Winter Holidays and Craft Ideas
When I was a kid in the 1960s, my favorite holiday was Christmas. I loved watching A Charlie Brown Christmas, decorating our tree, and listening to my dad read The Night Before Christmas before sleeping in my brother’s bunk bed as we awaited Santa’s arrival.
My dad was in the Air Force, so we learned to celebrate Christmas, or any holiday, when we were all together. Sometimes he was away for a holiday or birthday, but the date never mattered as much as the day and time we spent together. If we were lucky, our grandparents would visit, or we would travel to Indiana to celebrate.
When I had my own children and struggled to visit both sets of local grandparents on Christmas day, my mom reminded me of our Air Force tradition. She also insisted that I celebrate Christmas in my own home on Christmas morning with my immediate family. Everyone else could wait. That was one of the best gifts she gave me because it took the pressure off a stressful time of the year. It allowed me to start my own traditions, pass them on to my children, and now watch my children create their own traditions with their families.
Whether you are celebrating the holiday on the actual date or not, the time together is what truly matters the most. Here are some ways my readers choose to celebrate winter holidays together or separately, with their families.
Celebrating Together
1. When everyone gets together by Grandma (Becky)
Grandma Becky, her three brothers, and their spouses celebrate a multi-generational Christmas every year. It started when they lost their mom when Becky was 20 and her youngest brother was 10. Forty-five years later, 24 family members annually gather from seven states to celebrate Christmas over a three-day weekend.
To make it work, there is some pre-planning, including creating multi-generational, multi-family teams. Throughout the event, team members compete and spend time with different members of the family on different teams. There are math puzzles, complicated Lego sets, a giant puzzle, dancing, darts, ping pong, card games, poetry, Minute to Win It, and an obstacle course. Activities change each year, but one thing stays the same. “It gives everyone a chance to get to know each other as they compete,” said Grandma Becky.
They celebrate at a different sibling’s home, rent a giant house, or stay at a hotel with suites and rent a party room for joint activities. Recently, the senior siblings suggested they move the event to the summer to make it easier on their kids’ families. Their adult children said no. They grew up with the tradition and said it is a family Christmas priority for their own families. “This is our Christmas,” added Grandma Becky. “We like having a good time together.”
2. Lighting the Menorah virtually by Grandpa (Phil)
Nine years ago, his spread-out family started a tradition of lighting the menorah online with his oldest daughter’s family. The family used all the phones and iPads they had to Facetime the family who couldn’t be there on the first night. At first, his grandson just watched the candles being lit. As he grew older, he and his little brother lit the candles and began saying the prayer and singing. Now the grandsons lead the celebration. Simple, but a great way to connect.
3. Celebrating family without a winter holiday by Nani (Farzana)
According to a November 9, 2022 Statista survey, 85% of Americans celebrate Christmas. But what do the other 15% do on the day or week of the holiday? One of my readers said she and her loved ones use the time off to celebrate family. She takes one day of her week off to spend time with each family. They eat a meal and spend quality time together. Her primary focus are her three grandchildren, but she also visits nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters, and friends. They celebrate being together and catching up from the previous year. You don’t have to have a reason to be together. Enjoy each other when you can.
4. What to do on Christmas Day when you don’t celebrate
According to Zippia as of August 7, 2022, 97% of Americans get Christmas day off from work. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, consider these alternatives to sitting at home: volunteer, go to a movie, work for someone who does celebrate the holiday, enjoy your favorite hobby, catch up on chores, play tourist, visit friends or family, go out to dinner, or binge watch a new TV show. Create your own celebration for having the day off from work and ending another year.
Quick Crafts to Make with Your Grandchildren for Holiday Gifts
If you are with your grandchildren before the holidays, here are four quick and simple crafts that my readers create with their grandchildren.
1. Creative kitchen jars by Grammy (Elaine)
Take any size Mason jar and stuff it with small pinecones, shells, rocks, or other natural things you and your grandchildren collect. Add an ornament or dreidel and a small string of lights. Then, tie a ribbon around the lid, and it’s finished.
Creative Kitchen Jars. (Photo by Elaine)
2. Small holiday plaque by Grammy (Elaine)
Go to a craft store and purchase a small, stretched canvas. Paint the entire canvas with tempera paint (red/green, blue/yellow, etc.) and let it dry. Paint a cheerful saying on it and let it dry. Glue small ornaments and sprinkle with glitter. Let everything dry, and it’s complete.
A plaque Grammy made in honor of her grandchild’s participation in a school play. (Photo by Elaine)
3. Handprint tree painting by Momma G (Rita)
Buy a medium to large canvas from a craft store. Paint a thick brown line from an inch from the bottom to three inches from the top. This will be your trunk. Paint both palms of your grandchild’s hands with green tempera paint. Place their handprints to the left and right of the trunk like wings—two at the bottom, two in the middle, and one vertical handprint on top. If you have multiple grandchildren, put the eldest’s handprints at the bottom and work your way up to the youngest. Wash and dry their hands. Next, when the paint dries, have them dip their index finger in red paint to make dot ornaments on the tree limbs. Paint a yellow star at the top. Have them sign their names with permanent marker at the bottom and you have an original gift.
Handprint tree painting for mom and dad. (Photo by Rita)
4. Ornaments out of homemade dough by Gigi (Julie)
Make dough with 4 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, and 1 ½ cups of water. Mix everything in a large bowl and knead it until it is pliable (if it’s too dry and crumbly, add a little more water.) Next, roll it out with a rolling pin, so it’s about an 1/8” thick. Then have your grandkids use cookie cutters to create ornaments. With a straw, poke a hole at the top of the ornament about a ¼” from the top to add a hook or ribbon later. Roll out the dough and repeat with the cookie cutters. Place completed ornaments on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes on one side at 250 degrees, then flip them over and bake another 40-60 minutes until they harden, but not brown. After they cool, have your grandchildren paint them. We used water-based paint. Let them dry and paint the other side. After they dry overnight, spray varnish on each side and let them dry. A simple present your grandchildren will love giving.
Final Thoughts
No matter how you celebrate the winter holidays, or any family holiday, respect your children’s and stepchildren’s requests. We have had our time to establish holiday traditions with our families; now it is their turn. If you’re invited, go. If you’re not, create your own special day with them when they are available. Your children will appreciate it.
Next Month
In January, I will look at starting a 529 for your grandchildren’s future college or trade school plans. If you started a college fund for your grandchild, contact me. Your experience could be helpful to other grandparents.