Christmas and Candy Canes

A Candy canes are iconic confections that can share the Christmas story with young and old alike. Really, is there a better method of stirring cocoa than with a candy cane? Candy canes became popular in our family for a few reasons. One, we all really like peppermint, especially on cocoa. Two, the candy is…

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Christmas Countdown: Advent Calendars for All Ages

The countdown to Christmas begins soon! Prepare the hearts and minds of all ages to celebrate the birth of Jesus with an Advent calendar. Store bought or homemade, Advent calendars can be a great way to focus the holiday on faith. When my eldest son came home from college for Christmas break his freshman year,…

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Wrapping Christmas Gifts with Love

Gift wrapping gets my creativity is high gear. Finding a great gift and wrapping the present entices the person receiving the gift to enjoy the presentation as much as the gift itself. I also like the gifts as decorations under the Christmas tree, to add a festive flair! Each gift reminds me of a special…

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Christmas Gift Giving Tips for Little Kids

Christmas is the most WONDERFUL time of the year! Wrapping gifts with little ones can be fun and challenging. Here are a few easy Christmas gift giving tips to include your littles without driving yourself crazy or ending up with a wrapping mess. Five Easy Tips for Littles to Help in Gift Giving Define the…

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10 Tips for Difficult Family Gatherings

Family gatherings can be a time of joy, a time of angst or everything in between. God created our families. It’s our responsibility to try our best to be a loving peace keeper, even with the really difficult relatives. And there’s usually at least one in every family. The uncle who consistently asks inappropriate questions, the…

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The Christmas Snowflake Tradition

    Snowflakes are indicative of Christmas in Minnesota. For a snow lover, a white Christmas is of the utmost importance! My family’s Christmas snowflake tradition fills my heart with love, light, and snowflakes. Traditions bind families together, creating and maintaining connections to the past, especially Christmas traditions. This time of year, we often return…

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Top Ten Tips for Nurturing Generosity

Gratitude and generosity are kindred virtues. Nurture your children through modeling a grateful and giving spirit. When we are thankful we are much more willing to be generous. As parents, we know training kids to be generous can be a bit overwhelming. It’s difficult to get kids to even share with their siblings, much less…

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Fanciful Food for Playtime

Guest blogger, Carol Olsen, is passionate about grandparents speaking into the lives of their grandchildren. Enjoy this darling idea for fanciful food for playtime to make playtime fanciful, artistic, and memorable. Watch for more ideas in future posts on Faith First Parent. And please share with your family and friends!  Grandma Ginny’s Gift Years ago, Grandma…

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Encouraging Gratitude: Thank You Notes

Expressing thanks is a life skill we all want our kids to master. What’s a good way to encourage gratitude? Thank you notes! Besides, during the Christmas holiday kids get an opportunity to practice. Being grateful for not only the gift but the effort made by the gift giver is respectful and kind. Writing a…

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Making Christmas Calm & Bright

Family, friends, and festivities make for a fun holiday season but not necessarily a peace-filled Christmas. Pose the following questions to your family at a family meeting to determine priorities and prepare for a calm and bright holiday. A little preparation and attainable expectations will make a huge difference for everyone. • Who will we…

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