The Key to the Best Winter Break Ever

I found a new writing prompt, and am loving it! It helps keep the creative juices flowing, while allowing me to not panic on coming up with my own topics (that will happen, I promise, some day).

This week's prompt is the "7 best ways to spend Winter Break."

 

After the last few weeks I've had, I can definitely tell you all of the ways to NOT spend winter break, but that kind of negativity isn't needed for the very first day of 2015 (lets be pragmatic, here, it is fit for the second day of the new year).

 

1. Invest in hot chocolate. Everything at my house is made better with this chocolate, liquid goodness. And, lets be honest, it's appropriate no matter what activity is happening, and is just sugary enough to feel like you're having a treat, while not so addictive that you do something horrible like eating the entire tub of ice cream (or half a cake). Trim the tree, drink hot chocolate. Child is throwing a tantrum, drink hot chocolate (for you, the tantrum throwing child deserves none and will receive their punishment by watching others enjoying this while they have a not so magical beverage). Clean the refrigerator, drink hot chocolate to congratulate yourself on finally getting that moldy junk to the trash bin. For our family, winter break involves hot chocolate while watching our favorite movies together. See, hot chocolate for all - winter break delight!

 

2. Mentioning movies brings me to the second best way to spend winter break: create memories with your kids in having those annual movies that you have to watch. For us, we watch White Christmas every year, I say all of the lines, my kids sigh at me, and my daughter prances around pretending to dance and dress like the sisters in the movie. This is such a huge part of our winter break that I made a whole post about our yearly must sees. Plus, it's a way for the family to come together and unwind when there is so much hustle surrounding the holidays. Take two hours to not worry about that present you have to get, whatever needs to be cleaned, or the absolute melt down you felt like having while stuck in holiday traffic. Breath, and White Christmas away!

 

3. Another way to have a great winter break is to take the time to choose a well decorated location, take the kids, and walk around. Yes, I said walk. For one, we're all stuffing ourselves with holiday goodies (admit it, there are cookies in abundance and NONE of us has the will power to say no every time), and need the exercise. For another, it takes an activities that could be over in a few minutes drive, and extends it out and involves each person in the family. The kids can run from house to house (or, exhibit to exhibit, your choice), and each of you can actually connect with one another and talk. Maybe share what your favorite decoration was. A big plus is that there is no radio (don't hate, I love Christmas music) to interfere with communication. And, being out in the cold is the perfect opportunity to break out some more hot chocolate!

 

4. Don't stick with the routine holiday baking crafts with the kids. Instead, take the normal and make it your own. For example, every year my kids decorate the same old gingerbread houses. We have the same struggle to keep the walls up (little tip, use this icing and that sucker will stay together as well as a brick house), and get the kids to put the candy on the house and not in their mouths. This year, my mom came up with the idea to bake her own traditional gingerbread in a cute house mold, have the kids decorate it, add some cute baking lights, and then send some delicious frosting home so the kids could actually eat the thing whenever they felt like it. Shocking to have a decorative activity that actually smells, and tastes, good, and uses up mounds of creativity.

5. Look up local activities. Trust me, there are so many options out there that are fun, have lots of participation, and are free (or pretty close to it). In our town, we have an annual Charles Dickens Festival that includes a kids run called Run Like the Dickens where everyone gets a prize. There's also an annual park lighting downtown, Beatrix Potter readings, horse drawn carriage rides, classic Christmas movies in the theaters, you name it. Google activities and your town and see what comes up. And, even if it's cheesy, give it a try. You never know what may send you and your kids into fits of giggles over, or create some pretty, classic memories.

6. Assign your kids specific jobs. By jobs, I do not mean chores (they should definitely have those too, though). For example, this year I gave my 8 year old the job of choosing our holiday Christmas card, along with the picture that would go in it (mom did have veto rights, though, and the ability to offer some suggestions). In doing this, the kids get excited for any activities that are happening since they had control of a portion of it. Basically, get them involved and show them that family is a working unit. Plus, while they are excitedly figuring out whatever job they were given, you get a few moments of being left alone!

7. Build in lazy days! Oh man, this is such a must for our family! These are the days we wake up with the goal of existing, and not putting on actual clothes - for anyone curious, we do still shower, keep up the hygiene, and put on clean pj's. And though this list may feel like it's practically filled with down time, or simple activities, but those things are meant to be fit in around the daily, busy schedules. So, give yourself permission to just be for a day or two in the few weeks you have with your kiddos. Wake up, have a weird breakfast (my kids choose top ramen, oddly), clean up into new, warm pj's, and do whatever makes you feel most comfortable and relaxed at home. If you don't have time for a full day, make it half a day, or dedicate a few hours to this. Trust me, in the end, allowing yourself to just be will save from all of those hair pulling moments that fill most down time with kiddos!