We covered Christmas in a new way… we found some lapbooks and some mini units and worked our way through some interesting topics. I feel like I should include some of the links and a brief overview of what we used:

• The history of Wassailing…. this was a booklet topic in our lapbook series and something that we had never discussed. You can find a good link HERE. Most of these are from the site WhyChristmas.com
• The history of the Christmas Cracker. We had these one year at my mom’s and they were a hit. You can find this one HERE.
• Holly (and Ivy). Greens and their part in Christmas is actually rather interesting. Read some more HERE.
• Christmas presents. Why do we give presents? HERE
• Just what DO kids leave for Santa around the world? This was an especially fun one for the boys who laughed at some of the ideas. We may just have to leave something different out next Christmas ourselves! This article is from the site Mother Nature Network HERE.
• Christmas in Sweden. This was a suggestion from our lapbook… the diversity of other Christmases is amazing and one I think we need to focus on more. Our own traditions are fun but to implement some others… could be an adventure! Back to the WhyChristmas.com site HERE.
• The history of the Nativity plays. Why are they so popular and universal? HERE
• Saint Nicholas Day in Europe. Another unique tradition. Link thanks to TimeAndDate.com HERE.
• Mince Pies, a British tradition. Link thanks to Project Britain HERE.
• The history of Christmas Cards… I don’t know why but I enjoy these histories of ideas. And Christmas Cards was interesting. Link thanks to WhyChristmas.com HERE.
• The history of Christmas Stockings thanks to ChristmasWithLove.com HERE.
• We had to go to Wiki for a couple topics… Christmas Trees (HERE) and the Star of Bethelehem (HERE).

Useful materials:

• Christmas Symbols… a lapbook you can purchase from Currclick HERE.
• I could not find out Candy Cane unity that we originally purchased from Currclick up for download but this lapbook from Homeschool Share looks like a fun one that we will have to try out for ourselves another year. HERE

I know this is super brief compared to other entries but I especially wanted to share the webpages we found with all the somewhat obscure knowledge the kids found entertaining! For books… well sky is the limit! We do have our family favourites of course but there is so much out there that is informational at the libraries! 

December 3-4

I loved the longer video on the Activity Village site… we had over 20 min of happy and quiet kids! But, watch for yourself!

We started our first themed week Monday… CANDY CANES! I combined a lapbook I got for free and as many Candy Cane themed print outs as I could find… mostly on Activity Village. Trinity was overjoyed with the chance to colour any and all candy cane images. And the boys listened to their educational story about the origins of Candy Canes before they filled out a short worksheet. The plan is to take TUESDAY to make the candy cane crafts I found online.

With out countdown… also Activity Village

What we DID do was start on our Christmas ornaments. I am afraid a lot of stuff is going to make it to people late this year due to shipping costs but the kids are making special foam ornaments for everyone. We took the kit I bought with the littles on Saturday and combined it with our foam and glitter glue and let them go NUTS!

Completed with pictures

There are so many ways to represent Santa. The kids thought the Art for Kids site had one of the best ideas yet! Such a goofy Santa how to! 

Zander’s running Santa

Tuesday was a bit of a shattered day… I honestly have no excuse but to admit that I let the worries and lack of knowledge in regards to my need to change my status here in the US catch up with me. I despise it when I do that, I feel that I fail the kids when I let the outside world destroy the organization, learning and… fun of our homeschool day. With Ken not employed and our living here with Nana and Baba homeschooling is really insular for us. It is the rest of the time that is friends and extended family, errands and free events. Right now, right here we don’t have the homeschool connections so I have created a plan around our space here. But anyway… Advent is here and we are embracing each day with crafts and family together time. So though I WANT Ken employed and out busy, I am so happy with this special time we have.

We had a special how to on Art for Kids on Tuesday… a FAIRY! So Gavin was sweet enough to draw one for Trinity! We do get a little out of order on the updated instructions from time to time, but Gavin had some spare time so he was such a sweetheart and drew it up. 

For Trinity

We had picked up some great Christmas colour themed pipe cleaners from Joann’s previously so Trinity and Echo and Gavin all made special twisted candy canes. You can find our instructions HERE on the Activity Village site. 

Echo and her Candy Cane in TRINITY’s nightgown!

Gavin’s more complicated version

As a “T” day, of course we had to have some Minecraft time! 

Designing a masterpiece

We made CANDY with Nana from a simple candy cane recipe and while they did not exactly hold shape or harden (we hope for better results next time) ALL of the kids got involved and had a blast.

Measuring the sugar

Pulling the sugar

Lots of busy, sticky fingers

The shape did not hold but was it ever FUN

We are really loving a themed week… though I am sure we could cram more stuff into a day, this pace seems to have the boys retaining TONS. And giving us time to make those special gifts for godparents, cards for people back up in Canada and of course Art for Kids how to drawings. 

Echo and her own little piece of Candy Cane to work