December and Christmas
| Published: 7th December 2007 08:30 |
December
December is one of the most exciting months for children, so celebrate the season with a walk in the woods. Go out and see how the countryside has changed, children are used to playing out in the summer but not so much in the winter. Wrap them up warm and go for a walk and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows. Don't just make December all about Christmas, December is a beautiful month the sun is low in the sky, the mornings are cold, white and crisp. We'll all have our fingers crossed for snow, but the Bookmakers are giving odds of 11/2 on a white Christmas in London for 2007.
5 Fun things to do out and about in December.
1. Collect fallen leaves and make pictures by placing the leaves under the paper and rubbing over the top with wax crayons. My 2 year old loves to do this just as much as the older children. Or you can draw a winter picture and glue the leaves around the edge as a funky frame.
2. Collect pine cones, put them in a plastic bag over night and look at the creepy crawlies that have come out the next morning. Using a mixture of white paint and glue paint the pine cones and then shake over glitter, allow to dry and you have a brilliant homemade Christmas ornament or gift with memories thrown in for free.
3. Feed the birds, explain to your little ones why it's a good idea to feed the birds in winter. You can use old yogurt pots. Lard and Bird seed to make bird feeders to hang up around your garden or balcony.
4. Go out an embrace the cold, kids are fascinated by the world around them, everything from why you can see your breath in the air, to why does water freeze. You can demonstrate using your freezer to make ice.
5. Make pictures of what you've seen. Go age appropriate, for little ones snowy white chalk drawings on blue paper, for older ones use the internet to find out where those Geese at the River have come from.
Events around the world in December
Hanukkah Wednesday 5th - 12th December
Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights, it is an eight-day Jewish holiday. One of the most widely known symbols of this family orientated holiday is the Menorah, with it's nine candles, one more to be lit each night and a an extra light called a shamash, meaning guard or servant is also lit each night.
Have fun and make your own Menorah, for little ones use tissue paper to make a collage and for older children use clay to modle a Menorah and then dry it in the airing cupboard or low oven, before painting.
Try playing this Hanukkah game. Great for everyone from toddlers to grand parents, to play together whether you're Jewish or not. Playing dreidel is the perfect fun way to celebrate the holiday and create family memories.
Here's How:
1. All players get an equal amount of pennies, chocolate coins (gelt), candies, raisins, or tokens.
2. All players put one token in the pot in the centre.
3. The dreidel is a four sided spinning top with a different Hebrew letter on each side, really easy to make with a small square of card and a cocktail stick. Players take turns spinning the dreidel.
4. The player acts according to the letter which is facing up when the dreidel stops spinning.
Nun means the player does nothing.
Gimel means the player takes all the tokens from the pot.
Hay means the player takes half of the tokens from the pot.
Shin (or Pay in Israel) means the player puts one token into the pot.
The winner is the one with the most tokens.
Geminids Meteor shower December 7th -16th
Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through a comet's orbit, and left-over comet debris bombards the Earth. Meteor showers occur at roughly the same time each year. In the Northern hemisphere the Geminid shower is one of the year's most spectacular. The paths of Geminid meteors appear to point back to a spot near the bright stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini, giving the shower its name. The best night to see them will be 9th December as there is a new moon.
Anniversary of powered flight December 17th
On December 17, 1903, the "Wright Flyer" flew for 12 seconds and for a distance of 120 feet (37 m). The flight took place on the sand dunes at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, USA. The first working airplane was invented, designed, made, and flown by the Wright brothers, Wilbur Wright (1867-1912) and Orville Wright (1871-1948). Their "Wright Flyer" was a fabric-covered biplane with a wooden frame. The power to the two propellers was supplied by a 12-horsepower water-cooled engine.
Winter Solstice December 21st
The shortest day of the year, the Pagan celebration of Winter Solstice (also known as Yule) is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world. It is traditional to find a Yule log out in the forest large enough to burn for 12 nights, bring it back and burn it to protect your house.
Christmas Eve December 24th
The tradition of leaving a mice pie and a carrot out for Santa and Rudolph, can be expanded on by making your own mince pies, you can buy the pre-made pastry and mince meat and just get the kids to assemble them.
"Did you Know?" Mince Pies were once banned. In the 1640's you were not allowed to eat mince pies because of their pagan origins. But once King Charles II came in to power and the monarchy was restored, all of the new laws from when Oliver Cromwell was in charge were ignored.
If you have older kids get them to help you wrap presents, put a few sequins or Christmas confetti in with the gift, they will all tumble out when the present is unwrapped.
If you can't bear church, then have your own carol service, everyone knows a few Christmas carols. Have candles and make it special. If you have a nice local church that has a carol service then go, it is Christmas after all.
Christmas Day December 25th
Traditionally celebrated by most Christians as the birthday of Jesus Christ. Now typified by the giving and receiving of gifts and eating a huge celebration meal.
