Domino Rally Fun!

After much consternation, I found a perfect gift for 'LilDude...a wooden domino rally, $20 on Craiglist. The whole family enjoys it!

Christmas Gift Ideas II...Wikki Stix

Thought of another one...

Last Lenton season my kids were introduced to "Wikki Stix" at church. During children's time each week the kids were given a single stick. The "sticks" are bendable, waxy, and sorta like a candlewick without the candle. We collected them until we had a baggie full. They have been playing with them ever since, bending them into people, words, shapes, names,...anything they can think of! I LOVE them for quiet times and use them every week at church, but they could also easily be entertainment in a car, on airplane trips, while sitting at a restaurant, etc. (I've heard that some restaurants hand them to kids to play with while waiting for food.)

Ours have now been played with for about 8 months and they're getting gummy. I bought a new set at Learning Palace (wish I hadn't because for the price you can get a lot more on-line.) Amazon has a wide selection including books and sets to go with them. The Wikki Stix Book of Wiggles, Squiggles & Curlicues has a five-star rating and includes 36 sticks. They are quite inexpensive and have a lot of play value. Made in the U.S.A. Ages 3 to adult. (Confession: we ALL play with them during church!)

Christmas Gift Ideas

At Ni Hao Y'all, they are compiling a list of good Christmas gifts. So now that I've ranted about what I won't buy, here are some of the best purchases we've made for our kids over the years. Our kids range in age from 3-19, so if it made the list, it's probably stood the test of time. And kids. ;)

The Chronicles of Narnia, Audiodrama on CD

When Anakin was about 8, we bought him this radio theatre CD set. We thought it was a good deal back then at about $30. Now I see you can get the 19-CD boxed set, 22 hours total, for less than $20. That's crazy cheap. And hours of entertainment for the entire family. Ages 6 (depending on how sensitive your child is...some content is scary) to adult.

I've mentioned the most played-with toy in our house before...the over door basketball hoop. This SERIOUSLY gets played with EVERY DAY. All ages. My 3-year-old can shoot and make baskets and the bigger kids play some pretty serious ball with it. If you do a search for "basketball hoop door" you'll find a LOT of options. Ages 3 - 12. (Although my teens still play with it!)

SET is one of the best games out there. I recommend it when I lead teacher workshops and those who are familiar with it always sing it's praises. Basic concept? Lay out 12 cards and look for "sets"...a set comprises 3 cards in which all the characteristics are either completely the same or completely different. But there are many characteristics and therefore, many possible combinations. Some sets are very simple, others very complex. Kids as young as 6 can play...and sometimes beat!...adults. Any number of people can play. I've used it in homeschool co-ops before, spreading it out on a table so kids can look for sets as other kids are arriving. It's an awesome family game and is wonderful for developing mathematical skills (like looking for patterns). But it's so fun that no one notices that they're learning. Ages 6 to adult.


Fisher-Price Crazy Combo Horn Set...
While this is no longer made, you can still find it cheap on Ebay. I bought ours years ago at a garage sale. It has been played with a TON. A couple months ago I considered buying another one because the two youngest were constantly fighting over it. They use it in the way it was intended, to build and play their own unique instruments. But Anakin had a whole 'nother agenda. He'd pop pieces together to make his own toy gun. That toy has seen a LOT of use! Ages 3 (or younger...I don't think the parts are too small, but not sure?) to 7 years old.

Lego Mindstorms NXT...
Two of my kids spent 4 years in organized Lego Robotics. They used the LEGO Mindstorms NXT on an almost-daily basis. Our NXT was sponsored by a local company, thankfully, but we would have considered investing in one ourselves if we hadn't had that support. They grew tremendously through the Lego Robotics program. Highly recommend it. Our two younger kids will likely do the program as well. Ages 10 to adult.

Our favorite family game is probably Settlers of Catan. If you aren't familiar with Catan or haven't been bitten by this addictive game yet, it's well worth checking out. Over the years we've added the 5-6 player extension as well as Cities & Knights. Ages 10 to adult. (I think our kids played at younger ages with help.)

