1. My absolute favorite Children’s Christmas book is really more of a winter story. It’s A Stranger In The Woods by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick. I fell in love with this book when my son was a baby. I’m an image person, and I love beautiful images. This book is loaded with beautiful woodland scenes and animals. It’s the story of two kids who build a snowman in the woods to feed the animals.

2. A childhood favorite is the classic The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore. I still love to listen to this Christmas tale, even though I can recite it by heart. It’s a must read every holiday season.

3. Next on my list is one of my favorite Dr. Suess stories, How The Grinch Stole Christmas. I love this classic tale, it’s so fun to read.

4. We’re Eric Carle fans at our house, so of course Big Snow has to make the list of Christmas favorites.

5. A recent favorite is Max and Ruby’s Christmas Tree. I’m a big Max and Ruby fan, and this is a delightful Christmas story.

A couple others that almost made the list include Polar Express, and Charlie Brown Christmas. Please share your favorite Christmas story books.

Images: Amazon.com

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It turned out to be a really cute family movie. It’s a little bit like the movie Home Alone, only the dog is the one home alone. The movie is a little silly funny at times, but kids will love it!

Zeus (voiced by Mario Lopez) is a former police dog who lost his bark. He ends up at the pound, and is adopted by a family looking for a good guard dog. The family discovers Zeus can’t bark, and begin to doubt their choice. When the family leaves on Christmas Eve and a pair of thieves try to break in, Zeus rediscovers his inner dog.

We definitely enjoyed the movie. It’s a cute holiday movie for the kids, I’m sure we’ll watch it again before Christmas gets here.

The Dog Who Saved Christmas will be available December 8th from major retailers, and is available now for pre-order at Amazon.com.

Image: Anchor Bay Entertainment

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1. The new Our Generation Dolls from Battat are great for encouraging little girls to use their imagination. The dolls each have their own unique personality and adventure they’re ready to go on with your child.

Image Battat

2.The  BFC Ink Dolls come in two different sizes, a smaller fashion doll, and a larger doll your little girl can carry around wherever she goes. The BFC Ink Dolls each have their own unique personality, and there’s even a set of twin dolls.

Image: Amazon

3. The myWallaby Doll Carrier, because every little girl needs a way to carry her favorite doll with her every place she goes. The myWallaby Doll Carrier can fit most doll sizes, and has a handy pouch at the bottom that can easily be activated to accommodate dolls larger dolls. It also features extra pouches so girls can carry their favorite accessories.

Image: myWallaby

4. The New Easy Bake Oven~ Remember the Easy Bake Oven from your childhood? The latest Easy Bake Oven is still inspiring future bakers to create that cake or cookie masterpiece.

Image: Easy Bake

5. Cabbage Patch is back and ready for play, with the new Pop ‘n Style Cabbage Patch Kids from Jakks-Pacific. The new Pop n’ Style Cabbage Patch Kids come ready for hair styling fun. Each doll has comes with her own hair extensions that snap into place, and they of course come with the authentic Cabbage Patch birth certificate and adoption papers.

Image: Jakks-Pacific

6. Hannah’s Kittens are an adorable, and unique Christmas gift that any little girl would love. Hannah’s kittens are ultra fancy kittens that come sitting in a basket of satin and marabou, and arrive in their own chic, pink hat box.

Image: Hannah’s Kittens

7. Tinker Bell’s Pop Up Tea Kettle is perfect for the Tinker Bell fan on your Christmas list.

Image: Disney

8. Dora’s back and she’s all grown up with new friends and ready to play with the new Dora Links and the Explorer Girls. Children can go on online adventures with Dora and her friends to help them solve mysteries.

Image: Amazon

9. The Littlest Pet Shop has several fun new sets for Christmas 2009, including the Littlest Pet Shop Pet Daycare Center, so now your pets have a place to go play while your child is away.

10. The Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker or Candy Jewel Factory will be favorites for little girls who love to get in touch with their creative side. Kids can design their own cupcakes, or make their own edible jewelry.

Image: Jakks-Pacific

There are many other great toy ideas for girls out there, but these are some of my favorites. If you have a toy idea you think would be great for little girls, feel free to leave it in the comment section.

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I mixed up one tablespoon of sugar sprinkles (red and green) with one tablespoon of rolled oats. Then we sprinkle it in the yard on Christmas eve.

Do you put food out for Santa’s reindeer ?

Image (c) L Gerlach

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I have some toys I’m going to take to a local donation center this Friday. I’d planned on doing it today, but our roads are more fit for ice skaters than cars, so I guess I’ll have to wait.

You can also make a donation to Toys for Tots online, if you don’t have any toys, or can’t make it to a drop off center, and still want to help.

There are a lot of people out there struggling to purchase Christmas gifts this year, so I’m sure every little bit will help.

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You can make ornaments, or let them come up with a theme and decorate it with their own toys or collections. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Race car or Webkinz(tm) themed Christmas trees:

Snowmen themed Christmas trees:

Popular characters like Hannah Montana(tm), Barbie(tm) or Star Wars(tm) make cute trees, and especially if your child already has a collection.

