LilSugar

lil Tip: Scatter the Presents

LilSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:00:44 -0800

My kids make a killing at Christmas because we have an incredibly generous family and a large circle of friends. But after watching my tots be overwhelmed by gifts in past, this year I broke the rules and allowed them to open some presents early. When my sister came over with a sack of goodies for the lil ones, I let them tear into them. My son and daughter delighted in their loot and their auntie got a proper thank you watching them play with their new name puzzles and games.

There's still much for the kids to look forward to with Santa coming in a few days and family festivities, but in the mean time my son is having a blast circling our Christmas tree on the motorcycle my friend gave him.

Keeping Tabs on Santa Is Just a Click Away For Kids!

LilSugar — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:00:29 -0800

If your darlings are starting to doubt the existence of Santa, northpole.com will make them reinstate their faith. Aside from offering wee ones the opportunity to exchange letters with the jolly old fellow, the online destination gives children a chance to see where St. Nick and the reindeer are with its Santa tracker. It also posts a countdown to Christmas by the day, hour, minute, and second, not to mention that kids can keep tabs on their good deeds or partake in educational activities at the elf clubhouse. Youngsters can take a quick quiz and find out if they are on the naughty or nice list and improve their behavior before the red-suited man arrives on his sleigh!

Are You Overwhelmed by the Holidays?

LilSugar — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 04:00:56 -0800

Good tidings and cheer are the cherry on top of a pretty hectic holiday season. Between getting the kids excited and to festivities and shopping for presents, many a mom gets overwhelmed. Does this happen to you?
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Merry Christmas!

LilSugar — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 08:00:35 -0800

The tree is trimmed, Santa has worked his magic and you've survived another Christmas. So grab a glass of eggnog and enjoy the rest of this wonderful day with your loved and lil ones!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from lilsugar!

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Kiddie Soiree: Holiday Party Ideas

babysugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 05:00:14 -0800

While all the adults are sipping cocktails and eating tasty hors d'oeuvres, the kids can have their own soiree if you give them the right tools and space. Close off a room of the house with a sign that says, "For Kids Only!" so they will feel privileged to have a place of their own. Then show them craft projects and games they can play with each other. Here are some ideas:

Make a candy cane. Using red and white crepe paper, the kids can make candy canes out of each other by having one child hold the loose ends of the crepe paper rolls. The other children can then wrap up that person in a white and red striped pattern. They can take turns being the candy cane.

To see more kiddie soiree ideas, read more.

See how many toys Santa can stuff into his sack. Give the kids one big trash bag and lots of toys. Using a kitchen timer, each child has one minute to see how many toys they can stuff in the bag. They can play this game over and over.
Elves making toys. Set out a bunch of arts and crafts supplies – googly eyes, pipe cleaners, felt pieces, glue, sequins, markers, cotton balls and construction paper and let them get creative with making toys, ornaments, etc.

When they've run out of making things, they can start acting out Santa, the elves, and any other characters they choose. But at least they'll have a head start on the gear! Of course, you'll have to check on them every now and then to make sure all is well, but they'll be so busy that you are sure to get some sipping and snacking in.
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Just a Minute: Edible Garlands

LilSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:00:08 -0800

If you're a last minute tree trimmer like me, then you have probably entered the race to finish things by Christmas. If you don't feel like digging the ornament boxes out of storage and need to occupy the kids, head to the kitchen and make some edible garlands. Pop some popcorn and grab a couple of bags of cranberries and start stringing! The kids will love sampling the treats and your tree will be decorated in no time. Got a real lil one that isn't interested in the task, hand them a box of wrapped candy canes to hook on the tree. Need instruction? To see how to make an edible garland read more

Old Fashioned Popcorn and Cranberry Garland
From Craftmodo

You will need:

Cranberries, fresh
Popcorn - air-popped is best, or microwave popcorn that is natural and not salted or buttered. The popcorn you string should be a day old, fresh popcorn breaks too easily. Make extra as the kids will inevitably consume it as they work.
Heavy duty sewing thread. Waxed dental floss is another choice for the string, it won’t break and can make it easier to slid the cranberries on
Sewing needle. If you don’t want the kids to use a needle, try a toothpick. Securing the string to the toothpick is trickier but can be done
You will need long lengths of thread. Tie a knot at one end and thread the other end through the needle. Each child can work on one length of garland and they can be tied together when they are finished, just leave a couple of inches extra thread at the top when you tie off.
Push the needle through the cranberry and then slide it down the length of the thread to the knotted end. Next do the same with a piece of popcorn. Continue alternating cranberries and popcorn until you have finished the garland length. Tie them all together and hang the garland on the tree.

