Tag: family activities

Celebrating Christmas in July

Social distancing, the news, and other regular commitments add stress and worry to daily living. Taking the time to celebrate whimsical, unofficial holidays gives you a chance to relax. Celebrating Christmas in July is all about having fun in the middle of summer. A small taste of Christmas bliss may be an added blessing.

The history of celebrating Christmas in July seems unclear with different versions of the beginning. For the most part, the origin of the unofficial celebration began at a Keystone Camp in 1933 in Brevard, North Carolina. The two-day event, July 24 and 25, had all the holiday trimmings, including Santa Claus (Milbrand, 2020). Over time, Christmas in July has grown to include marketing campaigns, festivals, movies, and much more.

How to Celebrate Christmas in July

Celebrating Christmas in July can be a smaller version of your regular holiday activities. Do you need some inspiration on how to celebrate Christmas in July? Check out the following.

  • Watch Movies: Enjoy your seasonal favorites twice a year. Watch Christmas movies or cartoons, Make the activity part of your regular family night.
  • Elf on the Shelf: Is the Elf on the Shelf part of your holiday celebration? Bring him or her out as a mid-year check-in.
  • Bake: Make seasonal holiday treats. Christmas cookies are a great addition to family night.
  • Send Cards: No, they do not need to be Christmas cards, just the sentiment of thinking of you and wishing you well.
  • Decorate: Include some holiday decorations to celebrate Christmas in July. You can either pull out all of your Christmas decorations or hang a few twinkle lights as a more subtle way to celebrate.
  • Family Meal: Make the traditional Christmas family meal or host a BBQ to enjoy the summer season.
  • Do Crafts: Make wreaths, ornaments, or other seasonal items. The best part, put these items away to decorate at Christmas.
  • Exchange Gifts: When giving gifts as part of your Christmas in July celebrations, think stocking stuffers. Small, inexpensive gifts for your child to use. Also, do not forget the dog.

Celebrating Christmas in July provides you with a chance to prepare for the holiday season. Use the mid-summer celebration as a template of the activities you want to do at Christmas time.

 

Reference:

Milbrand, Lisa. (2020). https://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/christmas-in-july

National Sugar Cookie Day

Did you know today, July 9th is National Sugar Cookie Day? What is the best way to celebrate Sugar Cookie Day? Make cookies. Sugar cookies are often a holiday treat, especially around Christmas. But with everyone staying close to home these days, making a batch of sugar cookies is a great afternoon activity.

Dating back to the mid-1700s, the sugar cookie was a creation of German Protestant settlers in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. First known as the Nazareth Cookie, the original was crumbly, buttery, and round. Today, bakers take great pride in creating masterpiece designs out of sugar cookie dough.

If you don’t have a personal sugar cookie recipe, check out Pinterest, the wonderful go-to site. Basically, sugar cookies consist of common pantry ingredients including sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla, butter, and baking powder. Decorating and designing sugar cookies are the best part.

Take a moment, enjoy National Sugar Cookie Day. The tasty treat can easily be part of a family fun night. Board games anyone?

 

Reference:

(2020). National Sugar Cookie Day. https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-sugar-cookie-day-july-9

Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July at Home

Are you staying home for the 4th of July? You are not alone. Finances, the weather, social distancing, or health concerns are keeping many people at home this year for Independence Day. Staying at home doesn’t necessarily mean a boring holiday. With little preparation, you can make this 4th of July memorable for your family.

Ideas to Celebrate Independence Day at Home

Enjoy being at home with your family on Independence Day. Create new family traditions or expand on older ones.

Food and Treats

One of the best parts of any holiday is food. The 4th of July is an excellent time to get outdoors.

