Ever since I was a child myself, I have absolutely loved Christmas! It may be because I have always been surrounded by children and you can’t help but be joyful when everyday is spent with beautiful little people or maybe it’s because secretly I’m just a big kid myself  – but I love everything about it! From spending time with family and friends to the decorations, Christmas carols, Christmas craft, fancy food, present giving and Christmas parties – I love it all. Each year I begin planning earlier and earlier so that Christmas lasts even longer. Yet while I enjoy all aspects of it, I’m always mindful that it isn’t like that for everyone. Christmas is a wonderful magical time for many but for others it can be quite the opposite. It may be a time of great loneliness, neediness and depression. Although colourful lights, Santa and Christmas trees are a huge exciting part of Christmas, it is really important that as adults we do not lose sight of the big picture and the wider community.  There is nothing wrong with celebrating, decorating, buying gifts, etc. but children should also be taught about caring for others.  Charity should be a part of our lives throughout the whole year but Christmas brings the perfect opportunity to teach children about giving to those less fortunate and also about the real meaning of Christmas.

Teach them about the real meaning of Christmas

Whether you believe in Jesus and the Christmas story or not, it is important to share it with children so that they know why Christmas is celebrated.  Some people celebrate Christmas as being the end of the year and do not associate it with Jesus being born but I think it’s important for children to understand how it all began.  The best way to do this is through children’s books or a child friendly bible. Regardless of your faith, present it as a story or as what some people believe but children should be educated about such a huge yearly event.

Teach them to GIVE

Teach your children to be gracious and grateful by showing them to care for others and to give, not only at Christmas but always.  Make sure you explain why you are giving and how important it is. Here are a few of my favourite charities and ways that you and your children can give at Christmas time:

World Vision

 World Vision has some great gifts you can buy for people in poor communities. When you  buy a gift from World Vision, the recipient receives a Christmas card detailing what you bought and how it helps. Presents begin from $5.00 and that will buy school pencils which will enable children  to dream and create.  Some other great gifts you can buy to support these communities in need are:  chicken and eggs $10.00,  mosquito nets $15.00,  much needed child immunisation or school books   $25.00 each,  blankets to keep warm  $35.00 and for $125.00 you can train a teacher or buy food for life! There are also lots more options of things to buy which will make a difference to children, families and communities.     And if you want to help the whole year through, consider sponsoring a child. For more information visit: http://trans.worldvision.com.au/Gifts/GiftCatalogue/Gifts.aspx

UNICEF

At UNICEF you can buy gifts that are delivered straight to needy children.  $34.00 will buy polio vaccinations for 200 children, $27.00 will protect 100 children from the measles, and $466.00 will provide a water pump for the whole community, plus there are many more gifts to choose from. Your loved ones will receive a card detailing the wonderful gift you bought in their name. We take healthcare for granted but these children won’t survive unless more people open their hearts. You have the power to make a difference to so many people’s lives and help a whole community. Find out how you can help at www.unicef.org.au

RSPCA

At the RSPCA you can help make a difference to many animals lives who have been abused, neglected and mistreated. Be their voice by supporting the amazing work of the RSPCA. Buy RSPCA Christmas cards or gifts and the proceeds will help make life better for many darling precious animals. Find out how at  www.rspca.org.au

Cancer Council

Almost everyone knows someone who has been affected by Cancer and so much more help is needed if we are going to eradicate this insidious disease. Give your support this Christmas by buying Christmas cards, donating money in lieu of gifts or asking others to donate money instead of buying you a gift at http://www.cancercouncil.com.au.

Make A Wish Foundation

The Make A Wish Foundation, with the sponsorship, donations, and  support of the community grants the wishes of children with life threatening illnesses. Support them by buying cards and gifts from Make a wish at www.makeawish.org.au

Another beautiful way to teach children about giving is to allow them to help you when volunteering your time.  As a family you can collect gifts, food and other necessities for families in need; help out in soup kitchens; or by delivering presents to needy families, etc. Also, check with local churches or charities and find out other ways you can donate or volunteer.

These are all great ways to get children into the real Christmas spirit and to show them what giving is really all about.  It’s important for children to know that giving isn’t about expensive presents it’s about helping those less fortunate than ourselves.  Make Christmas time the time to begin teaching your darling precious children a lesson so valuable that when taught consistently throughout the year will last a lifetime.

Happy guiding and a giving Christmas

from

Darling Precious Children

What you will need:  foam ball, coloured paint, paint palette/container, plastic cup, plastic wrap, paint brush, glitter paint/glue, plastic tablecloth or newspaper to cover surfaces and a variety of the sparkliest sparkles you can find e.g stars, sequins, etc. 

Step 1 – Cover your surface area with newspaper or a plastic tablecloth and get out everything you will need to make your Sparkly Christmas Bauble. Then place plastic wrap fairly loosely over the rim of your plastic cup and let your foam ball sit securely on the plastic wrap.

Step 2 – Hold onto the plastic cup and use it as a stand for your foam ball as you paint one side of the foam ball in your favourite Christmas colour paint.  Then turn the ball over and paint the other side.  Leave it to dry for a few hours or overnight and then repaint one side – letting it dry –  and then turn it over to paint the other side again. Leave it for a few hours or overnight once again to make sure it is completely dry.

Step 3 –  Use the plastic cup and plastic wrap once again to help hold the foam ball. Then put some glitter glue paint into a paint palette/container and generously paint one side of the ball with glitter glue paint.

Step 4 – Using your fingers, carefully sprinkle or gently place some of your sparkliest sparkles all over one side of your glitter glue covered foam ball and let them sink in and stick.

Step 5 – After one side has completely dried turn the foam ball over and repeat step 4 on the other side. Then let the bauble completely dry again.