Try concentrating on the giving aspect of Christmas, children are all too familiar with the receiving part of Christmas. Making homemade Christmas cards is a great way for children to create something to give to someone else, My Grandma had the card I made for her aged 4 in 1983 on her fireplace every year until she died in 2003, as a child it is important to know that we are valued.
Make a nativity scene, use pipe cleaners, toilet roll tubes etc to make the key figures, Nativities are becoming less and less common as we become more and more politically correct.
Boxing Day December 26th
The name Boxing Day originates as St. Stephen's day was the day when people would give a present or Christmas box to those who had worked for them throughout the year. This is still done in Britain for postmen and paper-boys - though now the 'box' is usually given before Christmas, not after.
Try putting together a care package to give to a homeless shelter or to the RSPCA and explain to your kids that Christmas isn't just about that Nintendo Wii that they want more than anything in the world.
Kwanzaa December 26th - January1st
Kwanzaa is a holiday that celebrates African-American culture. Kwanzaa lasts for seven days. The word "Kwanzaa" means "first fruits" in Swahili. Maulena Karenga, an African-American scholar and activist, founded Kwanzaa in 1966. Defined by the seven principles of Unity (umoja), signified by the gathering of family, friends, and community, Faith (imani), Purpose (nia), Collective work and responsibility (ujima), Cooperative economics (ujamaa), Self-determination (kujichagulia) and Creativity (kuumba)
On December 31, a Kwanzaa feast is enjoyed by family and friends.
Find out more at http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml
Make Kwanzaa candles using decorated toilet or kitchen roll tubes as the stem and red and yellow tissue paper as the flames.
New Years Eve December 31st
Celebrate the New Year by either waiting for Big Ben, or a clock to strike midnight while enjoying the party. In Scotland New Years Eve celebrations are known as Hogmanay. The traditional song Auld Lang Syne was written by Robert Burns, a Scottish poet.
The residents on the central Pacific Ocean island of Kiritimati (Christmas Island), the eastern-most island in the island nation of Kiribati claim to be the first to usher in the New Year.
Don't fancy the kids staying up to see in the new year go to Sydney harbour webcam and watch their fireworks and celebrations as they are GMT +10hours you can watch it all happening at 2pm New Years Eve. Have a look at http://www.sydney-webcam.com/index.php?nav=cam1
The people from Allendale in Northumberland have an unusual way of celebrating the New Year. 30 men carry 30 barrels down the street on their heads, not only that, but they are on fire! The men walk down to a waiting bonfire, where the barrels are flung on to the pile of logs and wood at midnight to welcome in the New Year.
Make your own firework picture by using black or dark blue paper, glue and different coloured glitter, or alternatively splodge watery paint onto a piece of paper and blow it into an explosion pattern using a drinking straw. These fireworks pictures are great decorations for New Year.
Make a family record, on New Years Eve write a record of each child, grandparents and parents etc. Make notes of height, weight anything you like, but also make note of resolutions, what you'd like to do in the next year. This can be a family tradition getting the book out each year to see how you've changed, it will also serve as a record of your families development.
Also in December...
World Elephant Polo Championships
Polo is normally played on the back of horses, but in India, it's done a little different, with Elephants. It's a welcome change for the elephants who normally spend their day carrying tourists around the safari park. The 16 elephants that take part are specially trained for the game with similar rules to the one played on horseback.
"Did you Know? " Elephants can't jump. It's true, although their legs have the same number of bones as humans or other mammals, the bones are much more tightly packed, and so it doesn't have the flexibility or spring mechanism to jump. Not to mention that they can also weigh up to 12,000 kg (26,400 lb).
Favourite Websites:
Every year since 1955 the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), tracks santa's journey from the north pole all over the world. Great fun for kids to watch and wait. http://www.northpole.com/NoradSanta.asp
Answer to all of those Christmas questions that you'll be asked, everything from "Why is mistletoe hanging over the front door?" to "Why do people give each other presents on Christmas day?".
http://www.howstuffworks.com/christmas.htm
Missing the snow? Have a look at the webcam pictures updated every 15minutes in the beautiful town of Arlberg in Austria.
http://www.gasthof-traube.at/webcam.htm
Fun things to make at Christmas time.
Florentines
A great Christmas treat, because you are making them yourself you can adjust the recipe accordingly, so you could replace the nuts with pumpkin seeds or use gluten free flour for anyone who's allergic. Package them either in handmade boxes or decorated cellophane bags. If you are working with children stress the fact that the mixture is hot and they will be very hot when they first come out of the oven, so be careful no-one wants burned fingers.