And, while we do not own this, it's what I'm coveting...a Quadrilla Marble Railway. I don't actually know anyone who owns one, nor have I touched one personally. I just think it looks very cool. ;) It's what *I* want for Christmas. :) LOL. Ages 3 - 12. (Although it's ME who really wants it!)







Other "most played with" toys in our household:

• Legos!!!!!! (age 3+)
• Playmobile (age 3+)
• Fisher Price Little People, vintage (I realize that they were taken off the market for safety--choking--reason, but if kids are supervised and/or older, they are a great toy. Lots available on Ebay. My kids did not tend to put toys in their mouths and enjoyed them from ages 3 to about 8 or 9.)
• Balls (all ages)
  
• Playdough (all ages, with supervision)
  
• Bubbles (all ages, with supervision)
• Wooden Puzzles (toddlers)
• Dolls (all...my big girls still have their collectible dolls)
  
• Art Supplies of all kinds (all, Lizzie especially loves Polymer Clay, ages 8 to adult)
  
• the OUTDOORS!
  

I'll post more if I think of them. What toys stand the test of time at your house?

Zhu Zhu Pets (...or You've GOT to Be KIDDING ME!)

If you don't want to listen to a rant, stop reading.

If you want to know how culturally out-of-it I am, keep reading.

For the last few days, I've been following CraigsList, looking for a couple of used toys. The name "Zhu Zhu" pets is posted after about every 5 or 10 entries. Curiousity got the best of me, and I made the mistake of googling it. Here's the commercial that I've been missing. Don't push the link unless you're ready to puke commit yourself. When I played the commercial, LilDude came running in to see what it was. He'd never seen it before either. (I think this must prove that we aren't watching much t.v.) We looked over the site, watched a YouTube video of the thing in action and looked at each other like, "You've got to be kidding me!" But, alas, a mere look online will tell you that:

1. Many parents in the U.S. are giving their kids a Zhu Zhu for Christmas.

2. Most of the remaining parents in the U.S. are desperately seeking Zhu Zhu pets and will give their child's college education to obtain one.

3. A significant number of people are making a FORTUNE off these inane toys. They bought 'em up, cornered the market, and are now charging insane amounts of money to the people in #2 above.

I seriously don't get it. The toy has little educational value. (Actually NONE, in my opinion, but no one asked me.) It's use is extremely limited. And it costs a small fortune. I read one YouTube comment that said, "America deserves the coming financial meltdown. Should've bought a real hamster. At least you could've eaten it when the food runs out."

Like Cabbage Patch Baby and Tickle Me Elmo of the past, I'm quite sure that this insanity will end, probably within hours of Zhu Zhu being opened. Zhu Zhu will be the Goodwill buy of the week. And parents will be reassured that Little Johnny is indeed the happiest child on earth.

Oh, and btw,...for exactly the price of one Zhu Zhu house and pet a child in GG's orphanage can be placed in foster care. For a month.

Just sayin'.

Stripped Clean (or Stripped of Star Wars??)

Black Friday. I didn't hit the stores, but I sat at the computer. Equally dangerous. On Amazon, I watched a StarWars helmet go on sale for $19.99, regular (or MSRP) $49.99. I snatched it. For at least a year 'LilDude has commented on that helmet each time he's seen it at the store. Since it was now suddenly within our $25/person Christmas limit, I though it was a good idea.

But then I started having doubts. It's not a creative toy. It has limited uses. Takes up a lot of shelf space. And has the potential to cause HUGE arguments between two little boys.

But I was still stumped as to what to get LilDude. Although we don't have tons of toys (though I guess that's relative!), we have what we need. With five kids we long ago decided on what we wanted to focus on and what we didn't. We have the usual basics: balls, blocks, dolls, puzzles, games, books. And items of focus: Legos, Playmobile, and gads of the old kind of Fisher Price Little People (from my generation.) We really aren't in need of more stuff...especially if it doesn't lend itself to being:

1. Educational (at least in some way!)
2. Group oriented rather than single person oriented.

I started searching the internet. Again, dangerous. I found a fantastic marble roll system that seemed like the perfect thing for both little boys. Unfortunately, it would more than double the budget we set for the two kids.

