Shortcuts from Our Parent Panel
Author: By Catherine Holecko
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Hundreds of parents have volunteered to serve on the Scholastic.com Family Channel's parent panel , offering opinions on issues that affect families and advice on what's worked in raising their children. We asked panelists for their best holiday- season shortcuts and received a Santa's sack full of time- and work-saving suggestions. Read on for the best of the best!
Shopping
Wrapping
Decorating
Entertaining
Traveling
Kids' Behavior
Traditions
Shopping
Many parents reported that they try to spread their purchasing out over the year to eliminate that December crunch.
- I am on the lookout for gifts all year. When I see something - even if it is in March - that would be perfect, I buy it! It makes shopping in December easier and I often receive compliments from friends and family who say that my gifts are always right on the mark. Cheryl K., New York
- When I find amazing deals, such as after major holidays, I buy an assortment of things (toys, clothing, housewares) and save them. I've set aside a secret space, where my kids won't find them, to store them all. It makes the holiday season easier because I'm often halfway finished before I even start. I'm also prepared for anytime I need an emergency gift. Abbie B., California
- Mid-summer, I make a list in the back of my datebook. Then, as I wander around doing errands or visiting craft and warehouse sales, I think about Christmas and have my list of names to refer to. Once I buy a gift I write it down. Deb J., Ontario Download a printable shopping organizer PDF
- Our family simplified gift-giving. As my siblings and I got older and had children, shopping for each other got complicated, costly, and excessive - our children had more toys than they could possibly use. We decided to simplify in two ways. The children draw names and exchange gifts, and the adults have a "white elephant" gift exchange. The children now get a gift from one cousin and the grandparents (not to mention Santa and immediate family members). The white elephant parties have been some of the most enjoyable, hilarious, memorable times we have had! We all feel good about bringing our holiday back to realistic proportions. Jill B., Texas
- Forget about 8 presents for 8 days! Whoever started that rule for Hanukkah must have been crazy. There's no religious basis for it, and I see no reason to drive myself crazy trying to buy that many gifts. Monica B., Maryland
- I buy gifts in bulk. For example, my son, godson, and nephew are the same age, so I buy 3 of the same books, one for each of them. Deb J, Ontario .
- We send festive edibles and skip shipping. My husband has several elderly aunts and we send them all the same holiday wreath or fruit basket - from an online store so we don't have to ship them ourselves. Cathy C., New Jersey
- I give myself permission to give loved ones (such as my sister) something small, or even just a card, during the holiday, and then in January go with them to and pick something out during the sales. Sometimes, the best present of all is getting to choose what you want for yourself! Monica B., Maryland
- I never shop with friends when I really want to get some things knocked off my list (going for fun and lunch is a different story altogether!). I found that although it sounded fun to have a shopping date, we wasted time as we all looked for one thing on someone's list, then another. I make an effort to eliminate time-wasters in my schedule, especially at this time of year when there are so many extras sneaking onto the calendar. Shopping solo or with my husband makes the most of my time. Jill B., Texas
- We make shopping a one-day-only affair. On the Sunday that falls during Hanukkah, the whole family goes to the mall together. We have one hour to pick out something for each person, spending $10 or less on each gift. Then we meet for lunch at a restaurant and exchange our treasures. Nancy K., Maryland
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Wrapping
When it comes to preparing gifts for presentation, moms and dads fall into two camps: the slow-and-steadies and the one-big-jobbers.
- Do it in spurts as you buy the gifts that way you aren't stuck wrapping all at one time. Emily L., Maryland
- I wrap everything in one horrible and long night, and then it is done! Cheryl K., New York
- I let my kids help me with adults' gifts and then after they have gone to bed, I wrap theirs. Monica N., Texas Download printable gift tags for kids to color PDF
- After Christmas I buy several rolls of the same paper when it is on sale. When the next year rolls around, I am ready to wrap. Buying the same pattern keeps me from spending time and energy worrying which paper to use for different people's gifts. Jill B., Texas
- I set up a wrapping station in the basement. Then I can leave the paper and supplies out, instead of having to put it all away every time. Deb J., Ontario
- Gift bags are lifesavers! They're expensive, but you can re-use them. I like to dress them up with coordinating tissue paper and ribbons. Cathy C., New Jersey
- I keep tons of colored tissue paper and ribbon in the house at all times. Either I use the tissue paper to finish off gift bags, or I wrap gifts directly in it - which helps at holiday time because I don't have to think about whether it should be a Hanukkah or Christmas wrapping. Monica B., Maryland
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Decorating
Although decking the halls sets the holiday mood, placing everything just so can be time-consuming, not to mention futile when you have little ones around. Simpler is often better, many parents told us.
