We hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Christmas Morning
Posted by Larimer Associates on 11:17 AM
Christmas Morning comes with excitement and happiness for the whole family. However, each year there is always the chance of a meltdown by a child. Here are some great tips on how to avoid melt downs and have a Merry Christmas Morning!As parents, we want Christmas morning to be a time full of smiles and excitement for both our children and ourselves. We hope that our kids will remember our holidays together as a family when they are adults and that we can talk about the day for years to come.
However, Christmas can easily become overwhelming to children and not live up to our expectations as parents. With a little bit of planning and preparation, you can reduce stress on Christmas morning and enjoy your holiday together.
Set Expectations for Christmas Morning
Decide ahead of time if your children can look under the Christmas tree when they get up, if they must stay in their room until a certain time or if they can wake you up when they awake. If your children will be waiting before opening presents, Dr. Jacqui Lewis- Lyons, clinical psychologist who specializes in children and women’s issues suggests hanging your child’s filled stocking on their door for them to open while they wait.
Talk to your children about what to expect when it is time to open presents. Is your family going to take turns opening presents or will everyone open presents at once? Is someone going to pass out presents or will everyone get their own presents from under the tree? Can they play with their presents right away or are their certain presents due to assembly requirements that will need to wait until later. It is also good to make sure that you and your spouse are on the same page regarding the plan for Christmas morning and address any issues ahead of time.
Jennifer Pariseu, a licensed mental health counselor and president of The Nurtured Parent, encourages parents not get attached to a specific outcome on Christmas morning. “We often have wonderful dreams of what Christmas should look like and when it doesn’t we become disappointed or stress ourselves out trying to make it better.”
Consider Spreading Out Gifts
If you children are going to receive a lot of gifts or are very young, consider having them open only a portion of the gifts on Christmas morning. When kids open too many presents, they may become overwhelmed or uninterested in opening any more gifts. One strategy is to open gifts from your immediate family on Christmas Eve and open presents from other family members (and Santa) on Christmas morning. If you will be visiting grandparents later in the day or after the holiday, you could also have your children open presents from them at that time.
Gather Supplies and Set up an Organization System
Make sure that you have all supplies that you will need on Christmas morning within easy reach. Since not having the right batteries for a special toy can cause disappointment, make sure that you have common battery sizes (AA, AAA and C) on hand. Find a Phillips and flathead screwdriver in case you need to remove any battery covers. You should also have a pair of scissors on hand to remove any packaging. Put the batteries and tools in a small basket so that you can easily find them when needed.
To help keep the opened presents from getting lost, give each person a basket or laundry basket to put their present in after they open them. This is especially helpful if you are opening presents at someone else’s house and will need to bring them home. If your children will be writing thank you notes, you should also come up with a system to keep track of who gave them each present, such as keeping the tag with the present or keeping a list.
Create Traditions that Don’t Involve Presents
By creating family traditions that do not involve gift giving, you can help keep the focus of the day on your religious beliefs and on spending time together. Have a special food that your family eats every Christmas morning, such as a coffee cake from a local bakery or a homemade casserole that you make together on Christmas Eve. Some families buy matching pajamas and wear them to open presents on Christmas morning.
Pariseu encourages families to also have a family activity after the presents are opened, such as a snack, singing songs or going outside together.
“Expect a ‘let down’ after present opening. The anticipation is gone and there is a transition to going back and playing with the new toys,” says Pariseu.
Encourage Gratitude
By teaching and modeling gratitude on Christmas morning, you can also help reduce the stress and keep the spirit of the holiday in your day.
Dr. Lewis Lyons suggests having each child open one gift at a time. “Taking turns and really looking at the gift and who it is from will help them appreciate the gift.”
Coach your child to thank the recipient even if they do not like the gift or received a duplicate. Be sure to also have your children write thank you cards for each gift after Christmas. Model this behavior yourself by thanking your child for the present that they gave you and any other gifts that you received from other people.
If your child (or you) begins to get overwhelmed or cranky on Christmas morning, take a break. Go outside, have a snack or take a nap. The presents will still be there when you are ready to open them, even it is on December 26th.