But I considered doing it anyway.

Then, on Sunday, I was challenged by our youth in a wonderful service. They've been doing a book study, Stripped Clean, challenging them to think about how stuff gets in the way of a relationship with God. They did a powerful drama based on this:



...but changed it to reflect more "stuff" getting in the way of the girl's relationship with God. Quite a few people in the congregation teared up. They lined the stage walls with ads from black Friday.

But I kept thinking about that marble roll.

Then I went to swim lessons. Talked to another mom who used to be a preschool teacher. I asked her if she knew anything about this particular marble toy. She reminded me of a few things that I already knew but, in the throes of purchasing, had forgotten...

1. Children will use whatever is in their environment to explore a new level of development. They do not have to have the latest, greatest and most expensive. When I mentioned a cheaper marble system I'd considered she said that even though LilDude was close to being developmentally past it that he'd still get tons out of it, just in different ways. When I mentioned that even this system was expensive she laughed and said she only buys them at Goodwill...and over time she's built up quite a collection.

2. The least expensive stuff can be the most fun. Homemade playdough (at $3 for a huge mound) will see far more play than a Star Wars helmet. And it's cooperative, creative, and imaginative. I told her that this situation was particularly hard because 'LilDude rarely asks for specific toys. She smiled saying that her daughter doesn't either but has now mentioned a "bee helmet" several times. I asked if she was getting it. The reply? "No. Because I know what she needs."

3. Relationships are more important than stuff. Her family has a limit of $100 to spend at Christmas, but when they give something, they attach it to relationship...tickets to go somewhere together. A sled and other outdoor snow toys to go with a day at the mountain.

The Star Wars helmet will be under someone else's tree this Christmas. It sold 1 minute after posting. And the spendy marble roll still belongs to the store. So far.

Alternative to Christmas Wrapping Paper

After Christmas morning, my living room is not littered with paper. It's littered with pillowcases and  ribbon.

For years, we've avoided purchasing wrapping paper. Although frugality usually tops my reasons for not buying something, this time it has little to do with it. I simply hate wasting that much paper. It literally turns my stomach to see all the garbage (and yes, even piles of recycling) that line our neighborhood street after Christmas. I hate the thought of discarding something that has seen such minimal use.

So every year we get the pillowcases out of the linen closet and dig through a bag of ribbon I found at a yard sale. If an item shows through the pillowcase, we double up the fabric or box it prior to wrapping. If an item is truly too large for a pillowcase (which rarely happens with a $25 limit per family member), we put it in a box or a large popcorn tin (also saved from previous years). For small gifts I reuse wrapping paper we get from packages outside the family. Or we use the old standby, newspaper comics.

It's just as fun to "open" a pillowcase as it is to open paper. Perhaps more fun. You can't hop around in torn wrapping paper after all the gifts are opened! :)

Christmas Present Less is More

Yesterday I experienced momentary panic. 'LilDude, like most young kids, woke me first thing in the morning wanting to open presents. As you might recall, last year we started a new tradition of exchanging names with a $20 spending limit per person. Everyone from the grandparents down to the youngest ('LilDude) only receive $20 worth of gifts for Christmas. That's it. So, like many parents, I started out Christmas with worry... Will this be enough to make my child happy? Will he like his gifts? Will his Christmas be memorable?

We ate breakfast and waited for the rest of the extended family to arrive. As soon as everyone gathered, 'LilDude began. BigSis drew his name and did an amazing job. She filled a giant stocking with all kinds of goodies. Individually wrapped (!!!!) lollypops and packages of gum. She'd creatively "recycled" some items that her secret dorm sister had given her this fall: bubbles, bouncy ball kit. She'd passed on her quarter collection book that 'LilDude has been aching to have. And she'd made a couple of very careful purchases: a Lego kit and a dinosaur drawing set. Everything was individually wrapped, which made for a lot of unwrapping fun. Even then, it took 'LilDude less than 5 minutes to unwrap his presents. Then he had a fabulous time watching everyone else open their gifts; he was VERY excited to watch "his person," Anakin, open his gift. But the emphasis wasn't on kids. Nobody was given more importance than anyone else, present-wise. Everyone enjoyed watching the others open. When it was over, 'LilDude put his Lego set together and has played with it and his dinosaur drawing kit ever since.

