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Celebrating the Holidays with Lotsofkids! |
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Holiday 2009 - The winter holidays are a wonderful time for most families. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, or another holiday, the focus on family, friends and good times is so uplifting in our hectic world. Enjoying the holidays with a large family has a particular joy, as we look around and realize our purpose in life. Of course, the holidays are also a hectic time of shopping, cooking, and entertaining. All of which can be a bit more difficult with many children underfoot. At Lotsofkids.com, we have featured many articles, recipes, and general advice to help you get through the season. Some articles are new, some old favorites. We hope you enjoy them. Happy Holidays!! New This Year!  Celebrating the Holidays on a Budget - It can be difficult to create the perfect holiday experience on limited funds, but it's not impossible. This article features many tried-and-true practices, as well as a few unique ideas, to help you have an inexpensive, but wonderful holiday.Last Year's Entries "Just Me" Coupons - Gift coupons are an inexpensive and fun way to give your loved ones one of the best gifts of all--your time. We've created a set of coupons which you can easily print out and use.  Snowman Gift Printables - We have created some printables which you can use to give out small "snowman themed" novelty gifts. LOK Thanksgiving Recipe Swap 2008 - Our third year running! This year's installment has a ton of great recipes, and a few "historic" dishes. Inexpensive and Homemade Gift Ideas - This holiday season will be difficult for most people. Families are being forced to limit their spending budget. Just because you have limited funds doesn't mean you have to skimp on the gift-giving. This article features lots of great, inexpensive gift ideas--some you can get cheaply, and many others you can make yourself. Fabric Drawstring Gift Bags - Instead of reaching for the wrapping paper, grab a gift bag. This page features a do-it-yourself project which will not only save you money in the long-run, but will save you time, and is very eco-friendly! LOK Classics! Recipes LOK Thanksgiving Recipe Swap 2007 - This year's installment of great recipes submitted by members of our Lotsofkids.com message boards members! LOK Thanksgiving Recipe Swap 2006 - The members of the Lotsofkids message board community shared their best Thanksgiving recipes through an email exchange. It was so much fun, and we got so many great recipes, we decided to put together an article with the selections. LOK Thanksgiving Recipe Swap 2007 - This year's installment of great holiday recipes submitted by members of our Lotsofkids.com message boards members! LOK Holiday Recipe Exchange 2006 - The members of the Lotsofkids message board community shared their holiday favorites through an email exchange. It was so much fun, and we got so many great recipes, we decided to put together an article with the selections. Our Thanksgiving - LOK Site Member, Cristina Bennett, submitted this great article with her musings, tips, and recipes for Turkey Day. Holiday Tea Recipes - Holiday teas are a great way to enjoy the season. This recipe compilation features many different versions, as well as a "non-tea" punch everyone can enjoy.Cooking Can I Freeze Dressing Ahead of Time? - Recently a visitor asked if it is okay to freeze previously cooked dressing. Our LOK-Cook answers the question in this installment. Let's Talk Turkey - Nothing symbolizes Thanksgiving...and the winter holidays in general...like this classic bird. In this article, we searched for the best sites that "talk turkey." From history, to recipes, to the science of cooking the bird, you're sure to find something interesting! How to Avoid/Save a Dry Turkey Sometimes no matter how hard you try, your holiday turkey is dry. In this installment of the LOK Cook, find tips to avoid a dry bird, or save one with some creativity. Note: This question from Nov 03 has been updated to include information on brining.Gift-Giving A Little Something - Sometimes you want to give something to the other people in your life. The teachers, the therapist, the mailman. Sometimes a gift card is a bit impersonal, or perhaps you are short of funds. This article gives several inexpensive, hand-crafted ideas on what to give the other special people around the holidays. Large Family Gift Exchanges - Lots of kids usually means lots of gifts during the holiday seasons. Sometime it's difficult for extended family to buy for everyone. Many choose a gift exchange. This article presents some tradition, as well as some unusual, gift exchange ideas for large families. The Gift Box - Want a neat and unique gift for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list? Create a gift box! A collection of this and that, it's a fun gift for anyone on your list. Find out how to do it in this article. Gift Ideas for Large Families Sure, you have a large family, but you don't know what to buy that other large family on your list. Or perhaps you have no clue what to ask for yourself. This article provides gift-givers with some great suggestions for gift ideas for large families. Make It Yourself Gifts - Short on money? Just can't find that special gift for the hard-to-shop-for person? Need a quick gift and no time to shop? This article features some great ideas on inexpensive gifts you can make and give. Featuring survival kit ideas, and "snowman soup" packages--a great small thank-you gift or stocking stuffer, and we even include the print-out for it! Large Family Book and Movie Ideas - Want to purchase a book or movie for your family that promotes large family values? Check out our LOK Reviews section, where we review movies, books, and other media that feature large families. Great for getting ideas on what to buy.Projects & Do-It-Yourself LOK Projects - Our new Projects section features 2 crafts for the holidays: Large Family T-Shirt and Lightbulb Ornaments. Taking Great Portraits at Home Family portraits can be expensive any time of the year. During the holidays parents usually want a great photo of their family. This article provides you with great information on how to take your own pictures, set up a mini home studio, and more. Make It Yourself Soap If you're looking for a great do-it-yourself gift idea, and something your kids can help with, homemade soap is the perfect choice. Find out how to do it in this article. From a Child... Giftgiving can be a fun and rewarding experience for children. Help your child create that special gift for a loved one. This article provides gift suggestions for kids toddler-age to teens.Celebrating, Traditions, and More Juggling the Holiday Get-Togethers - This holidays can be stressful, especially if you have lot of functions to attend and little time (or energy). There has to be a compromise, right? Here are some suggestion on how you may be able to juggle the holidays and still survive! The Art of the Holiday Letter - Whether you love them or hate them, holiday letters are a great way for family and friends to learn what's been going on with your crew over the last year. This article gives a lot of helpful hints on how to compose a holiday letter that will be cherished, and anticipated, year to year. Hosting the Holidays with Limited Space With lots of kids, household space may already be at a premium. Host a holiday gathering and you may find yourself wondering how you'll squeeze everyone in. This article gives helpful hints and advice on how to host graciously in tight quarters. Quick and Easy Holiday Entertaining With a little prep and ingenuity, you can ready yourself for surprise guests and unexpected holiday visitors. Find out how in this article. Lots of great general holiday tips (and a few recipes too). Gift A Day - Tired of toy salad?--you know when kids open all of their presents and they end up in a mixed mass on the living room floor? Upset that your children are bored with their new toys mere days or hours after getting them. Help your child appreciate each gift, and stretch out the holiday cheer. Find out how in this article. Holiday Budgeting - Need some helping reigning in the costs of holiday spending. This informative articles gives some good sound advice on how to make the holidays fun, but frugal. Dust Bunny - Sometimes, not matter how hard you try, you find yourself nearing the holidays and your house is far from presentable to guests. Need to get things tidy in a hurry? This installment of the Dust Bunny shows you how to get things looking good in the minimal amount of time. |
