Off-Season Projects

If you came across an idea this Christmas for a big project that you would like to do for next Christmas, consider working on it during the off-season.  For example, if we decide to try to make a family tree skirt, I will work on this during the summer so that we don't get bogged down with this project during the Christmas season.  Although it is unlikely that I will take on a project like this because I am not a crafty person, I might try working on my sugar cookie baking skills throughout the year so that we have a chance to make prettier cookies next year.

Take a Picture

If you really liked how some of your decorations looked this year, take a picture before you pack them up so that you don't waste time next year trying to remember what you did this year.  When it is time to decorate again, simply pull out the pictures, and you can easily see what worked well.  Also if you thought of something this season that would improve or simplify your decorating next year, write it down so that you will remember. Little things like this can decrease the amount of time and energy that you expend on these chores next year which should make the Christmas season more peaceful and less stressful.

Pack Smart

As I start packing up our Christmas decorations and materials this year, I try to think about ways to make things easier in the fall when we start getting ready for Christmas next year.  Here are a few tips that have worked well for us.

• Make a Christmas binder.  I have a simple three ring binder that holds various Christmas related resources that I want to make sure that I don't lose.  I use plastic page protectors so that I can rip things out of magazines or print materials off of the Internet and then just slide them in.  This is where I keep my Christmas notes for the following year. 
• Store Christmas planning materials in the house.  This would include items such as magazines, books and my Christmas binder.  I start planning for Christmas well before we are pulling Christmas decorations out of the attic.  It just works better for me if these materials are easily accessible.
• Make it easy to find your nativity scenes.  If you decide that you want to put your nativity scene(s) out before decorating the rest of your house, make them easy to find.  I am always scrambling the afternoon of our first family night because we are trying to transition to Christmas right out of Thanksgiving.  Last year, I purchased new Christmas storage bins.  Everything but my nativity scenes were stored in green bins.  The nativity scenes were in red bins--a fact that I completely forgot about but thankfully had written down in my Christmas notes.  Anyway, it was so easy to find them this year.
• Christmas books and crafts. I also like to be able to easily find my Christmas crafts and the kids' Christmas books.  I do store these in the attic, but they are in boxes/bins that make them easy to find.

I am sure that there are other ways to pack smart, and I would love to hear what works best for your family.  These are just a few things that have worked well for us.

Take Note!

At the end of each Christmas season, I take notes for the next one.  Sadly, I think that I will be able to remember everything that I want to remember for the next year, but I just can't.  Here is a list of a few of the things that I take note of:

• What was each family member's favorite activity?  I want to make sure that I include these on our Advent Activity Calendar next year.
• Were there any activities that my kids did not enjoy or that they seem to have out grown?
• How can I improve any of the activities or family nights? 
• What new ideas did I come across that we might want to try next year?
• Where have I stored various Christmas items?
• What crafts do I still have? This comes in very handy when I place my order from Oriental Trading the following year.  Without this list, I always over-buy because I can't remember what I have in the attic.
• What Christmas supplies do I need?  This also helps me avoid over-buying in the fall once the stores have rolled out all of their Christmas items, but I haven't gotten all of my stuff down from the attic. By looking at my list, I know if I need gift tags, wrapping paper, etc.
• What gift ideas do I have now that might work well for next year?  Often, I will see or receive a gift that I think would work really well for various people on the other side of the family.  For example, last Christmas, I received a very simple bookmark from my mother-in-law with my initial on it that I loved. I found out where my mother-in-law bought it and picked up one for each of the girls on my side of the family for stocking stuffers this year.
• What one Christmas decoration would I like to add next year?
• What aspects of Christmas did I really enjoy this year? 
• Where there any Christmas "chores" that were stressful that I might choose not to do next year?

Raking Leaves and Santa Dollars

Yesterday, the kids and I had a great time in the front yard raking and bagging leaves.  Sam and Grace did an excellent job of jumping in the leaf piles, filling bags and hauling them to the curb.  In the end, we filled 20 bags, and the kids each earned 5 Santa Dollars.  Today, the kids will trade their Santa Dollars for real money, and we will take them shopping for each other.

Christmas Light Walk

A couple of years ago, we went on a late night walk on Christmas Eve to look at Christmas lights.  The kids had such a good time that we now make sure that go on our walk each year.  Such a simple activity, but it is one that the kids really enjoy.  Last night we went with my parents and my sister's family.



