My computer is FINALLY virus free and back home on top of my desk!! I’m so excited I feel like giving something away! But what? Hmmm… my stapler is pretty cool and useful. Nah.  It is Christmas so I’ve got to be a little generous. How about a $25.00 gift certificate to Toys R Us? YES!!!

So, I am going to need you to share my blog with your friends! Not my Facebook page (although that is pretty fabby too) my actual blog! Once I reach 500 blog followers I will pick a winner!! To enter you HAVE to comment below THIS post with the number of friends you’ve shared my blog with.

Let the sharing begin! I’m sure you have some Christmas shopping to finish up and wouldn’t a gift card to TRU help with that? The sooner we get to 500 followers the sooner you can win that card!

Speaking of gifts, here are 4 of our favorite gift giving traditions:

Book-A-Night Advent Count Down

Book a night Advent count down.
Book a night Advent count down.

My kids really love this one! It’s basically a whole month of presents before the actual presents arrive. Each night before bed they get to open one book. We read the stories while eating Christmas cookies and sipping milk. Some nights they can’t wait to take their book to their room to look it over alone. In their rooms. In silence. I think I love this gifting tradition a little more than they do. I pick up gently used books all year from garage sales and the local libraries for a total of 46 books. The girls get a book a night from Dec. 1st-23rd. On Christmas Eve. they get to open a bigger gift of pajamas.

A Cookie for Me, A Cookie for You!

Cookies and cinnamon applesauce ornaments are great for Firefighters, Police Officers, Mail carriers and anyone who likes cookies.
Cookies are great for Firefighters, Police Officers, Mail carriers and anyone who likes cookies.

We make and frost (poorly as pictured above) several dozen cookies to deliver to our local Fire Fighters and Police Officers. Not only is it a great way to show our gratitude, but this tradition also introduces our kids to important community members. They begin to understand who the helpers are and to not be afraid of the men and women in these uniforms.

Share the Craft Love with Friends

Fun little crafty cards for neighborhood friends.
Fun little crafty cards for neighborhood friends.

My little family is really fortunate to live next door to some of the most wonderful people on earth! We like to share some fun homemade crafts with them. I traced each kids foot to make penguins and added colored paper for the belly, the beak and some googly eyes. We made them into cards and delivered personally. We made the trees  by gluing Popsicle sticks, fruit loops cereal and a pretzel to green paper. These are really easy crafts for the age 2-3 crowd.

Making Ornaments

Hand print snow man ornaments are great for the grand parents!
Hand print snow man ornaments are great for the grand parents!

This is one of my favorite ornament gifts. Here is a quick tutorial from Youtube:

If you are giving these away to the grandparents or family you can even attach this little poem:

These aren’t just five snowmen
As anyone can see.
I made them with my hand
Which is a part of me.
Now each year when you trim the tree
You’ll look back and recall
Christmas of 2014
When my hand was just this small!

Each year we buy a new ornament for our kids to put on the tree. The point is to one day hand them a set of ornaments for their own tree in their home. We also make one hand print keepsake ornament. This way we’ll have a set of ornaments ornaments for our own tree when the kids take theirs.

Don’t forget to share my blog with friends and comment below how many friends you shared with! Once I reach 500 followers I’ll pick a winner for a $25.00 Toys R Us gift card!

gift card hands

*This giveaway is now closed*

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0 comments on 4 Easy Gift Giving Traditions AND A Giveaway!

  1. I shared the blog with 32 friends and on my Facebook page. Hopefully they start to follow your awesome blog! Hopefully I win the gift card

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