After this stressful year, I want to make the holiday season extra magical for my children. Here is how I plan to make the holidays as joyful as I can without losing my sanity.
Light Shows!
We are so fortunate to live near multiple Christmas light shows here in the Midlands. If there’s one thing my kids can agree on it is that they LOVE Christmas lights. We started by decorating our own house with as many Christmas lights as we could. Then we packed hot chocolate and candy, and we had a magical time driving through Holiday Lights on the River at Saluda Shoals. Nothing is more magical than one million lights enjoyed from the comfort and warmth of your car! Next on our list is the Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo and a social distance visit with the Santa there.
Ice Skating!
I grew up in the Midwest where ice skating was one of the best parts of winter. I can’t wait to share my love of ice skating with my children now that they are old enough. Ice on Main in Greenville offers outdoor ice-skating magic by hourly reservation, and we can’t wait to check it out.
Baking!
Who doesn’t enjoy homemade Christmas cookies this time of year? Baking has always been a stress reliever for me and now more than ever I could use some baking therapy. One of our favorite family traditions is baking and decorating sugar cookies followed by movie night where we watch The Polar Express.
Gingerbread House Competition!
It was my six-year-old’s idea to step up our game and have a gingerbread house competition this year. Maybe it’s all the baking shows we have watched, but I admire her creativity and competitive spirit. I will leave the engineering to my husband and be the judge. In all honesty, I’ll probably get stuck with all the clean-up, but my kids put so much thought into their houses and show them off with pride, so the mess is a small price to pay.
Giving to Others!
I want my children to understand the holidays are truly about giving and not just receiving gifts. Together our family picked two non-profits to donate to. We also made Christmas cards for a nursing home whose residents desperately needed some holiday cheer. After all, blessing others and spreading cheer is what this season is all about.
