 2 pieces of contact paper approximately the shape of the tree. We sprinkled holiday confetti and then glitter on the contact […]
Cardboard tubes Pipe cleaners Ruler Pencil Scissors Hole punch Thread or string  For each ornament, flatten a 7 1/2-inch length of cardboard tube. Mark and cut it into 3/4-inch-wide rings; you’ll need 10 for this project. On each flattened ring, mark dots 3/4 inches in from each folded edge. With a hole punch, make […]
How to get organized for the busiest season? My friend Ann (a.k.a. FamilyFun magazine editor Ann Hallock) gave me the answer–a customized Holiday Planner, neatly divided by topic, with pockets for stashing various memorabilia. It organizes the entire season into one three-ring binder. It provides a place to write down all your lists in one […]
1. Spin toothbrush — we love these disposable things, and chew through them quick! 2. Animal flossers — good for your teeth, and great to keep little hands (and mouths!) busy. 3. Flavored toothpaste (vanilla from Tanner’s Tasty Paste) — this stuff tastes like REAL ice cream; if your kid hates to brush, this may […]
 Crayons (light and bright colors work best) Handheld pencil sharpener Waxed paper Large paper grocery bags Ironing board and iron Scissors Permanent marker Peel the paper off the crayons. Use a pencil sharpener to shave them over a large sheet of waxed paper, spreading the shavings thinly and leaving a wide blank border around […]