When he was done unwrapping, I could see the relief on his face. Calm, happy satisfaction. It was ENOUGH. He didn't need dozens of presents. Expensive presents. More presents than anyone else. He was happy with a little. A little went a very, very long way.

During the day, the emphasis was on family...playing games, eating, walking and playing in the snow. The day was all about people rather than being all about stuff. Thinking of the baby in the manger, that seems appropriate.

At bedtime when I asked 'LilDude if he'd had a good day, he nodded an emphatic yes. "I loved my presents," was one comment. Less was definitely more.

I'll try to remember not to worry next year. ;)

Holiday Pretzel Treats

Lizzi found this easy recipe for Holiday Pretzel Treats. They're pretty, yummy, and easy for kids to make. Now I just need to find fair trade chocolate in these shapes!

Day 41, Christmas Cards (93...Free!)

Christmas cards and postage can be expensive. With envelopes, they use a lot of paper. Many get tossed after the holidays. It's time consuming to send them. And sometimes they seem unnecessary...especially for those that you see all the time.

I've been reading A Simple Christmas. One idea in particular caught my eye.

The author, Alice Chapin, describes how a church congregation (or other group that regularly meets) could save money by posting ONE Christmas card from each family on a bulletin board for the ENTIRE congregation rather than individually giving cards to every family. She then suggests using the money saved for a known financial need...either a charitable cause or a "project".

It seems that this could be applied to a lot of groups. For example, a playgroup (that regularly meets in one facility) could post cards in one location and use the money saved to purchase new supplies for the playgroup or to help a struggling local family buy Christmas gifts. Monies could be used to buy books for a library, stock a food pantry, or purchase warm clothing for local homeless.

In the case of some of the more elaborate photo cards, this could add up to quite a bit of money. Let's say that 20 families participated, each posting 1 card and donating the money they would have spent to distribute 19 cards. If each card costs 75 cents, that's:

19 cards/each family doesn't purchase x 75 cents/card x 20 families participating = $285

$285 could do a lot to purchase supplies for a group or to help a local family in need.

Lizzi, my 13yo, wrote a skit to introduce the concept to our congregation. Her 8th grade Sunday School class is raising money to buy warm clothing for homeless teens in our town. If anyone would like to modify the skit to fit their group, it's here for the taking! ;)


(Two kids standing center stage)

1: I wish I could do something to give the homeless kids in _____ a merry Christmas!

2: Me too. But with the economy like it is, I can’t spare anything.

1: I wish there was a way for us to earn money for those kids.

2: Yeah. Well, you know how we give Christmas cards to pretty much everyone in the congregation?

1: Yeah, so?

2: What if each family put one card on this bulletin board, and gave the extra money they saved by doing this to the homeless children in _____?

1: That would work, but I don’t buy Christmas cards! Think the adults could help us? Oh...here comes one now...

(#3 comes walking fast through door, muttering to self about x-mas letter.)

3:Dear Friends and family. This year has gone by without much of anything happening. No….. that won’t work. Dear Loved ones, I hope this Christmas finds you and your family safe. Ugh.. that’s too boring, everyone says that. I’m never going to write a good letter in time!

1: Um, excuse me?

3: No time to talk! What’s a good opening for the perfect letter? Oh, never mind.

2: Do you have a moment?

3: No one has a moment during the holidays!

1: We’re raising money for homeless children in _____, would you like to donate? It only takes a litt-

3: I don’t have time! Let’s see, Jimmy turned 3 this year, I could put that down…..

(3 walks off stage, still writing)
(kids shrug.)

2: Oh! Here comes someone else!

1: Let’s ask them!

(#4 comes in, arms full of envelopes)

1: Wow! That’s a lot of cards!

4: Yes, and I still have to address them all!

2: Would you like to donate your change to give the homeless a merry Christmas?