For more information see Family.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Make Your Own Christmas Wreath!
Posted by Larimer Associates on 9:57 AM
Do you need a great holiday gift that is different and creative? You can make your friends and family their very own wreath! Here are some steps to make this great gift!
Supplies:• An assortment of evergreen clippings (ask for scraps at a tree lot or use clippings from the bottom of your own tree)
• Staple gun
• Garden clippers
• Wire
• Round or octagonal wood frame
• Berry branches, pinecones, ribbon, ornaments or other decorations
Prep Work:
You can purchase basic round frames or build your own. To create your own, miter wood slats to form on octagon. The wood frame is relatively light, yet sturdy enough to hold staples and be reused each year. At the end of the season, simply remove the staples and save the frame for next year.
Cut evergreen branches that are 8"-18" in length. Depending on the size and fullness you're looking for, gather larger or smaller pieces.
Making Your Wreath:
Use the staple gun to attach each branch to the wood frame. For some of the thicker branches, staple from an offshoot instead of the main branch. One staple per branch is usually sufficient.
Overlap the branches as you add them and take a step back to look at your progress every few staples. The wreath will look a little wild and full at first, but that's okay, you will trim it later. As you near the starting point you'll have to slide the branches beneath those you already stapled in order to create a full circle of greenery all the way around.
Manicuring Your Wreath:
For the trimming it's best to hang your wreath first. Wrap a thick piece of wire around the frame and form a loop at the top.
Trim around the edges. Don't trim a perfect edge, but rather trim within an inch or two of the adjacent branch. You want the wreath to appear circular, yet natural. Trim the center so that you can see a hole, but not so much that you reveal the frame. Step back every so often to check your work and adjust.
Decorating Your Wreath:
Use found objects to keep costs down and create a natural looking wreath. Borrow ornaments from your tree or get creative with gift wrapping supplies.
For more information see Apartment Therapy.
Supplies:• An assortment of evergreen clippings (ask for scraps at a tree lot or use clippings from the bottom of your own tree)• Staple gun
• Garden clippers
• Wire
• Round or octagonal wood frame
• Berry branches, pinecones, ribbon, ornaments or other decorations
Prep Work:
You can purchase basic round frames or build your own. To create your own, miter wood slats to form on octagon. The wood frame is relatively light, yet sturdy enough to hold staples and be reused each year. At the end of the season, simply remove the staples and save the frame for next year.
Cut evergreen branches that are 8"-18" in length. Depending on the size and fullness you're looking for, gather larger or smaller pieces.
Making Your Wreath:
Use the staple gun to attach each branch to the wood frame. For some of the thicker branches, staple from an offshoot instead of the main branch. One staple per branch is usually sufficient.
Overlap the branches as you add them and take a step back to look at your progress every few staples. The wreath will look a little wild and full at first, but that's okay, you will trim it later. As you near the starting point you'll have to slide the branches beneath those you already stapled in order to create a full circle of greenery all the way around.
Manicuring Your Wreath:
For the trimming it's best to hang your wreath first. Wrap a thick piece of wire around the frame and form a loop at the top.
Trim around the edges. Don't trim a perfect edge, but rather trim within an inch or two of the adjacent branch. You want the wreath to appear circular, yet natural. Trim the center so that you can see a hole, but not so much that you reveal the frame. Step back every so often to check your work and adjust.
Decorating Your Wreath:
Use found objects to keep costs down and create a natural looking wreath. Borrow ornaments from your tree or get creative with gift wrapping supplies.
For more information see Apartment Therapy.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Tips for Holiday Light Installation
Posted by Larimer Associates on 11:28 AM
Lights around the holidays are something that everyone has around the
house. However, they can cause headaches for any person trying to
install them. Make sure to check out these Do's and Dont's of Holiday
Light installation.
DON'T buy too many or too few lights. Plan ahead and get only what you need. If you have floorplans or blueprints of your home, use those measurements as a guide for how many feet of light string you will need outside. Inside on the tree, a good rule of thumb is 100 to 150 lights per vertical foot.
