Christmas Crafts to Do With Kids

If you like Christmas crafts there is no shortage of directions for how-to projects both on and online. On the Internet there is lots of inspiration for crafts. Do a little surfing and you will find do it yourself projects for every type of craft imaginable. Women's magazines are also full of ideas for projects you at this time of the year.
I like to keep it simple. Try baking your own shortbread cookies, decorating them with colored icing and decorative silver balls and stringing them on shiny ribbon or fish line. I let the kids cut out the shapes.
One good shortbread recipe can provide you with loads of cheap and creative looking cookie Christmas tree decorations. You can buy shapes like Christmas trees, Christmas balls, snowmen and angels as cookie cutters from a store. Even the youngest of kids can do this. Perhaps the easiest shape to make out of shortbread is the Christmas ball. Simply cut the ball shape out of the dough with the rim of a glass and lavishly decorate it with candy glitter.
You can also make your own Christmas tree garlands. This is one of those ancient crafts that can be a group activity for you and your family. Simply stringing popcorn on a string makes very attractive garlands. You can also try stringing nuts or cranberries on string as well (but make sure your kid is old enough to handle that needle. Garlands can also be made out of gold or aluminum foil that is cut up and twisted in loops that hook into each other.
It is also fun to make your own Christmas tree decorations. These types of crafts can be made from almost anything including Styrofoam, play dough, cookin' crystals and ribbons. One clever idea is to buy a box of plain glass balls and then make patterns with glue on their sides. The idea is that you then roll them in glitter to create a sparkling yet merry pattern.
If you are really ambitious you can also try making your own Christmas candles. One of the simplest ways is to buy sheets of beeswax and then roll them up to create unique one of a kind candle centerpieces. You can also melt wax in a double boiler and make your own candles. There are commercial scents such as pine and cinnamon available on the market that is specifically created for making these types of Christmas crafts smell nice. You can also buy Christmas candle molds in the shapes of popular holiday motifs such as evergreen trees, snowmen and stars.
Sitting around with your family to make Christmas crafts together, even it if it is as simple as handmade Christmas cards is a great way to strengthen your loving bonds with each other at holiday time.

Dressing Babies for the Cold

When it comes to winter clothes I never seem to be ahead of the game. I think I have it figured out and then it becomes so obvious that I don't when I look out the window and finally see snow.
I have indoor wear all covered, from sleep clothing to walk-around clothing to meal add-ons, along with sturdy footwear for the special moments when the child begins to walk. I have all the necessary outfits to slap on when it's time for a walk in the stroller. However it seems that winter always catches me off guard. Sooner or later it will be time to dress your baby for winter.
It's important to keep your baby cozy and warm but when are you going overboard when it comes to swaddling your kids clothing. So when is it too warm? When is it not enough and when is it too cold?
The bottom line is your baby will be feeling the same things you do. I dress my baby like I would dress to go outside and then add a thin layer more. I always check the temperature on the radio of television or the Net and you try to look ahead for possible changes (this is especially important to remember if you live in a wildly fluctuating weather zone, as exists in Colorado or parts of western Canada). Then you dress accordingly…
It is probably a good idea to avoid swaddling the kid in too much clothing. A baby that is too hot can get just a sick as one that is too cold. The baby can be compared to an engine that is overheating
The key to all of this is layering. I put a t-shirt on the baby, then another thinner shirt, then a sweatshirt and then a fleecy shirt. I also have an extra wool blanket on hand just in case it really gets cold. I also make sure that the baby's head is covered as like adults, babies lose heat through their heads. The same goes for his or her little fingers. The toes should also be swaddle up nicely. If the baby is too young for boots make sure that he or she is wearing an extra pair of warm socks.
If you're traveling in the car through snow, a good thing to keep in mind is that perhaps you dressed down a bit because you know you're not going to be in the cold for long before you're in a warm car. Good, then dress the child down as well. If you're really worried about it, bring along extra clothing but don't use it just yet. Wait until you get a clear signal from the child that it's too cold, and then start piling on the extra layers!