4: I would love to dear, but I have to get these cards mailed! I have to send one to ________ (list a dozen names known to the group), oh and then there's ____________ (list names until exited off stage),….

2: Whoa.

(#5 comes in, has an order form for cards)

2:What’s that you have?

5: The order form for my Christmas cards

(kids look at each other and grin.)

1: Are you interested in making homeless children happy this year?

5: Yeah, but what can I do?

2: What if we told you that there is a bulletin board up at church where you can put up one Christmas card, and everyone could see it?

1: Then you can donate the money you save to help the children in ______ without a home!

5: Okay!

(#6 comes in, carrying a bag of cards)

6: Hey guys! What’s going on?

5: These kids had a great idea! We can put up one Christmas card at church, and give the money we save to charity!

6: But, I already bought my cards!

1: You can still donate if you’re feeling charitable!

2: Maybe, 10% of what you spent on the cards?

6: Great!

(5+6 walk off, whispering excitedly.)
(1+2 walk up to microphone)

1: At _____ high school alone, over 50 kids have been identified as homeless. We can let them know that someone cares. By giving one card to the congregation, rather than giving individual cards to each family, you can not only save money, but time, stress, and brain cells. Not to mention paper.

2: I mean, _______ doesn’t change from Sunday to Sunday!

1: And _______ has looked the same for the past 15 years!

Starting next Sunday, we will be at the bulletin board to collect your cards and--if you like--your donation. They money you donate will be used to buy warm clothing and supplies for homeless teens in our town.

All: Help us put the Christ back in Christmas!

Christmas Music!

In college, my roommate and I used to get in trouble with our dormmates for starting to play Christmas music too early. Today I had a lot of sit time and thought it'd be fun to hear a little Christmas music while I worked. I was astounded to find that there are a LOT of stations to choose from.

Enjoy! (or ignore me if the idea of X-mas music this early repulses you!) ;)

Day 32, PB Popcorn Snack! (93...Free!)

We don't eat a lot of dessert around here. Neither do we buy many snacks. But this delicious recipe from More-With-Less is one that we pull out occasionally for our traditional Sunday popcorn "dinner". Enjoy!

Peanut-Butter Popcorn
-from More-With-Less

Pop enough corn to make 2 quarts.
Cook to a rolling boil:

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup* or honey

Remove from heat and add:

1/2 c. chunky peanut butter
1/2 t. vanilla

Pour over popcorn, stirring to coat.

*I don't like using corn syrup. This is the only recipe I use it for. And, actually, I ran out of the stuff about a year ago and have found that honey works fine.

P.S. This would be a great, inexpensive Christmas treat. Yummers! ;)

Day 31, Sock Exchange (93...Free!)

In the process of organizing photos (I'm only 3 years behind), I ran across a picture from a past Christmas. That year our extended family had a sock exchange. Each person brought one pair of socks to enter in a white elephant game. We had great fun with the variety:

* sock coin purse
* an old, ragged sock (in which someone hid $10)
* organic materials
* fuzzy socks
* socks with toes
* bright, decorated socks of all kinds
* woolen hiking socks

The game portion of the activity was hilarious, good for all ages (including my then 92-year-old Nana)...and everyone left with something that they were really going to use. Just one more idea to have fun with Christmas gifts!

Day 29, No More STUFF!!!! (93...Free!)

The other day, a good friend and I were talking about "stuff." You know, the unwanted items you receive...for birthdays, for shower party favors, for Christmas; everywhere we go, we are handed more stuff. It fills our cabinets, our kids' rooms, our garages, our junk drawers. Today I made a quick stop at a local store and was overwhelmed by the amount of stuff that retailers are thrusting at us, begging us to buy in early November...with CHRISTMAS MUSIC in the background to put us in the mood for holiday buying.

In our family, we're trying to minimize "holiday gift stuff" by setting a $20 limit per person. That really helps. But even with a $20 limit, it's still sometimes hard to know what to give people who really have everything they need.

