Christmas Ideas

Are you looking for a great gift idea for your neighbors? Here are a few ideas.

Thanks to Andrea Urban, Heather Dorius, and Kim Kehrer for these great ideas.

Kim's Ideas:
Bubble gum balls countdown 12 days of Christmas
The parable of the Orange (buy orange slices or oranges)
Nail and poem of the Christmas symbols
"Soda" Delighted you are our neighbor
Bubble Gum tape- You measure up to be a great friend
Gold fish crackers- We "fish" you a merry christmas
Nuts- "there " nutt'in like a Great Neighbor. Merry Christmas
Bubbles or bubble bath- HOpe you holiday "bubbles" with fun
Homemade cookies- Homemade cookies and a happy heart.... Hope your
holiday is delightful from the start.
Kool- Aid Packets- Have a "Kool" Yule
Precious moments calendar count down
IBC Rootbeer Reindeer
Chips and Salsa- We wish you a "mexi Chip-mas" and Happy New Year

Here's link:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/650206865/Many-merry-neighbor-Christmas-gift-ideas.html

Andrea:

Last year we did a fun thing. I had a poem that I delivered to neighbors
that invited them to a bonfire with hot cocoa and donuts. We borrowed a
fire barrel and put it in the driveway and we supplied the cups and hot
cocoa fixings and others brought donuts or cookies. The note also
instructed them to bring a can or two of food for the food bank. It was fun
and our counters (and hips) weren't cluttered with plates and plates of
sugary fattening treats.

Here's the poem:

*Dear Friends and Neighbors*

At Christmas time we like to give
to friends and neighbors dear,
but maybe we could think of those
less fortunate this year.

Instead of giving neighbor gifts
we'll fill the Food Bank's shelves. ...
Let's warm the hearts of those in need
like Santa's little elves.

As friends we'll join together
and bring food in cans galore,
non-perishables are very best
because of how they store.

Monday Night, December 14th
will be the time we meet,
from 6 - 7:30
it's cocoa, donuts & heat.

At the Urban home
is where we're going to be.
Dress up warm, we'll be outside
and bring the family.

But if you cannot make it -
no big deal, you see,
we'll still be glad to take your food
to the Food Bank charity!

Just drop it off on Andrea's porch
or Lottie’s porch will do,
up to a week beyond the date -
Merry Christmas to YOU!!!* *

Heather's Great Idea:

I have done this one a couple of times... I make batches of cookie dough, use a
cookie scoop and flash freeze them. (I have a killer recipe for Mint Chocolate
Brownie Cookies that freezes beautifully!) Then we put 1 dozen in a ziplock bag
and attach this poem I wrote:

Neighbors bring goodies all through the season,
But this year we thought, there ain't any reason...
That when the tree's down and festivities through
You still shouldn't enjoy a cookie or two!
So here is a bag of cookies of dough
To save for next year in January snows!
So bake 'um all up when you're feeling blue
And know that the Dorius' were thinkin' of you!

Time flies!

November and December have flown by! Although I didn't do school reports for all those weeks, I still want to share some what of happened.

I have been struggling with my daughter Amanda. She and I had a couple of weeks where we were fighting, not just about school, but everything. Naturally, I was searching what I should do. I prayed a lot and fasted for her the first part of December. What I felt was that I needed to back off and not require so much of her. I felt that we needed to do less academic school and more family/holiday time. After a break, we would jump back in and things would go smoother. Before I truly trusted these subtle impressions of the Spirit, I was anxious to find solutions. So Amanda had a trial period at the charter school where we have our Friday homeschool classes. During this time I had a confirmation that she needed to keep homeschooling. Then she got the flu and so she came home. Amanda also broke her foot in December, so we have kept in the house a lot, which has really been a blessing.

We spent much of December reading Christmas stories, making treats, and sewing stockings for fun. Our family was also able to go to the Nutcracker, Emily and Hannah's violing concert, and several Christmas parties. Another highlight for me was going to a local Creche Exhibit. It was a spiritually moving experience. I am the choir director in my ward (church congregation) and our Christmas program went well. My children and I have had the Christmas music going through our minds none stop! Nate was able to begin his vacation on December 19 (that was when we stopped our formal school work) and it has been wonderful to be together so much.

This year our family participated in an effort to raise money for the Utah Foster Care Foundation. Our children were in a Jump-a-thon where they agreed to jump for so much time in order to get donations for children in foster care that needed Christmas help. They also learned about children with terminal illnesses and wrote them cards to wish them well and cheer them up. As a family we made a blanket to donate to a foster care child. We also joined with other families to make things for the foster kids. It has really been a special time.

Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas! Our home-made gift tradition turned out very well. Here is the run down: Nate gave me book display case, I gave him beef jerky, Emily gave Miles a flannel board with letters and shapes, Miles gave Emily a t-shirt with a design colored on sandpaper and transfered with an iron, Hannah gave Amanda a blanket-stitched felt purse and a cardboard dollhouse, Amanda gave Hannah a jewelry dresser. It was a lot of fun!