Comments (13)

By Mom Unplugged, June 11, 2008 12:11 pm

Are you tired of birthday parties at the pool, Chuck E. Cheese’s, or the local bowling alley? But perhaps the thought of entertaining a large group of over-excited kids at your house fills you with dread? The solution: Think outside the birthday box.

My good friend Wishy‘s daughter recently had an original and totally fun party at a local knitting store! Her daughter had become fascinated with the idea of learning to knit after watching her aunt knit, and announced that for her 8th birthday she wanted to have a “Knitting Party.”

Wishy was understandably perplexed, but gets a Mom of the Year Award for researching the possibilities instead of just saying with a sinking heart: ” But wouldn’t you rather just go to the pool like last year?” (Like I probably would have done).

She called up our one, tiny local knitting store and asked them if they ever did birthday parties. Well, no they had never done a birthday party, but they said that they thought it sounded fun and would be willing to give it a try.

Ten 7 and 8 year-old girls (including my oldest daughter) went to the party and learned how to knit a book mark. The shop gave each girl needles and yarn and they had three instructors on hand to help the girls. All Wishy had to do was bring the cake, plates, napkins, and drinks.

The girls had a ball and each went home with a completed book mark plus a goody bag put together by the shop containing more needles, two more balls of yarn, the directions for the book mark, and instructions for a pot holder to try at home.

The girls had fun, even the shop-owner claims to have enjoyed it (and hopefully has gained a few future customers), and now ten little girls (and Wishy) know how to knit.

That beats Chuck E. Cheese’s any day!

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Other unusual birthday party ideas:

• A visit to a fire station
• Visit a zoo, petting zoo, or alpaca farm
• See if you can tour a movie theater (many will allow school groups to tour, why not a birthday group?)
• Horse birthday: See if a local riding school or club might allow your group to come and give each child a short, guided ride on a horse around the arena
• Airport birthday: Visit your local small airport (I’m not talking O’Hare or JFK here). Picnic on the grass and watch the planes take off and land. Better yet, if you know someone who owns a plane, see if your friend would allow the kids to take turns sitting in the pilot’s seat. If your pilot friend has a handheld aviation radio, borrow it and tune it to the local airport frequency (the airport employees or your friend can help you with this) then the kids will be able to hear the pilots talk.
• Go Geocaching: Pick an easy one and give each child a small object to leave in the cache in exchange for taking one out. (You should probably try finding it on your own first to make sure it is easy enough and to avoid disappointments if it can’t be found).
• Go Letterboxing: Perhaps the kids could each create their own stamp before heading out to find the box. Be sure to pick an easy one. (Again, better do a trial run on your own first).
• See if your local pizza parlor would let you bring some kids in for a tour and to make their own pizzas. My daughter’s Brownie Troop did this and the girls loved it.

I’ll post more ideas as I think of them. Do you have any easy but unusual party ideas?

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For a charity party idea, please read about my daughter’s Humane Society birthday party.

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Cool knitting cake designed, baked and decorated by Wishy’s talented husband! Photo courtesy of Wishy.

Comments (2)

By Mom Unplugged, December 15, 2007 9:52 pm

I had a fun post planned on ideas for Christmas stocking presents, but alas, it shall have to wait. I have just realized that I have spent so much time advising others on how to prepare for the Holidays, that I am not prepared myself!

Although I feel like simply collapsing into bed with a cup of tea and a warm dog or two, I shall have to do a bit of online shopping .

I’ll try and get that post out before it is entirely too late to be useful. But for now, if you want some ideas for nice, “tried and true” (by me) gifts that will fit in a stocking, I refer you to my stocking stuffer category.

Hope it’s useful!

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(Read all the Christmas/Holidays Unplugged posts here.)

Comments (15)

By Mom Unplugged, December 10, 2007 11:41 pm

So how do you reduce the sheer VOLUME of gifts? Giving fewer gifts to the children is a great start (Dawn had a good idea: Jesus only got three presents on his birthday, so kids shouldn’t get more than that either).