  • Host a BBQ: Whether you host a BBQ for just your family or a few friends, grilling out on the 4th of July is a tradition. In addition to grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, potato salad, macaroni salad, beans, and chips are perfect for hosting a BBQ.
  • Picnic: If you want to stay close to home but get outdoors, go on a picnic. Local and state parks are open. Being outdoors is a wonderful way to get fresh air and enjoy the sun.
  • Sundae Bar: Buy a couple different flavors of ice cream and all the fixings. Red, white, and blue sprinkles are a perfect holiday topping. Whipped topping, chocolate chips, flavored toppings, and nuts are other welcomed favorites for ice. Allow your children to create their own masterpieces.
  • Piñata: Buy a piñata as part of your holiday celebration. Your children will enjoy the candy and prizes.

Games

Keeping children busy on the 4th of July helps produce lasting memories. If the weather permits, play games outdoors. Do you need some ideas? Go old school.

  • 3-Legged Race
  • Burlap Bag Race
  • Water Balloon Toss
  • Scavenger Hunt
  • Crafts
  • Slip and Slide
  • Playing in the Sprinkler

Crafts

Are you looking for a low-key 4th of July celebration or a place for children to relax in the shade? Setting up a craft table is simple. Just remember to stick to the red, white, and blue theme.

  • Tie-Dye T-Shirts: Purchase red and blue dye to add color to white t-shirts. Provide rubber bands to make different markings on the shirts. A tie-dye t-shirt is a perfect take-home gift or memorable experience.
  • Make Necklaces: Red, white, and blue pony beads are inexpensive. Provide trays of beads to all your children, and guests make necklaces or bracelets.
  • Make Crowns: Posterboard, glitter, red, white, and blue construction paper are great for making crowns.

Bonfire

Host a bonfire. Roast marshmallows for S’mores and enjoy an evening under the stars.

Fireworks

With many fireworks canceled, you may want to set a few off for your family to enjoy. Sparklers are always a fun tradition for the entire family to enjoy. If you are setting off larger fireworks, be courteous, and let your neighbors know your plans.

The 4th of July is a time to celebrate freedom. But there is no right or wrong way to celebrate Independence Day. Ordering pizza and watching fireworks on television can be a fun-filled night for your family.

Celebrating the Summer Solstice

Most people associate the first day of summer with the 3-day Memorial weekend. But technically this year, on June 20, 2020, the northern hemisphere will officially begin the first day of summer. Staying light longer, the sun will finally reach the furthest northern point in the sky. The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year. After the summer solstice, the days will begin to lose light.

Ways to Celebrate the Summer Solstice

Different cultures have a wide range of traditions to welcome the summer. Unfortunately, due to recent health mandates, social distancing, and stay at home guidelines, many festivals and celebrations are canceled this year. But do not let all the restrictions keep you from celebrating the summer solstice.

  • Go Hiking: Numerous parks are open to the public. Yes, social distancing still applies to the trails, but you still can enjoy the great outdoors. Hike a new trail. Spend an extra hour outdoors. Hiking is good for the entire family. Even young children can enjoy easy trails. Of course, don’t forget your dog.
  • Go for a Walk: A simple walk around the block can be refreshing. Walk to your local park. The playground equipment may still be inaccessible. But enjoy the different paths throughout the park. If you are working, go for a short walk on your lunch break.
  • Enjoy Nature: Take a leisurely stroll in your local park to enjoy nature. Take along binoculars and a camera to capture your view. If you are allowed, pick wildflowers, collect rocks, and other nature items to use for craft projects later.
  • Meditate or Pray: Sitting outside in nature is the perfect time to reflect. Give yourself time to meditate or pray.
  • Watch the Sunrise or Sunset: Taking a moment out of your day to simply watch the sunrise or set, gives you a chance to relax and destress.
  • Cook a Feast: Okay, a simple BBQ or a picnic will do the trick. But cooking a meal and enjoying the celebration as a family is a great way to honor the changing season.
  • Host a Bonfire: If you haven’t used your fire pit this year yet, the summer solstice is the perfect day to start. Build a small fire, watch the sunset, and marvel at the stars. Oh, and don’t forget the chocolatey, marshmallow goodness of S’mores.
  • Celebrate Virtual: Due to restrictions, many popular sites, including Stonehenge, are celebrating the summer solstice online. Watch the sunrise or set, listen to music, or watch an event.