DO be a good neighbor. This guide to holiday light etiquette includes a few tips on keeping peace with your Christmas lights in a lit-up neighborhood this holiday season.
DON'T have an unpacking accident. When you're getting the old outdoor lights out of storage, watch out for broken bulbs with sharp edges and replace them right away.
DO get creative with DIY. Want to jazz up your boring light string? Get crafty! Use ping pong balls to get a globular glow, or use cupcake liners to turn your light string into a flowering vine.
DON'T overwork your extension cord. Splurge on heavy-duty extension cords (Gizmodo reccomends a 16-gauge cord for 25 feet or less, or 14-gauge for more than 25 feet) that are listed for outdoor use (they usually have a "W" on the package). To avoid overloading, only link five strings of lights together before plugging into an extension cord.
DON'T get caught off guard by high bills. Lighting up your home like Las Vegas doesn't come cheap. Use an energy cost calculator to estimate the extra cash you'll be shelling out in utility bills to fund your festive display.
DO go for energy-efficient lights. LED lights last longer, shine brighter and use less energy than traditional bulb strings. Solar-powered Christmas lights cost a bit more, but they have no wires to attach and they automatically turn on at night and off at dawn.
DON'T leave your lights on around the clock. You can cut your holiday power use even further with light timers. Have lights come on at dusk, and shut off in the early morning hours, after your family and any light-gazers have settled for the night.
DON'T leave your lights out too long after the holidays. Sun, wind, rain, and snow all take their toll on Christmas lights. The longer you leave them up after Christmas, the sooner you'll have to replace them.
DO store your light strings in a dark place when the holidays are over. Red, green, blue and purple lights, especially, will lose their color due to fading.
DO keep light strings untangled when not in use. The coffee can trick from Danny Seo is great for this, and will save your future self from headaches dealing with tangles when the holiday season rolls around again next year.
For more information see Apartment Therapy.
DON'T buy too many or too few lights. Plan ahead and get only what you need. If you have floorplans or blueprints of your home, use those measurements as a guide for how many feet of light string you will need outside. Inside on the tree, a good rule of thumb is 100 to 150 lights per vertical foot.
DO be a good neighbor. This guide to holiday light etiquette includes a few tips on keeping peace with your Christmas lights in a lit-up neighborhood this holiday season.
DON'T have an unpacking accident. When you're getting the old outdoor lights out of storage, watch out for broken bulbs with sharp edges and replace them right away.
DO get creative with DIY. Want to jazz up your boring light string? Get crafty! Use ping pong balls to get a globular glow, or use cupcake liners to turn your light string into a flowering vine.
DON'T overwork your extension cord. Splurge on heavy-duty extension cords (Gizmodo reccomends a 16-gauge cord for 25 feet or less, or 14-gauge for more than 25 feet) that are listed for outdoor use (they usually have a "W" on the package). To avoid overloading, only link five strings of lights together before plugging into an extension cord.
DON'T get caught off guard by high bills. Lighting up your home like Las Vegas doesn't come cheap. Use an energy cost calculator to estimate the extra cash you'll be shelling out in utility bills to fund your festive display.
DO go for energy-efficient lights. LED lights last longer, shine brighter and use less energy than traditional bulb strings. Solar-powered Christmas lights cost a bit more, but they have no wires to attach and they automatically turn on at night and off at dawn.
DON'T leave your lights on around the clock. You can cut your holiday power use even further with light timers. Have lights come on at dusk, and shut off in the early morning hours, after your family and any light-gazers have settled for the night.
DON'T leave your lights out too long after the holidays. Sun, wind, rain, and snow all take their toll on Christmas lights. The longer you leave them up after Christmas, the sooner you'll have to replace them.
DO store your light strings in a dark place when the holidays are over. Red, green, blue and purple lights, especially, will lose their color due to fading.
DO keep light strings untangled when not in use. The coffee can trick from Danny Seo is great for this, and will save your future self from headaches dealing with tangles when the holiday season rolls around again next year.
For more information see Apartment Therapy.