Whatever your reasons or rationalizations, the sooner you start with fewer presents the better. If kids have been having 20 Christmas presents a piece their whole lives and you suddenly cut them back to 3 at age 12 or 13, you had better have some REALLY GOOD REASONS. So remember: Get your gift quantity issues settled sooner rather than later.

How to cut down on other family gift excesses and commercialism? Here are some ideas, a few thanks to Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season , but most thanks to me!

** Agree to no adult gifts.

** Give (or request) a family gift instead of individual gifts (for example: a game, puzzle or craft that everyone can do together)

** Agree to an all handmade Christmas. Either make simple gifts for each other, or buy only homemade gifts from local craft fairs or Etsy.

** Decide to do only funny gifts. For example I know a family who spends all year checking garage sales and thrifting for those little shell covered animals to give each other as a joke. Each has to cost less than $2. They all have a good laugh (priceless, right?) and display them proudly on a shelf in their home. It is quite funny!

** Do a lottery: Each family member picks a name and finds a gift for that person only. My best friend growing up was from a very large family and that is what they did. This is a very good solution for big families.

** Give coupons as gifts. I know that the most precious gift that anyone could give me would be a few hours of babysitting. Think about your talents. Do you knit? How about a coupon for a sweater. Do you cook? A dinner for two, or four or six. You get the idea.

** Christmas ornaments? How about having adults exchange only ornaments, either handmade or store bought. That way, each year when the ornaments come out, you will think of the family member who gave it to you.

** Books only. Each person makes a gift of the book that they enjoyed the most during the past year.

** A recipe exchange? Everyone gives their favorite recipe of the year.

** Christmas Stockings only? Honestly my favorite part of Christmas giving is the stocking. I love the challenge of finding presents that are small enough to fit in a stocking, but that the person would genuinely like to receive! A bunch of small, little things can be really fun.

** Give all living gifts: Plants only (indoor or outdoor depending on what your climate is like in December). Every time someone sees the plant that you gave, they will think of you.

** Do all charity gifts. Make gifts to a charity in a family member’s name. Usually you get a certificate or something tangible to present to that person.

** A family “Wildlife Christmas” - Ideas: gifts of donations to wildlife charities, bird feeders, bird houses or bird baths (especially heated ones if you live in a cold climate), live butterfly kits (if you live in a climate mild enough to release them in winter, otherwise wait until spring to order the larvae), ladybug or bee houses, bat houses, or butterfly houses.

** “Pick a Charity Christmas” where everyone agrees on a particular charity or cause that they would like to support. Everyone tries to be creative in giving gifts related to that cause: shopping from a specific charity’s website, buying crafts from a particular country to benefit local craftspeople if that is related to the cause, donating in someone’s name, agreeing to donate a certain amount of time for that cause (in the form of a coupon?), etc. etc. etc.

** How about for an elderly neighbor: A coupon good for a fall leaf raking, a lawn mowing or a driveway shovel, or a batch of cookies made by the kids?

Any other ideas??

(Read all the Christmas/Holidays Unplugged posts here.)

Comments (8)

By Mom Unplugged, November 28, 2007 10:35 pm

I have NOT taken the Handmade Pledge, so this cute badge is unfortunately not in my sidebar, but I would urge you to consider doing so if you have not already purchased that nose hair trimmer at Walmart.

I have already bought a few non-handmade items (no nose hair trimmer though), and of course, being a Holiday Slacker, I have not made anything myself. Perhaps next year I will qualify if I become crafty and organized, because I do think that it is a very worthy aspiration.

If you wish to attempt the Handmade Pledge and do not have the time or talent to make your gifts by hand, then consider shopping at these places:

Etsy

+ I have to plug a blog friend’s Etsy shop here too. Amanda (The Rowdy Pea) has gorgeous little Waldorfy dolls and such at Dream Child Studio. I can vouch for the quality since I am the proud owner of one of them.