Regardless of the way you celebrate the solstice, enjoy the summer day. Summer goes by quickly. Soon, the cold weather will return.

Art Ideas: Painting

Are you looking for art ideas to keep your children busy? Finding different projects are a perfect way to keep your children busy during rainy days, social distancing, and self-isolation. Art is an endless activity. One of the most accessible art projects to implement is painting. With a little creative twist, different painting activities can keep the boredom away.

Painting

Painting goes beyond simply applying paint with a brush on canvas or paper. Check out these other ideas for painting.

  • Texture Paint: Adding sand or sawdust to small amounts of paint creates texture paint. The difference in textures is a great learning tool for implementing a unique art medium.
  • Finger Paint: Use your fingers to create art. Finger painting is a fun way to create pictures. Finger paint on newspaper, magazines, canvas, poster board, or paper. Each provides different results.
  • Sponge Painting: Cut a sponge or two up into multiple size pieces or shapes. Dip the sponge in the paint to create different results.
  • String Painting: Dip string or yarn into the paint, place on paper, fold the paper in tow, then pull the string through the folded paper. The results are different every time.
  • Diluted Paint Art: Color a picture with crayons. Press hard with the crayons to apply a thick layer. Then, dilute your desired paint color with a little water and paint your entire picture. Another variation of diluted painting starts with a piece of black construction paper. Use light-colored crayons to create an image. Then, dilute white paint to finalize the project.
  • Marble Painting: Place a piece of paper on a tray or cookie sheet with sides. Dip your marbles in the desired colored paint. Place a marble on paper, gently lift the sides of the try from side to side. Your marble will create tracks with paint. Using more marbles with various colors creates a wide range of results.
  • Pot Scrubby Painting: A pot scrubby is generally a wire mesh used to wash pots and pans. The pot scrubby can come with a wooden handle, but most are just a bunch of wire. Dip the pot scrubby in paint and apply it to paper. The results will vary depending on the thickness of your scrubby.
  • Cloth Painting: Remnants from your favorite craft outlet work great for this project or a plain old t-shirt. Cut your desired amount of cloth for the project. Secure the piece of fabric with an embroidery hoop or tape to a flat surface. Next, paint a picture on the fabric. Remember, cloth paintings usually take longer to dry.
  • Nature Art: When out for a walk, collect rocks, sticks, leaves, or acorns. If you do not live near a wooded area, you can purchase rocks at your local dollar store. Next, paint on the items from your nature walk.

Painting is a fun way to pass the time. Indulging in art expands the imagination, vocabulary, fine motor, and social skills. Now the tough question, what project are you going to do first?

Celebrating May the Fourth Be With You at Home

Celebrating George Lucas’ Star Wars, May 4th is known as May the Fourth Be With You. For diehard fans, the catch slogan is a play on words to the catchphrase “May the Force Be With You.” A general wish of good luck or goodwill as a person leaves to go on a mission. With social distancing and self-isolation, celebrating May the Fourth Be With You means staying close to home. But, the day still can be lots of fun.

How to Celebrate May the Fourth Be With You at Home

Beginning in May 1977, Star Wars enticed theater and drive-in goers around the globe. Through the years, other installments were released only to further the storyline. Today, fans enjoy movies, animated series, and a new television series, The Mandalorian, all adding to the beautiful world of the Star Wars franchise. So, how do you celebrate the day at home? Check out the following ideas:

