Leah and I got too far behind to finsih the handmade paper cards for 2009, so we’ll finish them for 2010. Instead we are making our Christmas cards using our new Cuttlebug! In this video I am showing how we use the Spellbinders dies in the Cuttlebug.

Originally posted 2010-10-08 21:09:42. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Cookie Exchange

For this party, each person bakes a pile of Christmas cookies before hand. If there are seven couples or people coming, then each person bakes seven dozen cookies. This way, everyone can go home with a dozen of everyone’s cookies. This cuts down on the baking for everyone and always makes for a fun time.

A Themed Party

Sure, it’s the holidays. But why not have a themed party anyway? This is the time that everyone has to get a little break from work, so make your holiday party memorable by having a themed party. This could be as simple as having a Star Trek party and learning to say Happy Hannukah in Vulcan, or it could be as elaborate as having a Tarts’n'Vicars party. You might even want to have a football party one day and have everyone over to watch your favourite sport.

A Costume Party

A costume party is an extension of the theme party idea. You could allow people to choose their own costumes. You could have a fancy dress masquerade ball, where everyone wears fancy dress but has to have the small masquerade mask too. (These ones are always a lot of fun!) Of course, if you can also have themed costume parties, such as a superhero costume party. For more information on costumes, visit the website below, The Guide to Costumes.

Do some Charity

Why not collect canned goods from your party goers for admission? Or you could have a party where each person brings a small toy to be donated to needy children. You could consider theming your party around such organizations as Operation: Shoebox, where you could each bring in a shoe box with gifts.

A Tasting Party

While we are all familiar with certain holiday tastes, can you and your friends stump each other with food? Bring in your most exotic recipes. Each person has to guess five ingredients from the recipes. The person with the most accurate tastebuds wins a door-prize (often, a recipe book is a good door prize).

You can also have a wine tasting (or beer tasting, or even pop tasting) party. See if your friends have discerning palates by testing out their tastebuds. Often, a beer tasting party is a good time because people think they can tell a lot about different kinds of beer!

In the end, the main rule for throwing holiday parties is that there are no rules for holiday parties! Choose your venue, choose your theme, and choose your entertainment. Why not celebrate a Christmas in July like the Australians do, when they celebrate Christmas six months late (or early, depending on how you look at it), because their seasons are backwards. You can have people over for a tropically themed party. Shrimps on the bar-b, anyone?

Originally posted 2010-10-02 16:16:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Originally posted 2010-10-03 05:12:21. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Originally posted 2010-10-08 14:32:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Jack Skellington is a well-loved Disney character and is a popular design on Watches, bags, hats, clothing, umbrellas, belt buckles, pet collars and other items. According to Ultimate Disney.com’s Top 25 Heroes, Jack is #25.

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Originally posted 2010-08-27 10:25:46. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

To get the kids moving around, start with the “fill the stocking” game. In this game, create teams so there are at least 3 people and no more than perhaps 6 people on each team. Have a stocking for each team. Place the stockings on the wall and have also a bowl of candy and spoons. The first person on each team will put the spoon in their mouth (backwards, so the bowl of the spoon is sticking out) and get some candy out of the bowl. Still holding their spoon in their mouth, they must walk or run to the stocking on the wall and get the candy in the stocking. They run back to the line and the next child has a turn (each child should have his or her on spoon). The game continues until the candy bowl is empty.

The obvious prize for the stocking game is a big bowl of candy!

Another active game is an “unwrap the game” relay. Provide two piles presents at one end of the room (these can be presents with real teats inside, or “dummy” wrapped presents). The children are divided into two teams and a relay is created. One person runs to the stack of gifts, unwraps it, throws away the paper and runs back. Then the next child in line runs up, unwraps a gift, throws away the paper and runs back. If the paper lands outside the trash can, the child must run back and put it back in the trashcan before returning to the line and allowing another person to take a turn.