+ And another blog friend’s Etsy Shop: Zoo Loo Naturals by Lizz of Red Dirt Mother. Lizz has lots of lovely wooden animals and also other delights such as fresh Oregon Mistletoe, kettle-dyed yarns, Waldorf felt baby toys, and cute lavender-filled soft baby buntings.

Little Violets

The Blue Ladybug

Quiet Hours Toys

Kinderdolls

I know that there are many more out there, but this is what I have come across so far. If you know of other great handmade links, then please email them or leave them in my comments and I will add them here.

If you are ready to truly take the Handmade Pledge this season, then head on over to the Buy Handmade website to commune with like-minded others and claim your blog badge.

Read all the Christmas/Holidays Unplugged posts here.

Comments (13)

By Mom Unplugged, November 28, 2007 12:28 am

So you have made your list and decided that a Christmas tree is a tradition that has meaning to you. That’s a good start, but what kind of tree do you get?

I personally have had an artificial tree for years thinking that it was better for the environment than causing the death of a real tree every year. Of course it is the kind of tree with the lights built in because I am a Holiday Slacker when it comes to preparation and one thing I REALLY dislike, is stringing lights.

I am beginning to wonder however about the composition of my Chinese-made tree. I did once see a small label on it warning that pregnant women should avoid prolonged contact with the tree. Huh??? I have been pregnant twice and been hauling the tree up and down from the attic etc. I think that this year might be the Swan Song for our tree. It’ll be a one-way trip from the attic this year.

So if you choose to have a Christmas tree, what should you do?? I think the answer depends on many factors, but here are all the options that I can think of:

1) Buy real cut tree from vendor:

PLUSES: Easy. Real tree (if that is what you want).

MINUSES: Dead tree. Where did tree come from and what chemicals and pesticides was it exposed to? Apparently some growers treat their trees with substances that help keep the needles on, or even green coloring!! Drops needles. Potential fire hazard. Disposal issues.

2) Artificial tree:

PLUSES: Easy, does not cause a tree to die on your behalf. Will last for years.

MINUSES: What is it exuding into the atmosphere of your home? PVC and lead. Can be pricey.

3) Live tree: Many nurseries sell live Christmas trees in pots that you can bring in and decorate for Christmas and then later plant outside in your garden and watch grow. I have done this twice and I really love this idea. However the trees (even smaller ones of just three or four feet) are pretty heavy to move and require temperature transition periods in a garage. Also, you can’t keep them inside for long, a few days at most (although I have also heard that up to seven days is OK).

PLUSES: A tree that will live on and grow happily in your garden for years to come.

MINUSES: Heavy. Can’t be inside for long. Fussy due to transition period. Must plant, therefore requires digging a hole in your (or a friend’s?) garden.

Recommendations for live-tree care:

Living Christmas Trees

How to Care for a Live Christmas Tree

4) Live tree rental: Some companies (few and far between) will rent you a live, potted tree. They deliver it and then pick it up again. After that it goes to a park or school or some other group who, for a nominal fee will accept to have the tree planted on their property. What a win-win! Families can enjoy a live tree without the headache, and parks and other worthy spaces get new trees for a teeny fraction of the cost of buying the trees themselves!

PLUSES: Live tree. No fuss. Help beautify your city.

MINUSES: Not available in very many places. Portland, OR, San Diego, CA, or San Fransisco, CA (no pines though) are the only ones that I know of except for a possible IKEA tree-rental program this year (read on).

I read here that IKEA is renting Christmas trees this year! You must pick it up this weekend between Friday, November 30th through Sunday, December 2nd (bring $24.99 which is actually $14.99 plus a $10.00 deposit, and helpers because these trees are in pots and are heavy). You get a 5 - 7 foot Douglas Fir to enjoy through the holidays. You can then either plant the tree and lose your $10.00 deposit, or return the tree and get your $10 back in the form of an IKEA gift card. If you have a local IKEA you might want to call and verify this information before getting too excited. I read this on a Seattle real-estate blog and couldn’t find anything about it on IKEA’s website. Have any of you heard of this? Sounds good to me!

