Building Holiday Traditions as a Single Mom with Hallmark Northpole

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The holiday season with children as a single mom is different than when I was married. My kids are not with me every holiday every year and that can make for a very hard season. This year, I have them Thanksgiving and New Years but they are at their dads for Christmas. So my past traditions that surround my kids being here all the time are having to change. This is the way it will be for the next decade so I have to start Building Holiday Traditions as a Single Mom. The other day, walking through Walmart, I passed the Hallmark Northpole aisle and I suddenly had ideas for some new traditions!

If you have not heard yet, the Hallmark original movie, Northpole, is coming to the Hallmark Channel on November 15, 2014. Starring Tiffany Thiessen of Beverly Hills 90210 fame and Josh Hopkins, it is sure to be a family favorite all season long. The story about a single mom trying to save the town of Northpole is one I will definitely want to see.

To help celebrate this sure to be heartwarming movie, Hallmark Northpole toys, books and more are now at Walmart! I went to get one or two things to hand over to my kids to play with and ended up buying almost the entire line, planning traditions and presents for under the tree as I went. So, though you see my purchases in this post, you will not see my kids. Because these toys and books are so incredible that I will be handing them over as the days of tradition start, and not before. I don’t want them to lose their shine before my new traditions begin!

Here are some traditions I will be starting this year with my kids:

1) Baking ‘around’ St Nick’s Day – Since my kids won’t be here Christmas week, I have looked at the calendar and picked some key dates to celebrate. December 6 is St Nicks Day and also a dad weekend. So I will be picking a day ‘around’ that to start a baking tradition! Using the awesome Bake like an Elf baking tools with recipe cards, I can crowd the girls around and create some of the awesome recipes. I want to try the Sparkle’s Gingerbread Cookies and Grandma Gilly’s Winter Magic Sugar Cookies. With the super cute jingle bell measuring spoon and the elf measuring mitten and stocking, the girls each have something to use to help me create a warm tradition I hope to carry on year after year!

2) A Snowball Fight – We live in Texas so the possibility of it snowing long enough to get an actual snowball is slim. Luckily, as part of the Hallmark Northpole collection, they have the Magic snowballs! These soft and fluffy ‘balls’ light up when they land making the perfect – and safe – snowball for a fight! They are less than $3 each so I purchased 3. One for each of the girl’s stockings. My plan is to engage them in a snowball fight as tradition every year after their stocking are opened! That way, they burn off some excitement before presents and we have a little more time to enjoy the stuffers too!

3) Snuggling with Holiday Books before Christmas – Sure, my girls and I always love to sit and read. But since they are gone Christmas Eve this year, I will miss the pre-Christmas book reading marathon. So, I am moving it to the week before through New Year’s! I will gift a book a night, one child per night, the weekend before they leave and we will read late into the night with awesome holiday books. I armed myself with three books – one for each girl. The Once Upon A Northpole Christmas story book + Find me Santa Snowflake for my oldest, the Snowball the Polar Bear Plush and Book Combo for my youngest and the Lights on Lights Off Storybook for my middle daughter.

Each book offers a unique story and ‘extra’ for each child to enhance the story. The Once Upon A Northpole Christmas storybook is a colorful, festive story about a little boy and a Christmas that almost wasn’t. The glowing snowflake attached will be a great thing to hang on the tree and use to explain that Santa still comes and leaves good little girls and boys gifts even if they are not at home.

See the video below to see how the snowflake works:

The Lights on Lights Off Storybook is a really neat book where the kids can light up the houses as the story goes. As bedtime comes and children face the challenge of falling asleep Christmas Eve, the story guides them through turning the lights off because, just like Santa and the Elves, everyone needs a good night’s sleep.

Snowby is the polar bear star of Snowby’s new friend set includes a sweet book and shivering bear! When you squeeze his nose, he makes a sweet noise and shivers. My little one will love him and I foresee many a nights snuggling with him and the book.

I love the entire line of Hallmark Northpole books, toys and gifts. I would have purchased absolutely everything if I could have. As it is, I left little on the shelf!

Be sure to mark your calendars for Northpole premiering November 15, 2015 on Hallmark Channel. See the TRAILER now and get excited to snuggle up with your family to watch it!

What holiday traditions do you have? If you are a single parent too, share with me some ways you make it through while still making the holiday special for your kids!