Single mothers and holiday traditions…?
Hey all single parents! What do you do to celebrate the holidays with just you and your kids. My kids are 9, 8, and 2. All holidays are so depressing for me and boring for the children. We have no set traditions and no other family members nearby. People know that I am alone w/ the kids and we never get invited to spend the day with my friends and their families either. Holidays are stressful b/c they always involve money that I don’t have to buy presents, and pay the bills too. I also work in health care so I sometimes end up scheduled to work a major holiday’s or they are such money making days that I will work 12 or 16 hours for the xtra money, I have no choice at times b/c the bills are always there. What can I do for some holiday cheer?
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Filed under: single parent holidays
Alot of nice family restaurants are open on holidays. Just being together and always letting them know you love them will get you through. They will be better people because of it.
have the kids help create some new family traditions…they will love the responsibility and appreciate the traditions.
You could also try inviting others to spend the holidays with you.
u r not alone. I am a single mom of 4 boys and 1 girl. We spend the holidays together unless I am working, then we set aside a day that we all cook a big meal. I buy few gifts at christmas…we alwys wait till tax time to do our shopping. I set a liimit for each one and they get to do their own shopping. We usually do a 2 day trip to the outlet malls. Being a single mom my kids understand that I have bills to pay and just being together is good enough for them. But they do look forward to their "shopping trip" every year. They may have to wait but Everyone gets what they want and they are happy . U wouldnt believe the sales in Feb and March!!! Plus i dont have to worry about un wanted gifts…So we all are happy
You can start your own traditions.
Preparing a special meal for a certain holiday or doing crafts together.
They are less costly than going out and provide things you would buy anyway.
The children will enjoy doing things if it’s with you, it doesn’t need to be on the holiday, it can be the night before.
Children will look forward to being certain they get time with you!
I’m not single and I am not a mother, but I had one! And Good for you for being so active in their lives… Your right the holidays can be depressing… but you have the most important thing …each other….
Holiday decorations need not cost anything more than a little time, effort and imagination. : )
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Change out your regular outdoor lights for red and green ones you can buy them for less than 2.00 at the hardware store…
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Cut branches from evergreen trees and bring them indoors to brighten your home for the holidays. They are generally free, always look fresh, and they fill the house with a fragrant aroma.
Always cut the branch at a 45 degree angle. Otherwise, you might damage the tree or shrub. Always cut twice as much as you think you will need.
Mash the ends of the branches with a hammer so that they will absorb water more easily.
Mix up a solution of 1 gallon of water and 1 cup of sugar. Always soak the branches overnight in this solution before you use them.
Add a little color with berries (not a good choice with kids in the house), pinecones, seedpods, or sweet gum balls sprayed with a clear varnish or painted gold or silver.
Small fruits such as apples, lemons, limes, kiwi, kumquats, and oranges make a great accent on a garland or wreath.
Try ribbons, Christmas tree balls, mini Christmas ornaments or toys, Candy canes, and bells as decoration for your masterpieces.
Try wrapping your wall hanging pictures in gift-wrap and a bow. You’ll discover you have a giant present hanging on your wall.
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Luminaries, Purchase an equal number of green and red lunch-size paper bags. These are available at most craft and paper stores and range in price from about 15 cents to 35 cents each, fill bottom with a little sand, and push down a a candle in the sand and line them up along your walk way for a cheep and pretty way to decorate outside…
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Stringing popcorn and cranberries into a thread a type of garland. This is especially good to put on the trees outside. Don’t forget that birds get hungry around Christmas time. its fun and very inexpensive just be careful the little one may have a hard time using a needle (sometimes you can find dull plastic ones at the craft store… but the older kids should be okay.
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Make a construction paper garland chain. These are fun and cheep too. Good for the little ones
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Decorate a paper plate like Santa! Make a cotton ball beard and paper eyes. You can also color the eyes with felt tip pens or crayons. Glue on wiggle eyes if you have some. Make Santa’s nose a red circle. Top it off with a construction paper hat complete with a cotton ball brim and ball on the tip of hat.
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Using paint, markers, rubber stamps or rubber stamps make homemade wrapping paper on brown or white craft paper. You can even use grocery bags.
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Make Ornaments: (great gifts for aunts uncles, grandma and grandpa)
Fix flour in proportions of 1 cup flour to 1/4 cup salt with enough water to form dough (add flour if too sticky).
Mix in some cinnamon for scented dough if desired.
Use cookie cutters to make designs. Make sure you poke a hole in the top so you can make a string hanger.
Bake at low temperature in oven so they won’t brown. This should be between 250 and 300 degrees. It will take quite a while for them to bake this way.
If desired, paint with tempera paints and let dry. Tie string through top for hanger
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Here is an idea for grandparents. Make a personalized calendar with pictures of you and your family. It is very simple. Buy a blank calendar or make blank pages on your computer and print them out. Then place pictures of the grandkids and birthdays and special occasions in the blocks. They’ll love it.
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Save your old Christmas cards. Use the front of the card as a tag for presents. Just cut the card front off and make certain that the backside is blank. Punch a hole in the top left-hand corner. Now you are ready to write To and From on the blank side! For an extra touch you can tie bright colored ribbon or yarn through the hole in order to tie it onto the ribbon on the package. Not only are you saving money, you are now recycling those old cards!
