Tag: family activities

Host a New Year’s Day Blessings Buffet

New Year’s Day marks a new beginning, a new year. Moving into 2020 brings a new decade. Celebrating New Year’s Day is easy with a Blessings Buffet. Basically, gather your friends and family together to wish everyone good luck, health, and fortune for the new year.

Invites

Yes, this close to New Year’s Day, you still have time to plan a blessings buffet. Simply start planning now. Send emails, messages, texts, or call your family and friends who want to come. Once you get a headcount on the number of people coming, you can start planning your menu.

Menu

The menu is entirely up to you. A buffet-style or potluck is easy to serve and maintain if guests drop in at different times on New Year’s Day.

Traditionally, certain foods represent good luck for the new year.

  • Pork: Serving pork as part of the buffet, symbolizes prosperity for the upcoming year. A pig will root forward, which is why the meat is thought to be lucky.
  • Long Noodles: Eating long noodles on New Year’s Day represents long life.
  • Cornbread: The same color as gold, cornbread represent good fortune. Many believe eating cornbread on New Year’s Day will bring extra spending money for the year.
  • Green Veggies: The same color as money in the United States, green symbolizes good luck. Serve kale, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, green beans, or collards.
  • Peas and Beans: Traditionally, eating lentils or black-eyed peas means luck and prosperity for the coming months. Many believe black-eyed peas resemble coins.
  • Cake: Everyone likes cake. Eating round cake or pastries on New Year’s Day represents coming full circle. In some traditions, the cake may contain coins. The person who receives the piece of New Year’s cake with the coins will have extra luck in the coming year.
  • Fruit: Eat pomegranates for good fortune and prosperity. In fact, many believe the more seeds in the pomegranate increases your luck. For those who wish to become pregnant within the year, eat figs. Figs represent fertility in the new year.

Activities

The decision to have activities is entirely up to you. For many, New Year’s Day is a time to relax and watch football. Enjoy each other’s company. Laugh about the antics from New Year’s Eve. But if you decide to host activities, consider the following.

  • Play cards
  • Play board games
  • Play multiplayer video games
  • Relax and binge-watch your favorite movie
  • Create a craft area to keep children busy

Regardless of your menu or activities, enjoy New Year’s Day with family and friends.

Family Night: New Year’s Eve

Are you staying home with your family on New Year’s Eve? Use the evening for quality time, host a family night. An impromptu family fun night will turn your New Year’s Eve into a lasting memory.

Ideas for Your New Year’s Eve Family Night

Not only does this New Year’s Eve ring in a new year, but it also brings a new decade. Celebrating with your family is a perfect way to usher in the new year.

Food

Party food is essential but does not need to be elaborate.

    • Pizza: Order pizza. Or make homemade pizzas to fit everyone’s exact tastes.
    • Finger Food: Make finger sandwiches. Even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into fours is an excellent treat for New Year’s Eve.
    • Sweets: Bake cookies or brownies.
    • Celebration Cake: Make a 2020 cake. The cake does not need to be fancy. A simple cake with white frosting and 2020 in writing does the trick.
    • Ice Cream: Create a sundae bar. A gallon of ice cream, different toppings, and whipped cream make a simple sundae bar for the entire family to enjoy.

Drinks

Serve different family drinks for the evening activities. Of course, water should always be on the menu. But consider sparkling cider or punch for a midnight toast. Homemade hot cocoa is another delicious idea to add to the celebration.

Activities

Plan different activities leading up to midnight.

  • Games: Play board or card games. Sitting together and talking is great for quality family time.
  • Do Crafts: Make paper crowns or hats for the New Year’s Eve celebration. Create themed decorations or art.
  • Movies: Binge-watch your favorite movie or series until midnight.
  • Scavenger Hunt: Hide clues throughout your home to lead to a final treasure.

Making Memories

The best part about spending New Year’s Eve at home is making lasting memories.

  • Photo Booth: Create a photo area. Use a blanket, sheet, shower curtain, or large piece of material for a backdrop. Place different props out. The accessories can be homemade. Make a point to take pictures every hour leading up to midnight.
  • Time Capsule: Create a time capsule. Ask your family or friends questions. For example, what do you want to do when you grow up? The question is simple. But when opening the time capsule, you may find the answer amusing or inspiring.
  • Make Memory Cards: Index cards work well for this type of activity. Ask each of your family members to write out favorite moments in 2019. You may need to help younger children. Encourage drawing. Each card is a perfect addition to a scrapbook or photo album.

Regardless of how you celebrate, enjoy the evening with your family. You only get to ring in 2020 once in your lifetime.

What Are Christmas Crackers?

