Comments on: The 2021 Holiday Fun List

By: Elisabeth B.

Elisabeth B. — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 20:40:54 +0000

We always use a baby gate… good for dogs and toddlers. 😉

By: ARC

ARC — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 21:50:18 +0000

We are in the thick of planning our winter break trip to Washington DC and I asked each family member to submit 2-3 things they wanted to do/see, so I guess that’ll be most of our Holiday Fun List! In addition, I have also ordered the matching family PJs (usually it’s just the kids but I included my husband and myself too this year!) and a holiday Lego wreath (thank goodness for ordering in October!), as well as a holiday puzzle. Tomorrow we’re making pumpkin pie for our Thanksgiving dinner and I’m trying to decide whether to bake at least one kind of holiday cookie. We had to make a school change for our younger kid a couple of weeks ago and are still adjusting to the new schedule so it feels like the weekdays are really long, which makes me feel weirdly crunched for family time.

By: Laura Vanderkam

Laura Vanderkam — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 16:03:48 +0000

In reply to Michelle Boggs.

@Michelle – some of our favorites include Christmas Farm (a cute story about growing Christmas trees), Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve? (a story about some naughty trolls), The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (of course), Richard Scarry’s The Night Before The Night Before Christmas (about a Christmas mix-up), How Santa Got His Job and, sadly, The Elf on the Shelf.

By: Michelle Boggs

Michelle Boggs — Sun, 14 Nov 2021 17:42:25 +0000

I have a 3 year old and a 4 year old. Any Christmas book recommendations that your kids enjoyed at that age?

By: Natalie

Natalie — Sat, 13 Nov 2021 12:25:55 +0000

You were in my head this week when I was buying/reserving a bunch of tickets for December activities. I am nowhere near being in the holiday spirit this month, but I know my anticipating self and remembering self will appreciate the botanic garden, rooftop igloo, museum lights and Nutcracker tickets. Not to mention the three kids will be out of school for a full week before Christmas, and we’ll need stuff to do!

By: Elisa

Elisa — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 14:32:05 +0000

Thank you for the holiday light show reminder. I saw it and organized a preschool friend reunion at the zoo next month, so excited.

By: Laura Vanderkam

Laura Vanderkam — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 13:20:19 +0000

In reply to TB. Glad you liked it! And yes, this is a time to enjoy and savor. Now, the post Christmas part of winter, that I have to work on enjoying...

By: Laura Vanderkam

Laura Vanderkam — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 13:19:48 +0000

In reply to TB. @TB - the pajamas are key! It's great to have good pajamas. I am a fan.

By: Laura Vanderkam

Laura Vanderkam — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 13:19:25 +0000

In reply to ZM.

@ZM – I often think about the juxtaposition of Christmas with the summer solstice in Australia – how upside down people who came from Europe must have felt there. When I was in Australia for my “spring” of 2020 (in fact, “fall” in Australia) it kept jarring me that the leaves were turning and the air getting colder as the calendar advanced into May. I went hiking and camping in Tasmania in late April/early May and the weather had me involuntarily humming Christmas carols. It was such a lesson in how the seasons set how we think about time and how unsettling that changes things you don’t even think about…
Of course, the association of Christmas with winter is somewhat arbitrary in the first place as Jesus probably wasn’t born in December and even if he had been there wouldn’t have exactly been snow on the ground in Bethlehem…

By: ZM

ZM — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 11:10:35 +0000

We’re coming into the end of the school year here in Australia… we’ve got a few manic weeks of school events and work events. Then summer holidays start! The fun list includes a week of a beach holiday with friends, Christmas baking, watching some family Christmas movies & reading some favourite books