Nobody embodies the holiday spirit like our littlest children. They thrill to the crinkle of wrapping paper and twinkle in the glow of the lights -- making them ready participants for the kind of simple holiday fun you'll find on these pages: "lighting" a
matchbox menorah, building a
graham cracker cottage,
decorating a tree skirt, and more.
TODDLER TRADITIONS
Ages: 12 months and up
Every family has its holiday rituals, such as frying latkes on the first night of Hanukkah or leaving high-protein energy bars for Santa because he's on the Atkins diet. Consider starting a special tradition geared to the youngest members of your family:
In my house, we sleep under the tree the night after we trim it. We inflate our air mattress, cozy up under the quilts, and read winter-themed books in the glow of colored lights. My kids, Ben and Birdy, call it "Christmas Camping," and they look forward to it all year.
When the Wilson Hoffs of Des Moines, Iowa, decorate their Christmas tree, they tend to forgo store-bought ornaments. Instead, they use 5-year-old Sam's and 3-year-old Zadie's school art projects and homemade decorations, hung right next to ornaments that dad Jim made as a child. Mom Jen describes a Santa with a cotton ball beard hanging next to an angel made of feathers and then concludes happily, "Our tree has always been a very messy one."
Santa knows all about promoting brotherly love in the Munemo household. Last year, he left Julius, age 4, and George, 1, a shared gift: a set of wooden blocks that they can enjoy together for years to come. Receiving a common gift can really shift the holiday focus from getting to connecting, as mom Julia can attest. "It helps remind the boys of what Christmas is really about: giving, sharing, loving, and family."