- Decorating the tree and the house is a family event. It gets us all in the holiday spirit, and when the job is shared, it doesn't overwhelm one person. Emily L., Texas
- I have toned down my decorating over the years. I limit holiday decorations to the downstairs areas of our home, where we enjoy them most. Cheryl K., New York
- The kids help - within reason. I want help in the final stages, but at the beginning I do not want my children unwrapping ornaments and breakables in boxes I haven't even gotten to yet. So I do the first round by myself while they're in bed, and then the next day we work together to finish the job. Deb J., Ontario
- Tradition says that the Hanukkah menorah must be placed in a window where others can see it from the street. It's an easy way to decorate (as functional as it is festive!). To make it a little special, every year I splurge on really beautiful, handmade Hanukkah candles. Monica B., Maryland
- Since ours is an interfaith family, I keep religious symbols separate. My husband is Jewish and I am Catholic. We both feel strongly about our backgrounds and heritage and are passing along our beliefs to our children. It can get a little confusing when Hanukkah and Christmas fall very close together. I dedicate one area to Christmas decorations and use another to display our Hanukkah menorah and related items. That way the children learn the symbols of each holiday without confusing which goes with which. Cheryl K., New York
- I have two categories: formal and fun. I decorate the living and dining rooms with more formal and delicate items: glass, porcelain, a themed tree, and so on. Then I put the fun, touchable decorations (wooden, crafty, homemade, kid-made, etc.) in the areas where our children spent the most time - the family room, kitchen, breakfast area, and bedrooms. This gives us a place to display for the homemade, sentimental favorites while still allowing me to have some beautiful, formal areas too. Jill B., Texas
- We have a kids' menorah made of fabric with flames that stick on with Velcro. Our 3-year-old son loves to add one flame each night. Rachel B., Massachusetts
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Entertaining
The key here, panelists agree, is to ask for help - and don't sweat the small stuff.
- I try to get all the serving out of the way in the first hour of the party and then allow myself to relax and enjoy. I love to entertain, but if I don't use this strategy then I don't enjoy the gathering as much. Cheryl K., New York
- I usually have several holiday parties with over 50 guests at each one. I have them catered by a local woman and hire two of my babysitters to serve and clean up. Deb J., Ontario
- For a twist on potluck, we have an annual latke cook-off where each family brings a different type of latke. Some past favorites include pumpkin, caviar and smoked salmon, and zucchini with parmesan cheese. Traci D., New Jersey
- I try to relax and enjoy the company rather than stress about the mess, cost, and everything else. Holiday parties are a must in my family and spending time together is what counts. Emily L., Maryland
- I get guests their first drink and after that, they help themselves from a self-serve bar area. Deb J., Ontario
- This year I'm going to bake my potato latkes. Nothing is messier or more exhausting than standing over a greasy, hot stove frying up latkes! Monica B., Maryland
- My husband is usually on clean-up duty, simply because he wants the house to be spotless before we go to bed. I would be content to leave it for morning! Cheryl K., New York
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Travel
Far-flung family and friends love to see you at holiday time, but traveling with kids can be tough. Packing lots of fun activities and setting ground rules in advance help smooth the road, say our moms and dads.
- Over the years we have realized that being a few minutes late is not worth fighting about and a little advanced planning goes a long way to making the trip go smoothly. Cheryl K., New York
- We plan only, but at least, one major activity a day for the children while we are away from home. We are very careful to work this out with our family well beforehand. This way the kids have something to look forward to each day, while still having plenty of free time for old-fashioned playing and visiting with each other. This also works well to accommodate young children who still need naps, and frees up the adults to have time to relax, eat goodies, cook, and visit. Jill B., Texas
- Some of our kids' favorite travel activities are books on tape (we borrow them from the library), magnetic games, mini chalkboards, paper, stickers, and word games. Lucia M., Arizona
- We allow 2 to 3 days of down time between the end of a trip and our return to school and work. We no longer book travel from the day the kids get out of school through the day before they go back. We did this in the beginning, hating to lose any time we could have with family, but eventually realized it was too stressful. Jill B., Texas
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Kids' Behavior
As much as we enjoy them, the holidays can be trying times for kids - which means the same goes for mom and dad. Our panelists stressed the need for etiquette and everyday routines.
