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Ask your children to help you shop for Christmas gifts for a child in need who is their own age and gender through such programs as Toys for Tots or Operation Christmas Child. Ask your child to help you clean out cupboards and closets to donate food, toys and clothing to the less fortunate. Volunteer as a family to ring the Salvation Army bell in front of a grocery store, help feed the homeless through a local church or nonprofit, or serve others in another hands-on way. De-emphasize materialism and re-emphasize the spirit of togetherness and the spirit of giving. Avoid the stores and use that time instead to write Christmas letters to relatives, visit house-bound friends, host a gently used toy exchange, go Christmas caroling or bake cookies for the neighbors. Encourage random acts of kindness. Ask your kids how they would like to reach out to others this holiday season.
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Making More Meaningful Memories by Kelly Bryan Smith
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any families have set-in-stone holiday traditions that they celebrate every year. Others have specific expectations of dividing their time between different family members, with a fair amount of driving in between. Some families find joy in such rituals, while others have started to see the holiday season as a stressful burden. Does your family need to rethink your holiday plans this year to move away from piles of presents and mountains of expectations? Here are a few ideas to get you started. Making memories together is the best gift of all.
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Consider a Trip
LOW-KEY HOLIDAY TRADITIONS Orleans. Even the least expensive stateroom is likely to offer free gourmet meals, free 24/7 snacks and (non-alcoholic) drinks, a stateroom attendant to make your bed every day, pools and hot tubs, on-ship sports and acKELLY BRYAN SMITH
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ne way to get away from the holiday hustle and bustle is to literally get away. Some families like to get out of town and experience new adventures together instead of presents and parties galore. Getting away for the holidays, whether it is to a state-park cabin or a Caribbean cruise, can also be a great way for families to make new memories together, especially if they have experienced a loss in the previous year such as a death or a divorce. For some, getting out of town can be healing rather than carrying on with the usual traditions as if nothing had happened. For others, familiar traditions bring comfort and stability. One excellent family-friendly vacation is a cruise. Several cruises embark from New
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A quick holiday cruise can be relaxing for parents while stimulating curiosity in kids.
tivities, shows and live music, free toy loaner bags, a library and many more entertainment options for all ages. Most cruises also offer excellent child care on board (often free), so parents can have a little alone time, too. If you are able to splurge a bit beyond the basic cruise package, you might enjoy a little extra pampering in the ship spa or at an onboard specialty restaurant. And when you dock in an exciting locale, there will be a wide variety of adventures to choose from for all ages, interests and budgets. So book your trip, set out the passports, pack some layers, bring a few snacks, throw in the sunscreen, and go! Just don’t forget the stroller if you have little ones. Trust me.
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jacksonfreepress.com
the Spirit of Giving
KELLY BRYAN SMITH
How to Teach Kids
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