Christmas light walking tour 2011



Christmas light walking tour 2010

Retooning the Nativity

As mentioned in a previous post, a lot of the information that we think we know regarding the birth of Christ is simply tradition--shaped by stories and Christmas carols and not supported by Scripture.  Retooning the Nativity is a great little video that highlights some of these differences in a fun and creative way.  

A Few Pictures from Family Night #5

Yesterday was our last night at home with the kids without guests before Christmas.  So, we went ahead and had our last family night of this Christmas season.  The kids did a great job helping read Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 2:1-12.  I love hearing the scripture in their sweet voices. 

We read their letters to them and watched their faces light up as they listened.  One of Grace's love languages is "words of affirmation" which made the letter even more meaningful to her.  Writing letters to the kids is definitely something we are going to try to do every year.

We closed the night out by giving them their "spiritual" gifts.  These wall scripture verses from ScriptureArt are intended to remind them throughout the year that God's word and people are really the only things that matter in this world.


Sam's verse is Col 3:17.




Grace's verse is Gal 5:22-23



Sugar Cookies: An "A" for Effort

I am not a cook.  In fact, until a month ago, I was a lawyer (no offense to anyone who is a good cook and an attorney).  Needless to say, we had not made sugar cookies from scratch since the kids were itty bitty, and we had the help of one of our wonderful nannies. 

So this week, I sifted flour and powdered sugar for the first time, and we attempted to make sugar cookies.  I got the recipe from my cousin who is a fabulous cook. When I was mixing up the ingredients, Sam came into the kitchen and said "What in the world is that?" which was kind of funny and kind of sad.

Like all big projects (and for me, sugar cookies definitely counts), we broke the process up into small pieces.  We made the dough on Sunday and cut out the cookies yesterday.  Today, we will ice them with my sister's family when they get here.

Our cookies are very yummy but are not at all pretty.  Regardless, the kids had a great time.

Sam cutting out cookies.

Grace rolling out the dough.




I thought about trying to pass this off as one of my cookies, but it was actually made by my very talented college roommate. 

 

A Lump of Coal and Good News!

I hear lots of jokes this time of year about "lumps of coal".  The underlying premise of this concept is that we deserve gifts and the lump of coal will only be given to people who have been really bad.  In other words, the gifts are ours to lose.  Like many things, our society has this backwards.  In reality, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death. We are not entitled to anything.  We deserve the lump of coal.  Without the grace of our God, we have nothing.

Thankfully, we have a gracious and loving heavenly Father who has sent us the perfect gift.  However, it was not enough for Jesus to be born.  Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins and then was raised from the dead.  Now, He sits at the right hand of God. If we accept this gift and ask God into our heart as our personal Lord and Savior, our sins will be erased. We can live for eternity with God in heaven. This is the Good News!  What a powerful and priceless gift. 

I have been thinking about including a lump of coal in the stockings this year as a simple reminder of this concept--a simple illustration of what we deserve compared to what we have been given.  In the midst of all of the excitement of earthly gifts, this would give us a chance to pause and give thanks to our God who sent us his son.  What a powerful teachable moment.

The North Pole Express

At the end of each Christmas season, I ask the kids what their favorite activity was so that I can make sure that we include that activity on the next year's Advent Activity Calendar.  Sam's favorite is riding the North Pole Express. So yesterday, we headed out on a very cold night (by Texas standards) to watch a light show and to ride the train.  We sang Christmas carols, drank hot chocolate and saw Santa. 

 

Letters to our Children

This year, as part of our Fifth Family Night, we are going to write letters to both of our children.  These letters will talk about the various character traits that we have seen in them during the last year (and specifically during the Christmas season) that we are proud of and want to encourage.  Although I am excited that we are finally getting around to incorporating these letters into our Christmas celebration, I really wish we had started this tradition several years ago.  It would be so fun to go back and read letters from years past each Christmas Eve.  Better late than never!

Gingerbread Houses

Since Grace's favorite Christmas activity is decorating gingerbread houses, we made sure that gingerbread houses were on our Advent Activity Calendar for today because it is her birthday.  We thought that this was a great way to celebrate.  To keep this activity simple and fun, we use the pre-assembled gingerbread houses that are available at Target.  This works perfectly for our family as the kids get all of the fun of decorating, but we don't have to remember to pre-assemble the house the night before.