Use your child’s favorite hobbies for inspiration:

Or their favorite sport, or sports team:

Or make your own ornaments:

Whatever you and your children come up with. If you have a fireplace mantle, or buffet table they would be perfect for showcasing your child’s own individual trees. It doesn’t have to cost a ton of money, just use what you already have, or create your own decorations from scratch. The most important thing is to have fun with it and help your children create their masterpiece.

All Children’s Christmas tree images (c) L Gerlach all rights reserved

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To make your own hand print Santa with your kids:

What you’ll need

• scissors
• glue
• cotton balls
• white paint
• construction paper (white, tan, red, green, black)

How to make it:

1. Start by dipping the palm of their hand in white paint. Make a print of their hand toward the bottom of a sheet of green construction paper.
2. Cut a head and nose out of tan construction paper and glue it to the top of the hand.
3. Cut a santa shaped hat out of red construction paper, and eyes out of black construction paper. Glue both in place.
4. Cut a hat brim out of white construction paper, or line the bottom of his hat with pulled apart cotton balls to make a brim. Glue a white cotton ball to the tip of his hat.
5. You can also use white construction paper or cotton balls for his mustache, and eyebrows.

These Santas are quite simple to make, and they turn out really cute, and you’ll have a hand print from your child. Date the hand print Santa and write your child’s name and age on the back. They make wonderful handmade gifts for grandparents.

They’d go really well with hand print Christmas trees.

Hand Print Santa Image (c) L Gerlach

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Here’s a cute recipe for a Hot Chocolate Mix Jar adapted from Ball’s Fresh Preserving(tm).

Hot Chocolate Mix Jar

What you’ll need:

• 1 Ball wide mouth quart jar
• 1 Ball wide mouth lid and band
• 7" square of blue (or holiday) printed fabric
• 1 Grossgrain ribbon 13" long by 1" wide blue
• 1 Grossgrain ribbon 13" long by 3/8" wide white
• 1 Grossgrain ribbon 30" long by 1/8" wide blue
• Paper images (from scrapbook paper, wrapping paper, cards , or stickers) If you want to duplicate the look here you’ll need two snowmen, a small mug image, and a shovel.
• 2 1/8" x 3 1/2" scrapbook paper, for gift card
• 3 snowflake buttons
• Clear 1/4 cup measuring cup
• Craft Glue Dots
• 3-1/4" foam layering circles
• Hot chocolate mix
• Scissors
• Pinking Shears
• Paper Punch
• Ruler

How To Make It:

1. Read all the instructions and gather all of the supplies above before you get started.
2. Assembling the Jar~ Draw a 6" diameter circle on the back of the fabric, and cut out the circle with pinking shears. Fill the jar with the hot chocolate mix. Place the lid on the jar, center the fabric, and twist on the jar band.
3. Cut a 2 1/2" x 3 1/4" snowman (or chosen) image for the front of the jar, and attach it with the glue dots.
4. Wrap the wide blue ribbon around the jar and over the lower edge of the snowman image, securing the ends at the back of the jar with glue dots.
5. Repeat with the white ribbon, centering it over the blue ribbon.
6. Attach the snowman and shovel images to the front of the jar with glue dots.
7. Fold the 2 1/8" x /3 1/2" scrapbook paper in half to form a gift card. Center and attach the mug image to the front of the card.
8. Use the paper punch to punch a hole in the upper left hand corner of the gift card.
9. Wrap the thin blue ribbon around the jar and tie it in a knot.
10. Thread one end of the ribbon through the holes in the measuring cup, and the gift card. Tie the ribbon into a bow to secure the cup and card.
11. Use glue dots to glue the snowflake buttons to the top of the jar as a finishing touch.

You don’t have to use blue and snowmen, you can use green, red, silver, or gold fabric with any Christmas image. You can also adapt this for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Mother Days, a teacher’s gift, or any other occasion you can think of. Just change the ribbon, and the images you use to fit.

It can be a lot of fun to make handmade gifts with your child. Start a new family tradition, and spend some time together crafting gifts for family and friends this holiday season.

Image via Ball(tm)

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What you’ll need:

• Ice cream (candy cane, or mint ice cream are very festive)
• Whipped topping
• Sugar cones
• Red melting chocolate, or white melting chocolate with red chocolate coloring
• M & M candies, or chocolate chips

Melt the chocolate according to the package microwave directions in a flat bowl, or baking dish. I usually melt the chocolate in the microwave for 15-20 seconds at a time until the chocolate is smooth and melted. Roll the cones in the chocolate to coat the outside, then sit upright on a plate, or foil to cool and dry. You can make these ahead, and have them ready for the Santa cones.

Scoop a ball of ice cream, and place it on top of the cone, press down hard. Flip the cone upside down on the plate, and add chocolate chips, or candies for eyes and a nose. When you’re ready to serve them swirl whipped topping for Santa’s beard, hat brim, and the pom pom on top of his hat.

Let your kids have fun rolling the cones, adding the eyes, and whipped topping, and see what they create. They don’t last long, so make them when you’re ready to eat them.

Enjoy!

Image (c) L Gerlach

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