A British tradition,  Christmas crackers are traceable back to Victorian times. Tom Smith, a confectioner, began adding romantic poems to his bonbons. He would twist the wrapping around the sugary treat with the poem inside. Generally, only men would buy the almond-flavored bonbons to give to women as a romantic gesture.

Sitting by a crackling fire one night, Tom Smith came up with the idea to add the snap sound to the bonbon treats. Eventually, the bonbon name was set aside for the Christmas cracker or Cosaques. The novelty of the Christmas cracker was successful.

The Christmas crackers are colorfully decorated tubes filled with small items. Typically the cracker contains a paper hat, a joke or motto, and a small gift. The jokes inside the crackers are usually ridiculous.

When pulling on the cracker, generally two people tug at each end, a little snap occurs. The fun novelty item is perfect for any holiday celebration.

Homemade Christmas Crackers

Yes, you can make your own Christmas crackers.

  • Use paper tubes.
  • Fill inside with goodies. (When you make your own, you can fill the tubes with age-appropriate items. For example, for adults, you could add one dollar lottery tickets or miniature bottles of alcohol. For teenagers, consider adding lip balms, USBs, or small usable items.)
  • Wrap with tissue paper, cloth, or wrapping paper.
  • Secure the ends with string
  • Decorate with individual names or other items

Did You Know?

In the U.K. on December 20, 2001, the children, staff, and parents at Ley Hill School and Pre-School, Chesham presented the world’s largest Christmas cracker. The cracker measured 207 feet long and 13 feet around. Now, that was a Christmas cracker with a loud bang.

Many design Christmas crackers to promote a business. Using company themed items, the Christmas crackers are given away with logos or other designs on the small trinkets inside.

Millionaire Christmas crackers contain expensive jewelry. The specially made bracelets, earrings, and necklaces are given at fancy parties as extravagant gifts.

Whether you make your own or buy Christmas crackers, add them to your holiday party list. Enjoy the party favors at your next gathering.

 

 

 

Reference: The History of Christmas Crackers. https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/crackers.shtml

 

Please note: “As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Creating a Christmas Season Bucket List

Ushering in a magical time of year, the holiday season is now in full swing. Soon, your schedule will be busy with all sorts of work, school, and other Christmas time commitments. Taking time to enjoy every moment is vital to making long-lasting memories.

Before you realize, Christmas vacation will be here. Get the best out of your holidays, make a Christmas Season Bucket List. Ask your family or friends for ideas on how to make the holiday season more fun. 

Ideas for Your Christmas Season Bucket List

Do you need some inspiration to get your bucket list started? Consider the following activities for your Christmas Season Bucket List. 

  • Decorate for Christmas
  • Put up the Christmas Tree
  • Decorate and hang stockings (don’t forget to add one for your dog)
  • Make your own Christmas ornaments
  • Go to the library to get Christmas-themed books
  • Bake and decorate Christmas cookies
  • Attend a Christmas parade
  • Visit Santa (Yes, even adults can have their picture taking with Santa. Enjoy the season!)
  • Write Santa
  • Make homemade Christmas cards
  • Go to a community event
  • Go caroling
  • Volunteer
  • Decorate a gingerbread house
  • Make holiday goodies to deliver to friends and relatives
  • Go ice skating
  • Host an Ugly Christmas Sweater party
  • Build a snowman
  • Host a Christmas tea
  • Have a Christmas movie marathon 
  • Make homemade hot cocoa (perfect for the movie marathon)
  • Sponsor a child or donate to a local charity
  • Make a Christmas wreath (make an extra one to give to a friend)
  • Ride around to view Christmas lights and other holiday displays 
  • Donate toys and gently used coats to your local charity
  • Make cookies or cupcakes for your local fire department
  • Get a professional Christmas portrait
  • Attend a live Nativity 
  • Go to Christmas services at a local church
  • Host a Christmas craft day
  • Go sledding or snowboarding
  • Play in the snow
  • Build a snowman
  • Call loved ones who live far away

Regardless of what you decide to do, spend quality time with those you love. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures of your activities. Make a Christmas scrapbook. Have fun, and enjoy the Christmas season. 

Christmas Activities on a Budget

For many, Christmas is stressful due to a tight budget. Using a little creativity, you and your family can happily enjoy a budget-friendly holiday season. 

Tree Decorating

Spend an afternoon decorating your Christmas tree. Put on Christmas music or a movie to make the activity more festive. If you need a Christmas tree, check out your local thrift store. When downsizing, many people donate larger artificial trees. 

Make Christmas Ornaments

Yes, you can buy inexpensive ornaments at your local dollar store or at the thrift store. Or you can spend time making homemade ornaments. Salt dough ornaments, construction paper chains, stringed popcorn, canning lid ornaments, and numerous others are simple and inexpensive. Make ornaments as a family activity.