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Here is a great idea for a present to a friend. Gather up pictures from the time you first met until the present. These should include favorite memories, places you have been, and things that you have done together. Put them in order and write a story beginning with how you met, first impressions, where you first got to know each other, how your relationship grew, and what you love about them. Paste one or two pictures per page, with the writing below, and create a storybook, just for them, about your friendship.
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There is nothing like hanging ornaments on a tree. And it means even more when someone you care for has made it. For gifts this year try picking up some ceramic Christmas ornaments to paint. You can paint several for each friend. This way you will always be together at Christmas time. You can also have the people you care about make an ornament for your tree! It need not be elaborate. It can be something as simple as a snowflake or one with their picture on it.
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Some things about Christmas and the Holidays don’t cost anything at all. When I was young my Na-na used to have me volunteer with her in the local "soup kitchen" for thanksgiving and then we would have dinner there it made our family appreciate what we had and truly learn the value of being thankful.
At Christmas my mom would read me Christmas stories and we would talk about Santa and magical things that happen in peoples hearts at Christmas time. My na-na also founded a Christmas basket program for needy families in our city and gave toys to kids who’s families couldn’t afford them otherwise and let me tell you working with your family to help others is a wonderful way to spend the holidays.
When I got older, in my high school English class we answered letter from children to Santa, this may be good for the older ones (if they know) : ) But is heartwarming to really see what 6 year olds ask for. Once a little boy wanted his daddy back from heaven, of course you have to monitor what you write back and obviously you cant give him what he wanted but you know you care helping a child when they read those letters and putting the "magic" of Christmas in their hearts….. you can simply pick up "Santa" letters at your local post office.
other little things are… turn on the radio listen to Christmas music, watch old holiday movies on TV, sit and write to Santa, make Christmas lists….. print Christmas pictures off the computer and color them…
take all the things you have made and you and your kids decorate your home, and it doesn’t really matter how it looks… what matters is you all did it together….
also I work in hotels and I know about demanding jobs… 365 days a week 24 hours a day… hotels like hospitals do not close… just celebrate around your schedule… I am sure your kids will understand… And if you have to work find a single person to switch so you can spend your preferred time with your children…
Good Luck! Have Fun!
Look make the kids happy, work suck, there food pantry, churches, non profit organization., also your city officals having party. Lady with 3 kids, that ages get help SALVATION ARMY, Welfares, maybe a good man in your life ., get some help!!! Listen let me know how you made out ,or I,ll help you,
Well before I became a single mother we had some traditions already. Now some we have dropped, yet others continue.
My children love to hang the ornaments on the tree. And each year they get a new ornament, so that when they are old enough to go out on their own they will have a set already started.
We cook special foods together, that we only have for the holidays.
We watch at least one classic Christmas movie together every year.
And we take a drive about a week before Christmas listening to Christmas music, and looking at all the Christmas lights others have hung. Just so we can have time as a family.
Yes at Christmas it can be depressing, especially if you have had something bad happen on or near Christmas, as my family has. But it is not just about those things. It is about sharing love with each other, and enjoying time spent with those that you love.
And I know how money can be tight. But my helpful hint there that won’t help this year is slowly through the year if you see something your kids would like, or that you want for them, try to buy it on sale or clearance all year long. I know one year I bought a lot of stuff on clearance at e-Toys, that the kids just loved. You just have to watch for bargains. Right after Christmas, during clearance time is the best time to buy wrapping paper, name tags, ornaments, and such and just put away until the following year.
Best of luck from a mother of 4 (3 boys 20, 13 & 4…..1 girl 9)
Tajuna is right.
I have 2 kids and was a single mother and also a daughter of one.
We did a lot of things that she suggested when my brother and I were little. And now I have taken some of those things that we use to do and do them with my kids.
We used the paper chain and wrote the days till Christmas on them and every day we would tear one link off until we got to Christmas Day.
We didn’t have many presents only like 2 or 3 a piece and we always got fruit and nuts in our stocking. We thought it was the best.
Do some of the things that she suggested and I am sure you will have a better time this year. And teach the kids it is better to give than receive.
Make your own traditions!
I am a single mom.
Every year we buy a new ornament for the tree, we put th tree up and watch holiday movies. Christmas Eve we make some sort of holiday treat or craft for friends/family-fudge, cookies,picture frames, chocolate pretzels, etc and wrap it in tissue paper and decorate with stickers or gift boxes(very cheap) and have a "special dinner"-whatever my daughter wants-her fav food.
I buy what I can BUT buy one special thing they want and just get them little things if you can or donate to a kids for tots, animal shelter,etc so they will feel good about it-even something small
Have a dinner party-invite others and have a potluck.
Family and love is what matters-not presents-talk to them about that,
If you do xmas crafts with the kids it will always be remembered..we didn’t have much money growing up, but we always did crafts that were fun and cheap.. My mother bought sequins, white glue and styro foam balls.. and painstakingly I glued each sequin in place one by one with a straight pin. when the ball was completely covered with sequins, no bare spots, they were dried and hung in the windows where they reflected the lights.. they take ages to make, but I did one every year.. for the younger one, decorating xmas cookies with sprinkles is an excellent first craft.. don’t underestimate the level of enjoyment.. most kids just want to do something different with you. These are great family traditions to start.. play games while listening to christmas music too..