A few years ago, I turned to the idea of consumables. If I give/receive gifts that can be consumed, we end up with a lot less stuff...and with some pretty fun/creative gifts. Here are a few examples:

1. For one exchange I bought a sheet of cartoon stamps which ended up being one of the most popular items...it was "stolen" several times during the exchange game. Everyone can use stamps and there are a lot of fun ones out there.

2. Kid stocking stuffers

• character bandaids
• TicTacs
• gum
• TAPE (yes, scotch tape! My young kids LOVED tape and wanted to use it all the time. When they received their own, they could use it whenever they wanted.)
• art supplies-paper, pens, glitter glue
  

3. Other "big kid" gifts:

• Pringles potato chips
• Other special chips or treats--my husband got SunChips one year and everyone was jealous. I've also bought kids their own boxes of sugar cereal or packs of character "fruit" gummies.
  
• Sparkling Cider or other sparkling juices
• Starbucks bottled drinks (teen gift)
• scrapbooking supplies
• camera film
  
• stamps (Star Wars and other characters)
• special hot drink mix (my kids love Russian tea)
• decadent chocolate
• lotions
• bubble bath

As you might imagine, the items I listed are NOT purchased in our household any other time during the year; it wouldn't have nearly the same effect if these items were part of our daily life. But since my kids are "deprived" :) the rest of the year, this stuff is pretty interesting to them.

If you have other ideas, I'd love to add to my lists. :)

Day 28, Book: A Simple Christmas (93...Free!)

Since More With Less is one of my favorite cookbooks, I picked up A Simple Christmas (by the same publisher) after reading the description, "Hundreds of ways to bring Christ and joy back into Christmas in the spirit of More-with-Less." If you're looking for some ideas, there are several used copies on Amazon for less than $1.

Off to read... ;)

Day 24, Christmas Presents (93...Free!)

We started a tradition last year; family members who planned to gather on Christmas Day exchanged names, keeping their selected person a secret. (Well, they tried to keep it a secret. I'm the one who goofed. I was in charge of the drawing and several times I accidentally let a hint or two slip about who had whose names. Anakin and Lizzi decided that they would take over this year so as to not let that happen again! ;)

Last year the drawing included our family of six plus my parents and my sis/bro-in-law--ten total. Each buyer had to spent EXACTLY $20. To the PENNY. Adults and kids alike had a blast trying to figure out how they could milk the most out of $20.

I was somewhat concerned about how 'LilDude (then 5yo) would receive the idea. He was the age closest to what most people equate with TOYS, TOYS, TOYS and Christmas. Lizzi drew his name and was thrilled with the challenge.

She was able to buy a shockingly large amount of gifts with her $20. She bought:

* a StarWars Jedi costume (on sale at Goodwill right before Halloween)
* a new lightsaber
* one of the large Fisher Price dinosaurs (used, Goodwill)
* a dinosaur book (used, Goodwill)
* a new Lego set

'LilDude loved it; in actuality, it was probably the best Christmas he's ever had. I think he was relieved to not be overwhelmed by "stuff" and the expectations that go along with it. (Sometimes just having to thank people can be overwhelming for young children.)

On Christmas, we took time to have each person open their gifts slowly, one at a time. It was fun to see what $20 could buy. And I loved the fact that it wasn't all about the kids. Sometimes I think children are under the impression (perhaps correct!) that Christmas is all about THEM rather than being about the birth of Christ. As a young, teen babysitter I was once asked to babysit several days after Christmas for a family with several kids. I was astounded to arrive and see one very long wall STACKED with toys, many of them still in their original boxes, unopened. The children had received so many gifts that they hadn't even finished taking all the toys out. And when I showed interest in investigating the pile, they didn't care; it was TOO MUCH STUFF. When kids are treated equally, that tends to eliminate the overemphasis on gifts and commercialism, focusing the meaning where it should be. At least it did for us. ;)

The kids are already talking about it and planning for this year. The excitement is much higher than it used to be when they were showered with gifts.

Last year, we only did two things for gifts--this and "family gifts," consisting of several very inexpensive and/or used items that we either purchased or were given to use in a garage game room. This year, we will again only do two things--the $20 gift exchange and family gifts, this time consisting of items we need for our trip overseas.

What are you doing?

