Christmas with Kids » music

97: Sing in a Christmas Celebration!

Mama Elf — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:14:07 +0000

Do you like to sing? Do your kids like to sing? Now is the time to get involved in choral organizations if you want to be a part of their annual Christmas programs. There are many opportunities to sing during the Christmas season. If you don’t have a church home, now is a great time to “church shop” if being a part of a music ministry is important to you and your kids. If you do have a church home, find out when the choir meets and go give it a try! In my experience, choir folks are some of the friendliest people in church and love to have a good time together! For kids, it’s a great opportunity to work as a team. Singing in a choir builds self-confidence and is a very positive experience for all participants!

Find a program that meets your scheduling needs, because this is supposed to be fun and bring joy, not drudgery and complications!

Psalm 100 says “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord” or “Shout for joy to the Lord!” Excellence is important (Psalm 33:3,) but only comes through experience. So, get out there and spread the Good News this Christmas!

69: Collecting Christmas Tree Ornaments

Mama Elf — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:01:42 +0000

Collecting Christmas tree ornaments is a fun hobby that anyone can manage. Our family collects ornaments from family vacations. We have a lot of Disney ornaments, in particular. Do you collect ornaments, and if you do, do you have a theme? Here’s a list of some interesting themes if you want to start collecting.

Disney – anything Mickey-related
Family Vacations
Homemade – knitting, crocheting, tatting, cross-stitch, carved, painted
Super Heroes – logos, colors, miniatures
Lego – a variation on homemade ornaments
Music – instruments, symbols
Heritage – Irish, German, Russian, Norwegian, etc.
Nature – pinecones, cranberries, feather ornaments, birds
Collectibles – Waterford, Swarovski, Kinkade, Lenox, etc.
Kids – paper chains, dough ornaments, etc.
Collegiate – if you want a Crimson Tide tree, here’s your chance
Color theme – specific color palette
Style theme – Victorian, ’50s, Country, Modern
Photo theme – frame ornaments
Children’s books – mini-books, characters, decoupage balls

There are certainly many more Christmas tree themes out there. If yours isn’t on this list, post it in a comment! We all love to hear new ideas! Ornaments make great Christmas gifts, too!

Great photo courtesy of Monica D. (CosmoPolitician)

93: The Perfect Teacher’s Gift

Mama Elf — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 04:01:42 +0000

This tip comes straight from my life. I am, by education and training, a professional musician. Now, while I love music more than many other things, it is something I’m extremely good at and have spent untold time and money getting to that point. Knitting is another story. I love knitting. Am I a professional? Egads, no! Do I love to get knitting books, totes, giftcards for JoAnn’s and local yarn shops, needles, magazines, etc… You bet! I love all things knitting! Do I want a pair of socks with treble clefs and eighth notes on them? No, but if you found a pair with balls of yarn on them, I’d probably wear them with my Birkenstock clogs this winter.

Why is this? If you are a computer programmer, do you want socks with laptops on them, or would you rather show everyone in the office that you are secretly a rocker at heart with your Gibson guitar socks? Moms, would you rather walk around with baby bottles or microphones?

Kids, this is a GREAT tip for giving gifts to your teachers this year!!! Get a little more creative than a notepad with an apple or a chalkboard on it. What do they like? Do they have a dog or a cat? Do they like to play golf or sing karaoke? Do they knit or play basketball? Ask them about their hobbies! A hobby is something everyone enjoys talking about! Use this chance to find out about the person who is your teacher this year!