Step 6 – When the bauble is completely dry, press a piece of tinsel pipecleaner into the top at two points, making a hanging loop.

Your Sparkly Christmas Bauble is complete and ready to sprinkle its Christmas magic, so place it where everyone can see it and feel the magic sparkle of Christmas!  Not only will your darling precious children love making these but they are also developing their fine motor skills, creativity, and an appreciation for all things sparkly : )

Happy guiding and a magical sparkly Christmas

from,

Darling Precious Children

What you will need: A strong cardboard plate, white paper, scissors, paint brush, green paint, glitter paint, red pom poms, blue-tack, craft glue/PVA, a Christmas Poem from the heart, laminater + laminating sheets, and some teeny tiny hands : )

Step 1 – Paint green paint on the child’s hand or let them paint their own if they are able to.

Step 2 – When the hand is completely covered with paint help the child to press it down firmly on the white piece of paper without moving it, then lift it gently. Repeat the same process several times so that you have at least five or six prints with one hand and then do the same with the other hand. You should have about ten to twelve prints all up.

Step 3 – After the green paint has dried, paint the handprints with glitter paint and let that dry.

Step 4 – Carefully cut out each hand print and then laminate them. When laminating is complete, carefully recut each print leaving a small edge of laminate around each hand.

Step 5 – Either write or find a Christmas poem – written from the heart. Type it up, cut it to size and print it, then laminate it and cut it out.

Step 6 – Get cardboard plate, blue-tack, handprints, Christmas Poem, pom poms and craft glue/PVA ready.

Step 7 – Blue-tack the handprints around the plate exactly where you want them and then adjust them as you see necessary.  When you are happy with how they fit, remove one handprint (removing the blue-tack) and put a line of glue on the plate where you want to paste it. Firmly press it down  and then repeat the process with each handprint one by one until each handprint has been pasted on.

Step 8 – Glue your laminated heart-filled Christmas Poem in the centre of your plate/wreath.

Step 9 – Glue your red pom poms randomly around your poem with fairly even spacing between each.

Step 10 – Your gorgeous Heart Print Christmas Tree is complete, so place it somewhere special where everyone can see it and feel the Christmas love.

This is a fun and fabulous activity for developing creativity, fine motor, and an appreciation for the real meaning of Christmas!

Happy guiding and a heart-filled Christmas,

Darling Precious Children

p.s  – If you have more than one child it is lovely to combine all the different hand/heartprints in the one wreath as I did : )

http://www.darlingpreciouschildren.com

What you will need: various coloured Christmas papers, glitter, egg carton, bark, scissors, a rounded pencil, glue stick, PVA /craft glue, a small canvas board, paint in your favourite Christmas colour (green, red, silver or gold look great), glitter glue pens, sparkly stars/shapes, glitter paint, yellow star sticker, newspaper/plastic table cloth to cover surfaces.

What you will need to make a Roly Poly Christmas Tree

Step 1 – Get all the items you will need organised and ready to go then cover your working area with newspaper or a plastic tablecloth.

Step 2 – Paint your canvas using non-toxic paint in one of your favourite Christmas colours such as red, green, silver and gold.

Choose your favourite coloured Christmas paint

Paint your canvas board in your Christmas paint

Step 3  – When your paint is dry, cut a piece of the bark (Palm tree bark works well) into a trunk and stick it on the lower centre of your canvas board using PVA/craft glue.  Then cut a basket out of your egg carton and stick this on the bottom centre of your board, just covering the lower part of your bark trunk.

 

Glue your bark trunk and egg carton basket on with PVA/Craft glue

Step 4 – Cut a variety of Christmas papers into rectangles of about 10cm by 10cm. Then use a rounded pencil/twist crayon to roll your paper rolls, beginning at one end  and rolling the paper around the pencil until about 3cm from the end. To finish off your paper roll, place glue using your glue stick near the end section of your paper and then keep rolling until your paper roll is complete.

Roll your Christmas paper by placing your rounded pencil/twist crayon at the beginning of your paper and rolling until you only have about 3cm left.

Use a glue stick.

Put glue on the last 3cm of your paper roll and then continue rolling until it is sealed.

Step 5 – Continue rolling different pieces of paper until you have about 8 or 9  paper rolls then cut each down to size. Begin with one that is about 1-2cm shorter than the canvas board on each side. Then continue cutting each a cm or 2 shorter than the last. The final one should be about a 1cm wide.  Rearrange the paper rolls on the canvas board to get them into the right order then move them to the side, keeping the same order.

Rearrange the rolls of different patterned Christmas paper into order before you do any gluing so that you have them the way you want them.

Step 6 – Squeeze a line of PVA/craft glue onto where the paper rolls join is and then glue the longest one to the top of your bark (centred), then the next longest, and so on and so on until you have the smallest paper roll on top. Continue to cut in order to get your sizing right if necessary.

Continue until you have all paper rolls firmly secured with PVA/craft glue.

Step 7 – Cover a yellow sticker star with glue and then sprinkle with glitter. Carefully peel sticker from backing then add a drop of PVA/craft glue to the top roll on your Roly Poly Tree and stick glitter star on.

Step 8 – Use glitter glue pens and metallic sparkly shapes to decorate your tree.

Step 9 – Paint the canvas around your Roly Poly Christmas tree in glitter paint with a brush.

Paint your canvas area with glitter paint e.g on the green area on this one.

Step 10 – Your Roly Poly Christmas Tree is now complete so place it somewhere where everyone can see it and enjoy this fabulous Christmas season!

This activity is not only lots of fun but also great for comparing, sorting and ordering in relation to length and for developing fine motor, hand-eye coordination,  and creativity. So get your darling precious children, cutting, rolling, gluing, painting, and designing!!!

Happy guiding and a peaceful Christmas from,

Darling Precious Children