I love the holidays, but as you know, I was slow to come around to them!  So I thought I’d sit down and compile a list of what I can do to make my children and my family’s holiday’s the best EVER!


1) I will start a tradition.  On Christmas Eve, before we go to my Mother In Law’s house for celebrations, my girls and I will bake a birthday cake for Jesus!  Upon arriving home, tired and worn, we’ll sing Happy Birthday to Jesus, have a piece, and tuck ourselves in for the night.  That way, the last thing my children remember before they get showered with gifts from Santa is that the day really is about Jesus!


2)  My children pick out a gift for one another, wrap it, and present it, one daughter to another on Christmas morning.  I want this to teach them about giving to one another.  Plus, I love seeing what they think each other likes!  Some of the items off Hasbro’s Ultimate Gift List would be great choices!


Hasbro 2010 Holiday “ULTIMATE GIFTS” include:
FURREAL FRIENDS BISCUIT, MY LOVIN’ PUP 
(Ages 5 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $199.99/Available: Now)
FURREAL FRIENDS BUTTERSCOTCH MY FURREAL PONY
(Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $299.99/Available: Now)
MONOPOLY ONYX EDITION 
(Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $49.99/Available: Now)
SCRABBLE PREMIER Wood Edition 
(Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $119.99/Available: Now) 
STAR WARS MILLENNIUM FALCON
(Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $179.99/Available: Now)
TRANSFORMERS ULTIMATE BUMBLEBEE
(Ages 5 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $89.99/Available: Now)



3)  This is the first year we actually love to go look at Christmas lights!  So, one night the week before Christmas, we will load up the minivan with cookies and hot cocoa and tool around the neighborhood looking at lights.  With Christmas music in the background, I hope it will be a memory my girls will always cherish!


4)  Christmas shaped pancakes on Christmas morning is something I have always wanted to do!  I want to do stockings with my kids names on them, sitting under a decorated tree.  This might be a lofty tradition, but I want to start it!


5)  My husband and I have recorded every holiday movie that has been on since Halloween!  We now, a week before Christmas, replay one with popcorn and milk, the entire family crammed in our bed, until past their bedtime!  We love that uninterrupted family time!


6)  Stress is a big factor during the holidays.  From not enough money to not enough time.  I am trying to counter balance that stress by doing a little at a time.  I am sending out cards in chunks, wrapping a few gifts at a time, and only taking a few giftees names at  time to the store!  It is really helping!


7)  We are going to Church.  Come snow, sleet, or hail… we are going to Church!  We don’t go as often as I would like, to be honest.  But we need to make Christmas mass a required event.  Again, I want my girls to know why we have Christmas.


8)  Take time away.  During the holidays, it is important to keep up regular family time and relax a little with no holiday interruptions.  We are continuing with family game night.  No theme except togetherness!  Our girls count on it now for that connective need!


9)  Though I want my girls to understand that my husband works hard to provide for this family, we believe in letting them believe!  We want them to write letters to Santa, bake cookies for under the tree, and lay out Raindeer “sparkles” so that he can find this house!


10)  We want to remember to have fun and relax about the holidays.  So what if we can not get every little thing we want to for our kids this year.  Or if we can’t give our family nice gifts like we used to.  We just want to be there.  And we are really trying to remember that and make relaxing a tradition as well!


About Hasbro Ultimate Gifts
Celebrate the season through a limited time collection of toys and games by Hasbro:
http://www.hasbro.com/ultimategifts!


About Hasbro, Inc.
Hasbro, Inc. is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company’s world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, video games and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its customers through the strategic leveraging of well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY.

 The Hub, Hasbro’s multi-platform joint venture with Discovery Communications launched on October 10, 2010. The online home of The Hub is www.hubworld.com. Come see how Hasbro inspires play through their brands at http://www.hasbro.com. 

More info: http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com 



“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Hasbro Ultimate Gifts blogging sweepstakes, making me eligible to get a $50 Gift card to use at www.HasbroToyShop.com! For more information on how you can participate, click here.” (make sure you link to: http://www.twittermoms.com/forum/topics/blogging-sweepstakes-share-ten)