weekly plans: embrace Christmas like no other

I was going to try and prolong the massive Christmas craft weeks until next week, but Patrick's work put on a Christmas bash for the munchkins who rarely get to see their CP+B parents, and now I've got the itch, the kids have itched their itch and we're loading up the week with crafts, themed worksheets and cooking galore. (I've not been ignoring the jolly season up until this point, we have been doing something every day, lest you think I'm a bah humbug.)

This is why the kids LOVED the party today

Santa had presents waiting for them (and no actual interaction with Santa was required which made Afton's day. Abel did sit on Santa's lap, but only because he was eating a cookie therefore wasn't paying good attention to anything else). Abel got a T-Ball set (who, of course, preferred the box to the actual game) and Afton a princess castle, which already broke so we'll return for something a bit more sturdy tomorrow.

Here is Abel showing off his Christmas cheer by biting off pieces of an ornament then realizing googly eyes are not as tasty as they appear to be.

And thanks to growing cousins, we inherited a Little People nativity today (up to this point we have been living a very secular Christmas since our nativity snow globe broke last year). I've always wanted one for the kids, but never want to spend more money on more toys in December...so thanks a bunch to my sister-in-law who gave this to us.

Anyway, on to the plans:
1. Make a new ornament: we'll roll Styrofoam balls in glue then glitter. Easy, glittery and fun.
2. Make Reindeer hats from hand prints
3. Decorate a Santa face with cotton balls
4. Finish family gifts (snow globes have been so much fun to make. Check here for details.)
5. Create some homemade gift wrap for presents from the kiddies. MS has great ideas. My fave is using lined writing paper, with childs handwriting on it. We happen to have a ginormous stack of this stuff, hooray!

And here is my favorite worksheet site. Afton loves writing her name on worksheets, and is big on following instructions (in fact if I'm doing something she doesn't agree with, she tells me, "No Mom, that's not the instructions!") and will get a kick out of all the Christmas ones this week.

What's your favorite Christmas craft to do with kids?