For most families, Thanksgiving activities are traditionally relegated to eating, watching football on TV, napping and talking. Not exactly a fun-filled day if you are a kid. If you are planning to host the Turkey Day spread this year, you might consider including activities to entertain your youngest guests. By doing so you will not only make the holiday a memorable occasion for children, but also, by keeping them busy you can spend more time making merry with adult guests rather than breaking up fights and listening to a chorus of whines. These low-budget kid-friendly crafts will keep your pint-sized … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving is just two weeks away. Are you hosting the Turkey Day celebration this year? Preparing a massive meal for your extended clan is no picnic. Add to that the task of decorating your home for the holiday and you may be wondering if you bit off more than you can chew. With time ticking down to the big day, now is the time to recruit the troops. Get your kids involved in the making simple decorations to embellish your Turkey Day buffet. The following Thanksgiving-themed projects are so easy you can have a houseful made in no time: PAPER … Continue reading →

Whether you’re gearing up for Thanksgiving already or you simply want to decorate your table for the fall, this is the season to add festive flair at very little expense. Of course, there’s always the paper bag turkey. But if you want to move beyond that even a tiny bit, then it’s quite simple. Fall is a lovely season, and it’s easy to find centerpieces that inspire. First, think food. Fall food is beautiful. Squashes, apples, and even lovely and durable pears like the Bosc pear make good table decorations. Yes, you can eat them each week and add more … Continue reading →

One of the advantages of parenting a first grader is that you’re pretty much set in the seasonal decoration department. Since the beginning of the month, my daughter has brought home no less than a dozen homemade Thanksgiving-themed craft projects. Each and every handcrafted turkey, pilgrim, cornucopia and Giving Tree is prominently showcased throughout our home, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. My daughter’s art teacher went all out this year. If your children weren’t as productive in art class, or you’re just looking for easy and inexpensive ways to keep the kiddos busy on Thanksgiving morning, and … Continue reading →

For most of us, the holidays are not always as relaxing as we’d like them to be. This is especially true if you are the one hosting the holiday meals and all of the out-of-town family members eating said meals. Stress is hard to avoid in the days leading up to holidays, such as Thanksgiving, but there are ways you can make the season fun… like having the meal catered. Kidding. Around here we embrace holiday traditions to reduce stress and infuse fun into the day. One of our favorite traditions is cooking together as a family. It’s not everyday … Continue reading →

You don’t have to scale back on Thanksgiving decor, just so you can afford to pay for the Turkey Day spread. The following craft projects are not only easy enough for kids to create, but they’ll leave you with plenty of money to spend on an extra pumpkin pie or two: APPLE TURKEY PLACECARD Materials (for one turkey): Googly eyes Craft glue Almond (in shell) Small apple One Lifesaver candy Peanut (in shell) Paper napkin Small paper clip Construction paper Directions: Glue googly eyes to almond and let dry. Glue Lifesaver to front of apple and let dry. Glue almond … Continue reading →

My neighbor’s kids’ school gives students a week off for Thanksgiving break. My daughter gets two days (Thanksgiving and Black Friday), so I’m not scrambling for childcare or for boredom busters to keep her busy while I plan and execute our Turkey Day feast. However, my neighbor is desperately trying to find ways to keep her kids occupied while she cooks, cleans and preps for out-of-town guests. I suggested she put her kids to work. Then, I recommended that she visit our local craft store and stock up on materials to make the following Thanksgiving-theme crafts. After all, there’s no … Continue reading →