Reading Aloud During Advent

Looking for inexpensive Christmas traditions to start this year? Here's one idea...

The availability of children's Christmas books is astounding. As the season approaches, I'll be posting some that you can easily check out from the library. But there is one that you'll probably need to purchase, albeit very inexpensively.

Jotham's Journey is a "storybook for Advent" that was first published in 1997 and was out-of-print until recently. It is a fast-paced, adventurous tale of a 10-year-old boy, Jotham, that becomes separated from his family during the year that Jesus is born. During his search to find them he encounters "thieves, robbers, and kidnappers." (This is NOT a book for the very young!) The author very skillfully stops the story in the middle of intense action each night, leaving kids begging for more.

Each night of Advent, a portion of the story is read along with a very short devotional. Suggestions are included for making an Advent wreath and lighting candles for each night of storytelling.

Unless you can time it perfectly at your local library, it's necessary to own the book because it is read every night throughout the Advent season. The title is newly back-in-print and is an inexpensive Advent purchase.

If you do a little research, you'll find that Jotham is followed by two other related titles--Tabitha's Travels and Bartholomew's Passage--each designed to be read during subsequent Advent seasons. They are currently out-of-print and very expensive. Both books are scheduled for re-release in the Summer/Fall of 2009. If you don't own one, they will soon be available at minimal cost. If you do own one, now's a good time to sell them!

How Will You Spend Money This Christmas?

A challenge for you to consider...this is a video worth watching!

P.S....anyone know how to use the embedded link from YouTube without getting the optional 14 videos posted automatically after you watch the first one? I first embedded the link. It worked fine (you got to watch the right video), but then it automatically gives you an assortment of 14 other videos to watch that have some of the same titles...and they include stuff I don't want to feature!

Polydron Plug

I recently had the privilege of teaching 4th-6th grade TAG (talented/gifted.) If students finished the current activity, they were invited to "choice time." Many children chose the polydrons. They were quite fascinated by this math manipulative that can be used to create any number of geometric structures. Age-wise, they are quite versatile; 'LilDude's kindergarten class owns a set. So if you're looking for something new to "play" with (and get a little learnin' in on the side), this might be an option to explore.

In the last several years, we've done less with individual Christmas gifts and more with "family gifts." If you have grade schoolers, this is a nice option. BTW, I don't make anything from mentioning Polydrons; I just like 'em. ;)

P.S. You might find it ironic that a post on something for sale follows a post on buying/entitlement. I don't. ;) I'm not against buying. I'm against buying to excess things that stretch us beyond our means. We'll be buying Christmas gifts. But only a select few. :) More on that later.

Let's talk CHRISTMAS!

Okay, so I know it's a bit early. But any day now, our senses are going to be bombarded with messages telling us to buy, buy, buy. Walk in any store from October to December, and you'll see Christmas (or at least the retailers' image of Christmas), plastered everywhere.

At first I thought it'd be easiest to keep my Christmas posts on a separate blog. But my life is already complicated enough, without further complicating it. So I'm going to post my Christmas reflections here.

Are you excited about the coming Christmas season? Finances a little tight? Or maybe you are looking for ways to de-commercialize Christmas and focus on the real reason for the season? For the next several months, let's consider what it takes to make this season enjoyable...all without breaking the bank!

If you are planning to make this a FUN and FRUGAL Christmas in your home, please add a comment below with your blog address and I will add your blog to a list. That way, we can check in with fellow bloggers to see their preparations for Christmas.

To jumpstart your thinking, consider the work of Advent Conspiracy. Here's a blurb from their website:

"The story of Christ's birth is a subversive story of an upside-down kingdom. It's a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love that is still changing the world to this day. So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists. And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling that we somehow missed its purpose.

Is this what we really want out of Christmas?

What if Christmas became a world-changing event again by turning our focus back to the birth of Christ? What could happen to your family if this focus was celebrated in loud, bold and totally unexpected ways? What if you could actually trade your season of stress for a season celebration and unbelievable memories with your friends and family? What if all of this could save a life at the same time? It can.

Welcome to Advent Conspiracy"