The other day on Facebook, I mentioned how our Elfette, Noah, had returned. Although I love the antics that other people’s elves get into (tying up Barbies and pooping marshmallows into Hot Cocoa), Noah isn’t mischievous. She comes from a long line of Kindness Elves, which I discovered about 4 years ago when I was deciding if we’d be an “elf” family. I was already pretty hard-core Christmas and adding another person (or elf) to take care of seemed exhausting. But… what if instead of being another thing I had to do, the elf did. What if a Kindness Elf and a Helpful Elf had a baby? The result… Noah in all her magical elf glory! So for the month of December, Noah is the boss; the Bruce Springsteen in our household. Like Tony Danza or Judith Light (depending on who you thought was the boss there). She gives the kids activities they should do and ways to be helpful or kind. And the best part is they can’t complain to me because Noah tells them to do it. Want a way to make your holidays easier and spirits brighter? This is it.
So here are a few starter ideas to get you started:
Make cards for people
This year, Noah had the kids make cards and/or letters to our landlord and the security guys that work for our coto*. Think of other people you could do this for (post office workers, UPS drivers, teachers, store clerk of a store you visit often). Our landlord was touched to get a handmade card and our kids thought about people and things to be grateful for.
Donate toys
Noah made sure to tell the kids that they have plenty of new things coming their way for Christmas but that they should think about others who don’t have as much. They were reminded that not all kids have what they have and that they could make another child’s Christmas special by thinking about toys they could donate. They came up with a lot — way more than if we had just asked them to clean out their room.
wrap presents
Obviously Noah knows that I’m the Supreme Wrapper Extraordinaire and that I could wrap the kids’ teacher gifts but the point is to get them involved. It makes it even more special for them to give their teachers gifts when they helped wrap them.
make ornaments for their friends
This was a really simple craft gift for the kids to show their classmates they were thinking of them. We traced circles on paper (thicker is better) and then the kids painted them and we cut them out. You could laminate or mod podge them to make them more durable and then hole punch it and thread it with string. Voilá… inexpensive, crafty ornament that looks like pretty art.
Watch a movie… with special popcorn.
My favorite go to of Noah’s suggestions is to watch a Family Christmas movie. Sometimes she adds a little extra magic by bringing novelty popcorn. Currently I’m obsessing over Costco’s Zebra Popcorn. There isn’t much I love more than sitting in front of our lit tree watching a holiday movie with the family. Add a blanket, cozy socks, and wine?… perfection. (Note: If you haven’t yet, we just watched The Christmas Chronicles. IT WAS EXCELLENT!)
Decorate the Gingerbread House… together
Our kids, like most siblings, don’t get along 100% of the time but give them a shared project. For Noah’s Gingerbread House they worked together in magical bliss.
bake cookies for neighbors
Baking cookies is fun for everyone. Sharing with your neighbors adds a little extra magic. (And who doesn’t love licking the bowl. I mean, that’s the best part right?)
FAMILY PICTURE
I could show you some winning holiday photos of tears and snot and hot mess — truth be told these are my favorite Christmas pictures. But I do also like a nice family snapshot on occasion. Although we did get some Do-I-have-to-wear-this-shirt? struggles from our son (who could live in shorts and a t-shirt everyday, forever) he couldn’t blame me. Let me say that again for the people in the back — HE COULDN’T BLAME ME. Noah said to do it. #parentwin
Read
Yep. She reminds them to read.
say something kind / BE kind
“Christmas,” as Santa Kurt Russell says in The Christmas Chronicles, “reminds people of how good they can be.” Have your elf send reminders to be kind or say something kind and let your kids know that you’ll share how you were kind that day at dinner.
Make SnowFlakes
We used a whole pack of coffee filters this year to make snowflakes (not all the snowflakes made the cut). Not only was it an easy, fun craft but it kept the kids entertained for hours (they even woke up the next day to continue while I slept) and it totally transformed our house into a Wintery Christmas Land.
but here’s the most important takeaway…
Because this isn’t just about Noah or any elf for that matter. It’s about raising a new generation of believers to believe that anything is possible. Kids who will grow up and get as much pleasure in giving as they do in receiving. Kids who will know that this time of year isn’t about a man in a suit or presents wrapped in sparkle but about believing in magic and goodness and making things and treating people kindly. Watching my kids be so fully invested in the holidays and be grateful for all the magic and joy Noah brings has made me even more of a believer which, trust me, is a hefty statement. Then again, as Mr. Kurt Russell said in The Christmas Chronicles, “Christmas spirit is more powerful than you could ever imagine.”
Want more ideas? Here’s 25 days worth of good ideas.
P.S. the story behind your favorite ornaments and have you started thinking of your New Year’s Intention?
make your holidays easier and PIN IT
NOTES:
*coto – Mexican word for gated community
