Family Christmas Traditions

We brought our first born home from the hospital on Christmas Eve. Being a military family stationed thousands of miles away from our home, Christmas was going to be a quiet one for our brand new family of three. My husband stepped up and said he would take care of Christmas dinner. We were in …

Polish Kolaczki – a Family Tradition

I haven't met a whole lot of Christmas cookies that I didn't like - they are all wonderful! That having been said, my husband and children have one cookie in particular that they would choose above all other Christmas cookies, and that is the kolaczki (pronounced koh-lahtch-key). I grew up in the Chicagoland area, where …

Advent Candle Sun Catchers

This was such a fun craft for my 9 year old and I to work on together (with a little help from my 5 year old's hand print as well!) To make these suncatchers, cut out 4 large rectangle frames from black card stock. One at a time, lay the frames on to a piece …

The Man Who Invented Christmas

I am a huge fan of Charles Dickens' writing, and I absolutely love the tradition and warmth that his classic Victorian England tale brings to the Christmas table. There are many, many cinematic versions of 'A Christmas Carol' out there, and I think every family has a favorite! (Our family still loves the Muppet version). …

Jesse Tree

Have you ever used a Jesse Tree as an Advent count down? The tradition of the Jesse Tree dates back to the middle ages, and helps tell the story of the Bible from creation to the birth of Christ. We started this tradition last year, and my kids absolutely love it! There are SO many …

Shepherd On The Search

I am a huge fan of using various resources to observe Advent - they serve as countdowns, but more importantly, they point our family to the true meaning of Christmas each and every day. Today I am sharing this guy - meet Jed, our family shepherd. This is an adorable, Christ-centered alternative to that popular …

Help for Bedtime Fears

At some point in their elementary years, each of my children have surprised me with a nighttime fear that popped up at an age when I thought they were beyond them. I think it may have something to do with their maturity and the realization that there is real danger in the world. No matter …

The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker is a magical story that has become a holiday tradition but the ballet leaves some unanswered questions. Why were the Nutcracker and the King of Mice enemies? In 1816 E.T.A. Hoffman wrote The Nutcracker and the King of Mice. It is the Nutcracker story with more background history. In this story you get …

A Cozy Book

It is the perfect time of year to curl up by the fire with a great book. Jane Eyre is one of my all time favorite books, so I was excited to read another book by Charlotte Bronte. Villette has now been added to my list of favorites! Beautiful and poignant, this book contains sentences …

Gingerbread Activities

Spicy and sweet, gingerbread is the perfect Christmas treat. Here are some simple learning activities to bring a little yummy goodness into your homeschool. 1. PBS has a webpage on the history of gingerbread. It is not too long but it is interesting. It includes a recipe, if you don't have one of your own. …