Christmas is nearly upon us, and children are bombarded every few minutes with commercials and advertising that is designed to entice their minds and emotions. Commercial businesses realized long ago that children are a major force that directs millions of dollars in spending, especially during this season. They intentionally direct huge advertising budgets into campaigns designed to spark a case of the "whiney want-its" in every child that can see and hear. The result is that children often lose sight of the spirit of giving when they become so caught up in the spirit of getting. Adults, caregivers and parents, need to take charge of the situation and help the children learn there is more to the holiday than what gets wrapped up under the tree with their name on it.
Are you looking for a way to cure the holiday "gimme's"? Put the spirit of the season back into this holiday by arranging a service project for your charges to do a bit more giving. Help the children discover the true meaning of Christmas as they do something nice for someone less fortunate. There are lots of ways for children to give meaningful gifts to others that require little of caregivers other than time, creativity, and initiative. Meanwhile, the children learn that there is more to the holiday than how many presents are under the tree and how much they cost.
Making "presents" for family members is a traditional holiday pastime. Ornaments, pencil holders out of juice cans, popsicle stick picture frames, and painted rock paperweights are all stand-bys that nearly everyone has done over the years. This year, try a new idea. You can help your charges easily make a perpetual calendar for recording birthdays and anniversaries. You will need 12 pieces of paper with 31
numbered lines (going 1/2 way across the page) for each child. Be sure that the numbers will show when you bind the book together by using a wide left margin. You also will need art supplies, fasteners or yarn to put a book together, and something to make a cover out of (wallpaper samples work well as does construction paper). A hole punch will make the job easier. Each page will represent a different month. Give your children opportunity to decorate each one and make sure to write the name of the month on each page. You can use different media as you see fit...coloring with crayons or markers, painting, finger paint, sponge paint, string painting, and so forth.
Once you assemble the twelve pages into a book, you will have created a perpetual calendar. The owner can mark special dates, such as birthdays or anniversaries, on the numbered lines of each month. These reminders will make planning for cards and gifts a snap. Plus, the calendar will be ever so much more meaningful because of the personalized artwork adorning each page. Making presents for loved ones is a delightful way to spend some craft time this season.
Other ideas for decorative crafts include making paper snowflakes, assembling paper chains, and stringing popcorn, cereal, or cranberries. Believe it or not, these traditional activities are beginning to die out because families are no longer taking time from their busy schedules to carry on the traditions. A delightful decoration can be made using a canning jar lid and ring: Cut two Christmas card pictures to the same size as the lid and glue them one on each side. Glue felt, lace, rickrack, or other trim to the outside of the ring and glue the lid in place inside the ring. Add a yarn loop for a hanger, and you have a pretty tree decoration. Think back to your own childhood for other fun Christmas crafts that you remember, and have your kids give it a whirl.
Stay in touch with distant relatives by creating scrapbooks, recordings, or videotapes to share. Children adore creating displays and will shower the recipients with creativity. Holiday shows could be staged and videotaped. Try making an album of special pictures or exemplary schoolwork. Use an audio recorder to make a tape of Christmas carols or holiday recitals. An envelope stuffed with refrigerator-quality artwork may make someone's day. All of these treasures will make meaningful gifts for loved ones who can't be with your family during the holiday season.
Check with your local church, Salvation Army, or other organization that provides special holiday meals for the disadvantaged, the elderly or other group. They often love to receive hand made placemats! Some folks are so excited about children's art that they will carefully save their placemat to take home and put on the refrigerator! Cut legal sized paper to 11 x 14 (or use the cheap white placemats you can purchase in bulk) and allow the kids to decorate as many as possible. Coloring book pages can be put underneath the paper to provide outlines of holiday pictures, old cookie cutters make great patterns, and children are remarkably creative on their own! Just be sure to use crayons or other media that will not smear when wet. This project can go on for several weeks before the holiday.