Make Homemade Christmas Cards

Construction paper, glitter, glue, markers, or paint can be found at your local dollar store. Spend time making together making the Christmas cards. When you are finished, hand-deliver the cards. 

Attend a Tree-Lighting Ceremony

Many communities hold tree-lighting ceremonies or present Santa with a key to the city. Attend local events. Generally, outdoor community events are free. 

Attend a Christmas Parade

Christmas parades or light parades are a fun community tradition. Many communities combine the parade with the tree lighting ceremony. 

Attend a Live Nativity

Churches often host live Nativity events. Viewing the Nativity scene does not require you to be a member of the church. Enjoy the evening.Sing carols. Many churches invite people inside to drink hot cocoa and eat cookies. Some churches even set up free activities for children. 

View Christmas Lights

When decorating a home or business, some people go all out. Every part of their property is highly decorated with lights, figures, and other Christmas related items. Take a slow drive around your community and look at the Christmas lights. The outing is a perfect evening activity. Consider packing snacks to enjoy on your night out. 

Visit Santa Claus

 Many places play host to Santa to get you to come inside the business. For younger children, visiting Santa Clause may be a dream come true. Often, candy canes or other small treats are passed out as part of the event. Depending on the business or event, visiting Santa may include live reindeer or photo opportunities. 

 

 

Host a Christmas Movie Night

Pick out a Christmas movie or cartoon to enjoy as a family. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or A Charlie Brown Christmas are two popular favorites. Serve hot cocoa, popcorn, or other snacks. 

 

Make Christmas Cookies

Make a batch or two of your favorite Christmas cookies. Christmas cookies would go fantastic with your movie night. 

Go to the Library

When thinking of Christmas activities, visiting a library is probably not on your list. But go to your local library to check out Christmas-related books. Reading to younger children is a great way to spend quality time. Older children may find Christmas stories fun to read. Many libraries allow you to check out movies, DVDs, or other media to make the holiday season more fun. Also, your local library may have a visit from Santa or other Christmas related events for your family to enjoy. 

Being on a budget doesn’t mean you have to skip on family fun. Enjoy the simple things, the memories you make will last forever.

Go For a Ride Day

Did you know today, November 22, is Go For a Ride Day? Whether you ride a train, bike, scooter, horse, motorcycle, unicycle, or drive a vehicle, go for a ride. Step away from your computer or other technological devices and get outdoors.

How to Celebrate Go For a Ride Day

The unofficial holiday, Go for a Ride Day, focuses on being mobile. Simply get moving. If you do not have the time today, celebrate Go For a Ride Day over the weekend. Do you need different ideas on how to celebrate Go for a Ride Day? Consider the following.

  • Different Route: Whether you out running errands or coming home from work, take a different route. Enjoy the scenery. Discover new areas within your city or hometown.
  • Take a Scenic Ride: Spend some quality time with your family or friends. Pack a lunch. Simply go for a ride without any real destination in mind. Do not forget to take your dog alone. After a long week of busy schedules,  your favorite four-legged companion will enjoy the extra quality time with you.
  • Ride a Train: When was the last time you rode a train for fun? Gather your family together for a memorable experience. During the holiday season, many train companies offer a Polar Express experience.
  • Go for a Bicycle Ride: If weather permits, go for a bike ride. A family bike ride is a wonderful way to celebrate Go for a Ride Day.
  • Visit a Riding Stable: Have you ever wanted to ride a horse? Visit a riding stable to learn the basics. Riding stables have well-trained horses, which are great for first-time riders. After learning the basics, you can ride your horse through paths around the stables.

Regardless of how you pick to celebrate Go For a Ride Day, have fun and enjoy the activities.

Start a New Thanksgiving Tradition

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to give thanks for everything in your life. Gathering friends and family for a bountiful meal is a long-standing holiday tradition. Are you looking for a new tradition to go beyond gathering around the dinner table? Consider the following ideas:

  • Donate one or two turkeys and all the fixings for a family in need
  • Volunteer at a homeless shelter or other community organization
  • Donate groceries or money to your local food bank
  • Invite your elderly neighbor over for Thanksgiving dinner
  • Unplug for social media. (Yes, wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, but then put your device on vibrate.)
  • Bake (or order) an extra pie for your neighbor, dog groomer, hairstylist, postal worker, child’s teacher, bus driver, etc.
  • Stay in your pajamas, eat a buffet-style breakfast, and watch the Thanksgiving parade together
  • Make homemade Thanksgiving decorations, placemats, and name tags
  • Set up a craft area to occupy children while you are preparing the meal.
  • Watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving 
  • Binge-watch your favorite series
  • Host a Friendsgiving
  • If the weather allows, get aside as a family, go for a walk, go for a nature hike, or play touch football.
  • Play cards or board games
  • Participate in a Turkey Trot
  • Go on a trip
  • Take a group photo
  • Write your Thanksgiving blessings on leaf-shaped notecards and hang on a tree. Or collect them to save in your scrapbook

Spending time together is the best tradition. Enjoy each other’s company during the downtime of the busy holiday.