More tree-rental links:

An Earth-friendly Christmas Tree

Feel Guilty Buying a Christmas Tree? Rent One

5) Cut your own tree: There are many tree farms out there that will allow you to cut your own tree. Also, in my area, the Forest Service sells permits to go out on Forest Service land and cut a tree.

There are also “organic tree farms” out there if you are concerned about supporting tree farms using pesticides and chemicals. Be sure to check this great organic Christmas Tree Farm list from Green Promise to see if there is one near you.

PLUSES: You know it is fresh and real. Could be fun family outing.

MINUSES: Cutting and transporting might be a hassle for some. Killing a tree. Pesticides? Needle dropping and disposal issues.

6) Mail-order trees: Yes, you can order just about anything by mail these days, including your Christmas tree. Real Simple has a link to some mail order Christmas tree farms.

PLUSES: Easy.

MINUSES: You can’t pick your exact tree. Pricey.

7) Create your own tree: Be artistic and make your own Christmas tree out of wood, real branches or plastic water bottles.

PLUSES: Environmentally friendly. Reusable from year to year.

MINUSES: A plastic water bottle tree?? Hmm.

8) Decorate a houseplant: Why not decorate your ficus? Or any other houseplant that you have?

PLUSES: Environmentally friendly. Inexpensive (you already have the plant). Easy. Reusable from year to year.

MINUSES: It won’t be the classic Christmas evergreen and it might not be as big as some family members would like.

9) Plant your own baby tree for future use: The Yule to be Tree kit gives you a cute baby Scotch Pine that will reach 7-8 feet in six to eight years.

PLUSES: Environmentally friendly. Satisfaction that you grew it yourself.

MINUSES: Requires PATIENCE. If you want one every year, you will need enough yard space to have your own tree farm. Honestly, who wants to watch a tree grow for 8 years in their yard and then chop it down?!!

10) A bonsai or miniature evergreen: Can be purchased at nurseries or through mail-order and should last year round.

PLUSES: Reusable. Easy. Great for small spaces. Environmentally friendly.

MINUSES: Perhaps not good for “non-plant people” since they require year-round care. Small. Can be pricey.

11) Decorate a tree outside: OK. So it won’t be in your living room. But why not decorate a live tree in your yard for you, the neighbors, and all passers-by to enjoy. You could even put on some strung popcorn and peanut butter pine cones for a birds’ Christmas.

PLUSES: Easy. Reusable. Free. Environmentally friendly. Can even help wildlife. Provides enjoyment for others too.

MINUSES: Not in your living room. Not possible if you don’t have a yard with a tree.

11) Forget the tree in your house or yard, and give your Christmas tree money to a charity that plants trees: American Forests plants trees in damaged areas. It costs only $1 per tree ($15.00 minimum) and they send a personalized certificate and holiday greeting if you want to give this as a gift. For example, instead of killing one tree for $30, you could plant 30 new trees for the same amount of money!! The Arbor Day Foundation also does $1 per tree with a certificate ($10.00 minimum).

PLUSES: Increasing the number of trees on this planet. Environmentally friendly. Helping others. No personal care required. Inexpensive. Tax-deductible. Spirit of Christmas?

MINUSES: No tree in your living room.

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Other links debating the pros and cons of Christmas trees:

Dreaming of a Green Christmas: Real or Fake Christmas Trees

Second Thoughts-Ghosts of Christmas Trees Past

Peace Signs - Seeking an Environmentally Friendly Christmas Tree

The overwhelming view seems to be that live, potted trees are best. But of course that is not possible for everyone. So read the links above and decide for yourself.

Another Christmas tree link:

Selection and Care of Christmas Trees

DISPOSAL: Rather than junk your tree and fill up the landfills, seek out a Christmas tree composting program. These are available in most areas. Trees are sent through a wood chipper and turned into garden mulch.

Read all the Christmas/Holidays Unplugged posts here.

Thanks to morguefile.com and photographer sullivan.