Fun Ways to Celebrate the Holidays with Kids!
Holidays mean a lot to our household and I always try to include the kids as much as possible. With 4th of July coming up, it really put me in the festive mood and got me excited about this holiday, and all of the future ones, as well. That’s why I wanted to put together a list of fun ways to celebrate holidays with kids. I know that kids have the potential to make situations a bit more hectic and stressful, but when it comes to holidays, they make them that much better. It’s an opportunity to teach them about the world and traditions, have fun with them, and share special memories that will last a lifetime. Here are a few fun ways to celebrate holidays with kids, in order to make lasting memories:
Let Everyone Play Chef
If you are having a big meal - no matter lunch or dinner, let everyone get involved, especially the little mouths. This is a great way to teach them about cooking and cooking for a large crowd, at that. Spend a little time the week or days before planning what you are going to have, and who will be responsible for cooking what part of the meal. If your kids are young, help them prepare their part of the meal the night before (if possible), to save time and create less chaos in the kitchen on the day-of.
Dress Up
One aspect that I love about holidays is getting the kids dressed up! We love shopping at local boutiques because they typically have higher-quality items that last longer. This rings true for NJ-based boutique, By George Baby. They are a boutique selling baby and toddler clothing, accessories, blankets, gifts, and more. They feature brands such as The Proper Peony, Bella Bliss, Kissy Kissy, etc. You can find really great baby girl dresses in NJ here and they have so many festive options right now for the 4th of July! They are even running a 35% off sale when it comes to dresses with the code ‘Summer.’ I have so many friends with baby girls -- it would be a great gift too!
Reach Out To Others
Keep in mind that even though you have family to spend your holiday with, not everyone does. If you're among those fortunate enough to spend the holiday season with those you love, consider yourself very blessed. But please think about others who aren't as fortunate. And, above all, don’t judge them, just as you wouldn't want to be judged if you were in their place. You don’t know the circumstances in their lives that led them to where they are today. Think about your neighbors, people who have just lost loved ones, or your friend that lives hundreds of miles away from family. There are so many ways to support them and celebrate with them - even if they do not live close by. Here are a few ideas:
Ask them if they have plans for the holidays.
Invite them to your home during the holiday season.
Invite them to a special church service or other event.
Call them during the holidays to let them know you are thinking of them.
Send them a Holiday card so they have it on the actual holiday! Especially if it is a really important holiday like Christmas or Thanksgiving.
Bake them homemade cookies.
Send a special and thoughtful gift.
Decorate The House
I love a good house decorating day when it comes to celebrating holidays! Most people think about Christmas as the only holiday when it comes to decorating, but I love decorating for all of them. I think that it brings me joy and brings the kids even more joy, so why not?! Don’t worry, you do not have to go overboard. Think subtle touches here and there: a wreath for the front door mat, a kitchen towel, and maybe a few other touches in a couple of rooms. If you want to go a bit crazy with it because it brings you that much joy, go for it! Nobody is here to judge!
Get Family Involved
Last but not least, get family involved to make it even more fun. One hard aspect of marriage for a lot of people is figuring out how to spend your holidays with family. Do you choose to invite both sides of the family over? What if both sides are having their own events? This is something that you need to figure out BEFORE the holiday. I cannot stress this enough! Sit down with your spouse and share how each of you feels about the holidays. How did you spend them as a child? Would you be really sad if you didn’t get to spend a certain holiday with certain people? Set the expectations, weigh the events going on, and then go from there. When it comes down to it, family is important, and it’s really important (to me, at least) to spend each holiday with family! Have a safe weekend, friends!