 

Just a quick note: ha“As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”

31 Days of Halloween Fun

Cooler nights, changing leaves, pumpkins, October is the perfect time to enjoy Halloween fun. Whether you participate in activities with friends or family, try out these ideas for 31 Days of Halloween Fun. 

31 Halloween Themed Activities 

  1. Visit a pumpkin patch. Bring home a pumpkin or several 
  2. Decorate for Halloween.
  3. Go to the library or bookstore to find Halloween themed books. 
  4. Make homemade Halloween cards. 
  5. Make monster cookies.
  6. Plan and make a homemade Halloween costume.
  7. Make two loaves of pumpkin bread. One to keep and one to give away to a friend. 
  8. Create a Halloween diorama. 
  9.  Watch classic monster movies. 
  10. Paint zombie, monster, or pumpkin-themed rocks to hide around the neighborhood. 
  11. Make a Halloween themed meal.
  12. Make orange tye-dyed t-shirts.
  13. Go on a haunted hayride.
  14. Walk or drive around to see the different pumpkin and Halloween decorations. 
  15. Tell or write a spooky tale. 
  16. Host a Halloween cartoon movie night. 
  17. Drink freshly pressed cider or warm apple spice cider. 
  18. Create a Halloween playlist. 
  19. Carve pumpkins.
  20. Roast pumpkin seeds.
  21. Visit a haunted house.
  22. Host a Halloween themed craft day. 
  23. Attend a pumpkin weighing contest.
  24. Go through a corn maze. 
  25. Attend a trunk or treat event. 
  26. Go on a haunted tour or ghost walk. 
  27. Host a bonfire night. 
  28. Have a Halloween themed photoshoot for you, your friends, your family, or your dogs. 
  29. Attend a Halloween parade or other community event. 
  30. Host a Halloween party. 
  31. Trick-or-treat. Happy Halloween!

30 Fall Activities

Autumn brings cooler nights, changing leaves, and new opportunities for family fun. Gather your family, friends or even your fur baby and enjoy everything fall has to offer.

30 Fall Activities 

  1. Go to a cider mill to watch apple pressing
  2. Drink cider
  3. Pick apples at a local orchard
  4. Go to a local pumpkin patch
  5. Attend a football game
  6. Host a tailgate
  7. Attend your local highschool homecoming parade
  8. Go for a nature walk
  9. Collect fall fallen leaves
  10. Make homemade hot cocoa
  11. Make a scarecrow
  12. Host a bonfire night
  13. Carve pumpkins
  14. Roast pumpkin seeds
  15. Go through a corn maze
  16. Eat caramel apples
  17. Attend a fall concert
  18. Go on a hayride
  19. Collect and paint acorns
  20. Go to a fall fair or craft show
  21. Go to a local farmer’s market
  22. Take fall family photos
  23. Rake and jump in a pile of leaves
  24. Have a fall BBQ
  25. Go hiking at a local state park
  26. Go on a fall color tour
  27. Host a fall-themed craft day
  28. Do leaf rubbings or other leaf art
  29. Make birdfeeders
  30. Host a fall-themed dinner with finds from the farmer’s market

 

Staycation Ideas for the Holiday Weekend

What is a staycation? The term refers to staying at home or close to home during vacation time. The Labor Day weekend generally provides three days off without school or work commitments. The time can be spent on the road heading toward a travel destination. Or you and your loved ones may participate in staycation activities. Spending a leisure weekend with your family may turn into a lasting memory.

25 Staycation Ideas for Labor Day Weekend

  1. Host a family BBQ
  2. Go hiking
  3. Visit a local landmark
  4. Attend a community event
  5. Go on a picnic
  6. Visit a dog park
  7. Volunteer
  8. Go swimming
  9. Read a book
  10. Eat ice cream
  11. Make banana splits
  12. Go for a walk
  13. Go stargazing
  14. Go miniature golfing
  15. Visit older family members
  16. Go to a farmer’s market
  17. Visit a petting zoo or farm
  18. Relax in a hammock
  19. Host a bonfire
  20. Visit an art gallery or museum
  21. Host a craft day
  22. Go for a bike ride
  23. Go on a local tour
  24. Visit mom and pop style restaurants or businesses
  25. Have a movie or game night