Christmas recipe makes: 12
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 8-10 minutes
Ingredients
25 g Glace cherries, quartered
40 g Almonds, flaked
60 g Unsalted butter
50 g Golden caster sugar,
30 ml Double cream,
25 g Sunflower seeds,
20 g Mixed peel, chopped
20 g Sultanas,
15 g Plain flour
125 g Dark chocolate, chopped
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180oC/gas 4 Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Using a little butter or vegetable oil lightly grease a sheet of baking paper.
2. Melt the butter and add the sugar, bring to the boil.
3. Add in the cream, fruit and nuts, stir very well until combined.
4. Place heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture 4cm apart onto the lined greased baking sheet. The mixture will spread during cooking.
5. Bake for 9-10 minutes until golden brown.
6. Cool for a couple of minutes before removing to a wire rack for complete cooling.
7. Prepare melted chocolate by heating in a bowl over a saucepan of water at boiling point. Ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water.
8. Then take each Florentine and dip into the chocolate so all the edge is covered. Place on non-stick paper till cooled.
Stained Glass cookies
This recipe is a lot of fun to make with the kids, and the cookies look great once they're baked. You can use them to decorate 
the tree, give them as gifts or just munch them by the fire on a cold evening! If you are making these with children be careful when you take them out of the oven as they will be really hot.
Christmas recipe makes: 8
Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling
Cooking time: 8-10 minutes
Ingredients
325g Plain flour, sifted
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
200g Brown sugar
225g Butter (melted)
6 tbsp honey
60ml Water
Brightly coloured boiled sweets
Cookie cutters
Coloured ribbon if you're hanging the cookies as decorations.
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180oC/gas 4, lightly grease two baking sheets.
2. Cream the butter, sugar and honey in a large bowl, add the water and mix until smooth.
3. Combine the salt, baking soda and sifted flour in another large bowl.
4. Add the butter mixture to flour mixture and knead the dough a little with your hands. Form into a roll and wrap up in cling film, then place in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes.
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out shapes using cookie cutters.
6. Using the tip of a sharp knife cut out a circle in the center of each cookie to approximately fit the boiled sweet. If the cookie is going to be an ornament make a hole at the top using a straw or skewer. Place on the baking sheet.
7. Bake for approximately 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and place a boiled sweet in the hole in the center of each cookie and bake for a further 2 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before displaying or eating.
Christmas crispy cakes
Perfect for small children to make, my daughter is mad on stirring. Don't expect it all to stay in the bowl in my experience it just doesn't happen. If you can find them use pretty Christmassy paper cases.
Christmas recipe makes: 12
Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling
Cooking time: 0 minutes
Ingredients
100g Milk chocolate
200g Puffed rice cereal
50g Raisins
25g Chopped mixed peel, finely chopped
25g Glace cherries, chopped
25g Dried cranberries, chopped
Method
1. Lay out 12 paper cases on a baking sheet.
2. Prepare melted chocolate by heating in a bowl over a saucepan of water at boiling point. Ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water. Or melt in the microwave.
3. When the chocolate has cooled slightly, mix in the dried fruit, raisins and cherries. Stir well.
4. Add the puffed rice in batches stirring in well after each addition, add enough puffed rice so that when you stir really well the chocolate is just coating the rice. If you add too little puffed rice then when they set they'll be really hard and difficult to eat.
5. Spoon the mixture into the cases and allow to set in a cool place, not in the fridge or the chocolate will set hard and bloom (discolour).
Snowman blow football.
It's amazing how much fun kids have with the simplest things. With just a few store cupboard items you can have hours of fun, everyone from my 2 year old and her friends through to my dad had fun with this one. The only limit to the number of players is space if you make a large enough pitch you can have the full 11 players a side.
For 4 players you will need:
1 A4 sheet Green paper (you can always use white paper coloured in with crayon or felt tip)
A Glue stick
Felt tip pens or crayons
2 A4 sheets of white card
Cotton wool
8 Straight drinking straws (if you have bendy ones just cut the bendy part off)
Small amount of blu-tak (or plasticine)
A pair of scissors
1 A4 sheet paper (or the ball)
Method
1. Draw out with a felt tip the markings of a football pitch on the green paper.
2. Cut two of the drinking straws in half, these are the sides of the goal, using the blu-tak make two goals using two short pieces and one long piece. Attach to either end of the pitch.
3. Fold the white card in half and draw a snowman, carefully cut out using scissors, you should now have two snowmen, repeat this with the other piece of card. Make a small hole at the bottom of each snowman (where his legs would be) using the scissors.
3. Use the felt tips, glue and cotton wool to decorate the snowmen. With the front facing away from you place the straw a little way through the hole and fix the straw to the back of the snowman.
4. Now make a paper ball using approximately 1/4 of a sheet of paper, and you're ready for your first Snowman football play off.
Tip : Use a little blu-tak to fix your pitch to the table or you'll end up chasing the pitch as the game gets more frantic.
Above All - have a peaceful and chilled time with your children
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