If these to games are played first the kids might want a little rest. Now’s the time to play a sit-down Christmas party game, like “remember this”. Get a large cookie sheet or baking tray and fill it with Christmas-themed items. You might include an ornament, a candy cane, a Santa hat, garland, ribbon, etc. There should be at least 20 items on the tray. Give each child about 20 seconds to look at the items, then cover the tray and remove it from sight. Give the children another 20-30 seconds to remember everything they saw on the tray. Have them quickly write don their guesses. The prize is for whoever remembers the most items!

Another good sit down game and one that’s also a learning game is a word find game. Provide children with a list of Christmas words and have them find other words within those words. For example, if one word is “reindeer” they might find in, deer, red, den, and so on. Longer words are best, so think of words like Christmas, snowballs, poinsettia, holly berry and the like).

Children love games that involve sitting in a circle and having fun that way. Here’s a “circle” game children are sure to love. This tests their ability to remember little details about other people, like their voice. Have handy a sleigh, either one cut out of cardboard or a small one purchased a gift or dollar store. Blindfold one child and have another child hold the sleigh. The child with the sleigh calls out to the blindfolded child something like this:

Santa, where’s your sleigh?
Someone’s come and taken it away.
Who has it? Who?

The blindfolded child has to guess who has the sleigh. Give the child 3 chances to get it right before giving the sleigh and blindfold to other children.

For another sit down game, give each child a piece of paper and a pencil. Tell them to close their eyes and then tell them what to draw. Give them the shapes, but don’t tell them exactly what they are trying to draw (though most children will figure it out). So, first tell them to draw three circles, with the largest being on the bottom and the smallest on the top. Then tell them to draw dots for eyes, and buttons for a coat. Keep going until you have described a snowman. Then have the children open their eyes to see what they have actually drawn. Award a prize for the drawing that most closely resembles a snowman.

Originally posted 2010-10-08 15:30:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Here then are some tips to help you pull off the ideal Christmas vacation.

Plan Your Vacation Dates Early- Many island resorts will fill up quickly, as will means of travel. You can also save a lot of money when you book your vacation well in advance.

Pick Your Destination- There are many wonderful island Christmas vacation destinations. You can do some quick research online or speak with a travel agent. Friends and family members who have traveled to some of the islands you are interested in can be a great source of information as well.

Choose Your Means of Travel- Airfare is, of course, the most common means to travel to an island destination. However, you might also consider a cruise. Many of today’s cruise ships will travel to an island and allow you a few days for exploring. Depending upon the cruise package you choose, you might also be able to see several islands over the course of your vacation. This can be a great way to combine two vacations into one.

Plan Your Christmas Celebration-You don’t want to travel to an exotic island over Christmas and forget to celebrate the holiday. Many of the more popular resorts now offer Christmas packages, including airfare, lodging, and an exclusive Christmas celebration. Many of these resorts will offer terrific deals to those who want to stay over to celebrate New Year’s as well.

Look for All Inclusive Deals-You can save a ton of money with an all inclusive deal. These hotel packages include all of your meals, snacks, and some water sports as well. More often than not, alcohol is not included, and neither are service tips or some taxes.

Consider a Condo-You might consider traveling with another couple. Many of the islands have multiple bedroom condos. If you travel with another couple, this can be a terrific way to save some cash, while enjoying a beautiful condo, with all the amenities of home.

When you are looking for the best island Christmas vacation, you might also consider somewhere outside of the normal destinations. Most people immediately think of the Caribbean for island vacations, but there are also some beautiful Mediterranean islands as well. These exotic locales can be a unique and special place for you to spend the holidays. You’re sure to have a terrific time relaxing on the sand. Imagine returning from your vacation with a tan most would envy! An island Christmas vacation would be a great alternative to traditional Christmas festivities. While you may miss some of the hustle and bustle of the season, you’ll be surprised at how much fun you can have while you are soaking up the rays on the beach. The ‘fun in the sun’ factor is one of the biggest attractions of any island Christmas vacation!

Originally posted 2010-10-02 15:08:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Originally posted 2010-10-06 21:33:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Originally posted 2010-10-05 18:39:19. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Originally posted 2010-10-02 07:29:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter