What Christmasy ways do you entertain dc's in the holidays.

[geisha]

For the first time ever, dh & I have both broken up for Christmas until the 29th! We are extremely lucky, but never having had the opportunity to spend a week with the dc at Christmas, we are lost as to what to do with them to help make a really special and memorable Christmas. What do you do? Ideas please?!

how old are they?

I have a week off before Christmas for the first time too, it's wonderful isn't it. Having some time to do things is lovely.

I am going sledging later of course!

We're going to make cookies (star-shaped!!) and mince pies later in the week, we'll probably make some decorations, bit of glitter action!, probably watch some Christmas movies, nothing better than The Polar Express and a ton of chocolate to while away the afternoon, you could google "Christmas colouring pages" and print some off and they'll enjoy doing that.

They are 5 & 6.
Lovely suggestions Kbear. Why couldn't I think of those things. I have no imagination at all!

Look at your local councils museums pages as they often do festive activities. So far we've made xmas decs, an advent calendar and we're going to help santa find his reindeer later in the week!

Will do that missmoopy, definitely.

Mine have spent 2 hours wrapping up 3 presents each! Never have I seen them concentrate so much or so quiet!
We have been playing in the snow, baking, carol concerts, playing long forgotten board games and just laughing together...long may it last

there might be activities in the library this week, Christmas story telling etc

I think children like staying in a playing with the stuff they already have too, without being too over managed. They are at school all week, then weekends are jammed with parties, clubs, swimming, shopping, stuff like that, so a nice bit of indoor down time doing puzzles or colouring can be a bit of a novelty.

I am loving staying in today. DD is sorting out her room (she's 11), I'm sorting out my room (I'm 42 LOL) and DS and DH are putting batteries in remote control things that have been without batteries for months and flying helicopters round the living room!!

Love being home!

We have just made one of those gingerbread houses from a kit - kept everyone busy for ages - looks "interesting" though!
For the rest of the week we are going Ice skating on one day, to see Father CHristmas on another and making homemade christmas cards for the grandparents at some point. The zoo has reindeer to feed, which we might fit in too, along with lots of present wrapping and visiting friends etc.

If you google free colourings spell it the american way and you'll get many more results

I always find this site has plenty for all age groups
dltk-holidays.com/xmas/index.html

We've just been making calendars and the girl next door has come over to make cards for her parents. My craft kitchen box is fairly well stocked though, but you can improvise if you don't have sequins (buttons), glitter (silver foil) etc

Junior Monopoly

Make christmas cup cakes (Nigella's Feast book, the jewelled ones, they are obscenely easy)

out in the snow!

Lots of lovely ideas, thanks everyone. I like that the ideas are so simple and inexpensive. We had an hour sledging in the snow this afternoon before it got too cold. DD's are currently making a cake shop from play doh!?!

I must admit I don't "entertain" my DD's at all. We did all go out in the snow this morning. Other than that they have played, dressed up, been on the computer, drawn pictures, made an unholy mess of their bedrooms, and generally had their own unorganised fun. I caught up with the ironing! I must admit if we are snowed in for a week we might need to find some entertainment but for now they are happy just to play. They are 9 and 6.

My dd is off school with flu so usual ideas are useless but in her ok-ish moments I plan to make glittery paper snowflakes to stick in windows, wrap parcels and do festive colouring!

DD brought a load of paintings home from preschool and some of the more Jackson Pollock or Mark Rothko ones we have cut up and made decorations - a massive snowman on the door, Santa and an angel stuck on loo rolls (they are standing on the telly) and a big snowflake (where you fold a circle into six and cut into it). And paper chains obviously.

Ooh what about making a bird feeder, they need looking after in the snow.

If it's still snowy where you are, how about making ice baubles to hang outside? Just use a round silicone tub of some kind (I used an egg poacher) and put in some holly leaves, and berries; trail in a loop of string, put in freezer and there you have a lovely ice bauble the next day.
When you hang them they look best with the flat side facing out, more like an ice disk.
DS and I will make some more of these, make some biscuits, and other than that not much at all, I believe in a very homey and low key week in the lead up to xmas as DS is tired from a term at skool and also v v excited anyway!
We've planned more to do in the week after xmas - trip to theatre and cinema and visiting friends.

I agree a lowkey, homey week is best to avoid pre-Xmas meltdowns (theirs and yours)

Hi.

What about

going to a panto
visiting Santa in his grotto
going to Church and/or carol singing and/or Christingle
sledging
making cakes
watching family films (with popcorn and getting the kids to hand out tickets etc)
Ice skating etc

Enjoy!

PS Not all in the same day I hasten to add

Cinema??

Our local Cineworld are doing Kids Club all week this week, showing A Christmas Carol (the animated version - came out last Xmas) and a Wiggles Xmas film. £1 each - bargain!

Christmas crafts - we are going to make peg angels and stained glass windows.

Sledging if appropriate - if not, walk round local streets/in town to admire lights.

Christmas baking - let them help you ice cake or fill mince pies etc.

We have enjoyed craft etc activities at local Nat Trust places and delivering cards for Scout Christmas post scheme. Maybe a bit late but maybe for next year?

Go and visit neighbours with home-made gifts - esp if elderly.

Make/buy something special for DH (in secret!)

Oooh, also our cathedral has lovely nativity service where you can dress up (as angel, shepherd etc - usually 6 Marys but DS1 was the only innkeeper one year!) - must be somethign similar?

Great ideas and on my wavelength too. Love the idea of us all being happy at home or nearby and not needing to spend loads to enjoy. We are lucky to still have plenty of snow so we have been managing a daily sledging session. I'm off to antenatal appts today so mum is going to be doing some Christmassy baking!