Yes, I still own y VCR versions of Star Wars.
  • Binge-Watch: From the first Star Wars, the prequels and the sequels, there is plenty to binge to celebrate May the Fourth Be With You. Not to mention, the new series on Disney+, The Mandalorian, centering on The Child, the show provides hours of entertainment. For added fun, host an online watch party. Enjoy Star Wars with your friends.
  • Read: The Star Wars Universe has numerous books and comics. Grab your favorite blanket, cuddle with your four-legged companion, and just read.
  • Audio: If you are cleaning or doing yard work, try listening to Star Wars. The different stories are brought to life while you continue to do your work.
  • Play Games: Do you have a Star Wars-themed video game or board game? Today is the perfect day to play. Gather your family together, grab your favorite game, and have fun.
  • Set Up a Photo Shoot: Using a sheet or blanket as a backdrop, set up your own photo session. Wear your Star Wars apparel, act out scenes, and have fun with the extra time on your hands.
  • Get Crafty: Star Wars is full of unique characters and creatures. Use the different species as inspiration for crafts. For example, make homemade modeling clay (the recipe is on Pinterest). Use the clay to make a Star Wars-themed creature of your own.
  • Cook a Meal or Dessert: Ever tried galactic meatballs or out of this world spaghetti? Adding a space name to any food is an excellent way for children to enjoy the day without a lot of added fuss. Use your imagination, prepare an entire meal or snack with different names.

For avid fans of the franchise, celebrating May the Fourth Be With You is an added bonus. Due to the recent health issue, staying home is the norm for this year. But being indoors does not need to be boring. Enjoy your time together. Soon, the parks will open, conventions will be running, and you will be able to take part in larger celebrations. Until then, May the Force Be With You.

May the Force Be With You, always. This is actually above my kitchen sink.

 

 

May Photo Prompts

For many, May still brings stay-at-home requests and social distancing. Even with these mandates in place, you still can have fun with photos. Grab your cell phone or favorite camera to see the world through the lens. You may find your interpretations of the world around you completely fascinating. Do you need some photo prompts for inspiration? Check out the following list for May:

  1. Selfie (Start the month with a new selfie)
  2. Morning
  3. Paper
  4. Green
  5. Flowers
  6. Favorite View
  7. Reflection
  8. Smile
  9. Beverage
  10. Mother’s Day (US)
  11. Happy
  12. Grateful
  13. Black and White
  14. Up Close
  15. Clouds
  16. Green
  17. Shadows
  18. To the Right
  19. To the Left
  20. Shapes
  21. Meal
  22. Nature
  23. Shiny
  24. Down Low
  25. Memorial Day (US)
  26. Motion
  27. Weather
  28. Photo of Another Photo
  29. Group of 3
  30. Peace
  31. Stepping Through a Door

Hopefully, the May photo prompts will inspire you to post photos on social media. Or print the photos to hang on your wall.

Celebrating Easter at Home

Celebrating Easter at home may not have been your original plan. Yes, the big family gatherings will not happen this year. Canceled Easter Egg hunts, church services, and other events are inevitable. The pandemic brings changes to protect your health.  But there are still numerous ways to make Easter special.

Start by turning off the news. Unplug from your devices. Set your cell phone to vibrate. Simply enjoy the quality time with the ones you love.

Make a Family Meal

Dust off your baking skills and cook a homemade family meal to enjoy together. Do not forget dessert. Bake some cookies or other special treats to celebrate Easter. When baking, ask your children to help. Even younger children can help pour, measure, or stir the batter. The quality time will turn into a lasting memory. For added fun, decorate the table together.

Do you want to do something different than a traditional Easter meal?

  • Pull out the grill and BBQ for Easter.
  • If the weather is warm, consider an outdoor picnic. Or set up a picnic in your living room.
  • Order from a local restaurant. Many food establishments are still open for delivery and curbside pickup.

Dress Up for a Family Photo

Most cameras come with a self-timer, which is perfect for a family photo. Dress up in your Sunday best. Yes, you can take off your good clothes after the picture. The photo will be a lasting reminder of celebrating Easter at home.

Set Up a Photo Booth

 Using a sheet, tablecloth, or bare spot on the wall for background creates an instant photo booth. Pull out hats, scarves, beaded jewelry, and other accessories to add to the fun. Use a poster board, index cards, or construction paper to make photo props. Bunny ears, an Easter 2020 sign, mustache, big smiles, or glasses are easy to make. Place your prop cut-outs on wooden dowels, popsicle sticks, or hold with a clip clothespin.