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Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me: Holidays

LilSugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 12:00:30 -0800

Before babies, holidays were about buying a dry-clean-only cocktail dress and party hopping with my husband. New Year's was the end all involving a preparty, an event, an after bash, not to mention a day to lay on the couch and recover from it all. Oh, how things have changed!

As a mom, the impending celebrations mean marathon-mall trips, turning into a circus act to entertain the lil troops while waiting in line, and holding my tongue so I don't slip about the reality of Santa Claus.

Speaking of which, I'm starting to think the jolly ole guy got off easy. No matter how fat he gets, he still looks snazzy in his red suit and he's got so many employees, all he has to do is make deliveries. St. Nick's never had to navigate his way through a crowded Target with a stocked cart only to find that the crown jewel of all gifts was out of stock. I get the holiday hassle and he gets the glory.

This year's Christmas will again be a race to put up the tree as my mother calls to confirm that I've finally purchased one and we'll make our way to three family events. My husband will build toys in a basement workshop just hours before they are unwrapped, while I tip toe around to display the presents without waking our overly curious kids. But watching our children squeal with excitement Christmas morning makes it well worth the while.

And, they'll be time to relax on New Year's when we skip the social scene, pop some champagne, and ring in 2008 with our lil ones at home.

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Santa's Elves Are Watching!

LilSugar — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:00:36 -0800

Get your kids in the Christmas spirit by making Elf on the Shelf part of your holiday tradition. Created by a mom whose kids wanted to know how Santa knew if they had been naughty or nice, this fun game gets the whole family involved.

The elf's sole responsibility is to watch over your kids and report their behavior back to Santa each night. At the end of the day, move the elf to another location in the house. When your children wake up, they get to track him down in his new spying spot. In addition to having happy kids playing an exciting game, you will have lil ones conscious of their behavior since they know the elf is watching.

Reinventing the Advent Calendar

LilSugar — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:00:05 -0800

The countdown to Christmas has come a long way from the two-for-a-dollar advent calendars I had as a kid.

No more chalky chocolates found behind cardboard doors, now the elaborate calendars can be filled with presents, candies, trinkets, and toys. Several versions are made by toy companies and others are handcrafted keepsakes. And, most of them will set you back a pretty penny.

Whatever you're using to count, when you're a kid 25 days seems to take forever.

Modern Advent Calendar ($46)	LEGO City Advent Calendar ($37)
Chocolate Advent Calendar - 3D House ($10)	Littlest Pet Shop Advent Calendar ($20)
Playmobil Advent Calendar Xmas in the Park ($45)	Hanging Advent Calendar with 24 Ornaments ($20)	Kurt Adler Nativity Advent Calendar with Magnetic Pieces ($60)

Lil Treasures: Letter From Santa

LilSugar — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 06:00:23 -0800

Children barely get a chance to be kids. So I'm a proponent of nearly anything that keeps that childhood sense of awe intact. And, since this is the season when youngsters mail their wish-lists off to the North Pole, what better way to keep the spirit of Christmas alive than with a reply sent straight from Santa?

Since 1952, The Miller Family of the North Pole have been sending Santa letters to boys and girls around the world. For $7.50, parents can order them from Santa Claus House. Each letter is personalized with the recipient's name and has the option for customized text. Postmarked from the North Pole, it has "Santa's Official Mail" seal, a jumbo "Santa's Good List" sticker and a photo of Santa and Mrs. Claus enclosed. Best of all, the letters are available in several formats so siblings can receive different versions and of course, the correspondence arrives just in time for Christmas.