- Fighting greediness is hard in our commercialized society. Giving some new presents to a homeless shelter has worked for us to teach our children to be grateful for what they have and be willing to share it with others. Cheryl K., New York
- To encourage good manners, we talk about what is expected before we attend an event. We reinforce the desired behavior with positive rewards, such as taking the kids somewhere special or even just a few words of praise. Monica N., Texas
- We emphasize the behaviors and habits our kids already know consistently throughout the holiday season ... eventually it sinks in! Emily L., Maryland
- We keep our schedule realistic by putting all potential events on a calendar. That includes everything from parties and band concerts to neighborhood caroling and trips to visit Santa at the mall. As a family we go over the calendar and ink in all of the musts: things we host, things our children participate in, etc. Then we add in those events that we agree are important enough to take up our time. We remember to consider travel time, getting-ready time, and any associated expenses. This strategy teaches our children how to prioritize, how to schedule, and respect for the family as we discuss the merits of one activity over another. It also teaches our children to simplify their own lives because they know they don't have to participate in every single activity out there. Jill B., Texas
- Consistency is key even though schedules may be a little off during the holidays. Children need a schedule, but learning to be flexible is an important life skill. And a nap can go a long way to make everyone happy - adults included! Cheryl K., New York
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Traditions
Panelists shared some of their most cherished holiday rituals. Here are some of our favorites.
- My husband is Hawaiian. His mother is Japanese. My mother is German. I lived in Spain for two years and many of my friends are Jewish. During the holiday season, we get together and share food from all of these cultures, sing songs in different languages and celebrate with lots of love. Lucia M., Arizona
- Our kids exchange presents (costing $5 or less) with each other on Christmas Eve. This allows them to appreciate the gifts a bit more and helps them curb that mounting excitement! Deb J., Ontario
- An old family tradition at our Hanukkah party is to have the kids entertain. Each child gets up in front of the family and performs. It can be anything from telling jokes or singing songs to acting out an original skit. After performing, each child gets a goody bag of toys and candy. Traci D., New Jersey
- On Christmas Eve, my husband gathers up our girls and reads The Night Before Christmas to them. Every year, I sneak a picture of them. It has been cute to watch the picture "grow" from one girl several years ago to the four that are there now. Any book your family loves would do ... it acts to settle them down on the most restless of nights. Jill B., Texas
- We have four Christmas trees in the house: one in the family room where our gifts to each other are; one in the living room where we gather gifts for others and a tiny one in each child's room. On the children's trees we hang little notes detailing the good things they will do to help others throughout the year. There are no gifts are under these trees - the tree and the notes are the gifts. Lucia M., Arizona
- My mother has continued a Hanukkah game with my girls and my nephews that she used to do when I was little. It's called "surprise balls." She finds all kinds of small objects and wraps them up in crepe paper one layer at a time. The kids spend a good 15 to 20 minutes unraveling them to find all kinds of treasures. Barbara S., New York
- Every year I buy and read a new Christmas book on Christmas Eve. Deb J., Ontario
- When our children were small, we started to notice that Santa always leaves their largest gifts unwrapped with just a large bow on top. All of their other gifts, including stocking stuffers, are wrapped in one type of paper with Santa's picture on it. The paper looks as if Santa bought two identical rolls down at our local dollar store, paper that didn't match any that mom and dad use! Each gift from the North Pole is wrapped messily, as if the elves were in a hurry, and the kids' names were written right on the paper in permanent marker - no tags. And the funny thing was, every year Santa's elves seem to leave all the scraps and the leftover paper out on our front lawn. They probably toss out the paper so it won't get mixed up with our paper in the house. Or maybe it just falls overboard in the hasty takeoff. Santa also always leaves a trail of small, unwrapped gifts like toy cars and candy, from our kids' bedroom doors to the tree. Last year he left a long string of tiny candy canes, all still attached to each other in a chain of individual wrappers. He also leaves a Jiffy Pop popcorn and assorted candy canes in our tree; we don't know why. We love Christmas and can't wait to see what old Santa has been up to this year! Cindy W.,Texas
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