Dye Easter Eggs

Even if you do not have any Easter dye, you still can color eggs. Use food coloring, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and boiling water to make a color mixture of your choice. Stir the solution, allow the contents to cool, and dye your eggs.

Listen to a Church Service

Numerous churches are hosting services online. Listen to an Easter service before starting your day. The words may bring you comfort and joy this Easter season.

Do Easter Crafts

Spend the afternoon, crafting as a family. Do not know where to start? Pinterest has numerous ideas for Easter crafting.

  • Paint or Draw an Easter scene
  • Cut out Easter eggs from construction paper or plain paper to design.
  • Make collages out of everyday materials, including cotton balls, magazine pictures, cloth scraps, etc.
  • Paint Easter eggs.
  • Make placemats for your meal.

Call Loved Ones

Easter is definitely different this year with social distancing and self-isolating. But, you still can keep in touch with loved ones. Call, text, message, or video chat with friends and family.

 

How to Celebrate Make Up Your Own Holiday Day

Did you know today, March 26, is Make Up Your Own Holiday day? The holiday is perfect for entertaining children at home. The best part, there is no right or wrong answer to the celebration.

Ways to Celebrate Make Up Your Own Holiday Day

Get the entire family to participate. Ask questions. Enjoy your quality time. Do you need some inspiration? Check out the list below.

Food

Turn mealtime into a celebration. For example, a simple pasta dinner can quickly turn into a spaghetti celebration.

  • Placemats: Get creative. Make placemats out of construction paper or draw designs on plain notebook paper.
  • Decorations: Ask your children to draw or create decorations for the special holiday. Make a centerpiece for the table.
  • Create the Mood: Use your Christmas or special plate settings. Cut around the edges of paper plates to make distinctive designs.
  • Add a Treat: Bake a special dessert. Yes, cookies count.

Animal

Pick an animal to celebrate for the Make Up Your Own Holiday day. A wild animal, an ocean dweller, stuffed animal, or your favorite pet can be part of the celebration.

  • Draw: Use crayons or markers to draw a picture of the animal. Drawing is a great way to expand your child’s imagination. (Yes, you can draw too.)
  • Paint: Use watercolors, acrylics, or make your own paint to create a picture.
  • Story Time: Ask your child to write a story about the animal. If your child is young, write the story down.
  • Research: If celebrating a wild animal or a dinosaur, spend some time researching. Where does the animal live? How big does the animal get? What does the animal eat? Each answer is a great way to learn.

Place

Celebrate a place. The location can be anywhere in the world, outer space, fictional lands, or entirely imaginary.

  • Real Places: Learn about a different country. Base your evening meal on the country’s culture. Get creative. Do crafts about the country. Or simply just research and learn.
  • Outer Space: Learn about the planets, moon, black holes, or the stars.
  • Fictional Worlds: Celebrate the fictional places in your child’s favorite book or movie. For example, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone introduce the reader to Hogsmeade. The fictional village is a perfect fictional location to celebrate Make Up Your Own Holiday day.

Movie or Book

Create a celebration focusing on a film or book. How many times have you watched the movies Frozen or Frozen 2? Or how many times have you or your family members read the Harry Potter series? Books and films are a fantastic resource to make up an unofficial holiday. The celebration can be as simple as watching a movie. Or elaborate as turning the entire day into craft activities, food, and fun.

Remember celebrating Make Up Your Own Holiday can be an excellent way to entertain your family while at home.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I know this year’s celebrations are probably not going as planned. But I wanted to take the time to wish my followers a Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Being in Michigan, all of the bars and dine-in restaurants are closed. Both a popular choice for celebrating the holiday. But I am a firm believer in making the best out of the situation.

  • Celebrate at home.
  • Make a special meal or dessert.
  • Download a St. Patrick’s Day-themed movie.
  • Listen to Irish music.- Celtic Thunder is my favorite.
  • Do St. Patrick Day crafts.

The celebration may not be the same. But I am confident, the day will be memorable.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!