An alternative idea is to create a gingerbread nativity scene. We might try this next year.



Grace and Mati with their Gingerbread House




Sam and Zeke with their Gingerbread House.



We Wish You a Merry Christmas!!!

When visiting with my grandmother a few weeks ago, she mentioned that it didn't even seem like Christmas.  So today, Sam, Grace, Mati and Zeke (my cousin's children) went to see her and tried to spread some good cheer.  The kids divided up Luke 2:1-20 and read it aloud to her.  They also sang "Silent Night" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas".  Then, they went out into the main part of the house and sang numerous songs for the other residents.  We were so proud of what a great job they did!  We hope that it now seems a bit more like Christmas.


Zeke reading Luke 2:6-10




Zeke, Sam, Grace and Mati with Great-Granny Lee-Lee




Sam, Zeke, Mati and Grace



Family Night #5: The Blessing of the Savior

Saturday, December 24^th 

·    2011 Christmas Memory Verse (James 1:17a)

o   Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.

           

·    Lesson Overview:  We usually make sure that  the fire and several candles are lit just to try to set a special tone for the evening.  Also, this year, we are dividing up these passages so that the kids are reading certain parts.  I did this in advance to give them time to practice and learn any words that might be difficult for them.  Until this year, however, Tom and I have done all of the reading.

·    Alternate Lesson for Preschoolers:  I don't have an alternate lesson for the little ones.  We have always read straight from the Scriptures on this final family night.  The passages are pretty short, and the Word of God is powerful.  I just love the story of the birth of Christ as found directly in Luke and Matthew. 

·    Read Luke 2:1-20.   ¹ In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register. ⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the    town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. ⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” ¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another,   “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” ¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and      seen, which were just as they had been told.

·    Sing “Away in a Manager”

·    Read Matthew 2:1-12.   ¹ After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” ³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” ⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” ⁹ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

·    Sing "Silent Night"

·    Week Five Key Verse (Isaiah 9:6)

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. . . And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

·    Discussion and Spiritual Gifts:  We talk about how people and God's Word are really the only things that matter in this world.  Everything else will pass away, but God's Word and people's souls will live forever.  Although it will be exciting to receive gifts over the coming days, not one of these presents or toys will bring lasting joy.  In fact, many will quickly be forgotten.  Only God, through the gift of His Son, brings eternal joy.  Then, we give each child a "spiritual" gift.  This gift is intended to help them remember the permanent nature of God's Word.  This previous post provides some additional information and ideas regarding the spiritual gifts.

·    Letters to the Children:  This year, Tom and I are also going to write a letter to each child that we will read aloud to them that evening. These letters will talk about the various characteristics that we have seen in them this Christmas season that we want to encourage and celebrate. 

·    Sing “O Come All Ye Faithful”

·    Close in Prayer

A Few Pictures from Family Night #4

Every year, we have a Christmas dinner with some very precious friends.   Yesterday, we combined our Christmas dinner and Family Night #4.  Although, the kids have really enjoyed playing traditional birthday party games in the past, we switched things up a bit this year.  We played Minute to Win It Christmas style.  It was so much fun!  Here are a few pictures.

The cake and related discussion regarding the meaning of the colors of Christmas.



Let the Games begin.  Grace and Sam trying to empty the box of ornaments attached to their waists without using their hands. Otherwise known as "Junk in the Trunk".




Wrap a teammate.

 

Cleo and Grace--Face the Cookie



Cleo and Sam trying to move ornaments across the room by fanning them with a gift box lid.



How Much Do You Know about the Birth of Christ?

Stories and carols about the birth of Christ surround us this time of year.  Some of them provide information that is supported by the scriptures and others do not.  How much do you really know about the birth of Christ?  If you are curious, here is a quiz that you can take to test your knowledge. You may be surprised.

A Few More Pictures!

Here are a few more pictures to show what we have been doing over here this year.


Making gift bags for grandparent gifts.



Good choices garland.  The kids really liked reading through all of the things listed on these pieces of paper.



Books under the tree.



Wrapping gifts for their Secret Santa.



Our friend Cleo who helped deliver gifts.



Grace makes a cute little elf!



Santa's little helpers.



A Few Pictures from Our Third Family Night

Okay.  So, I am a little bit behind on these Christmas posts, but things just get busy this time of year. Here are a few pictures from Family Night #3.



Grace and Sam heading out to look at Christmas lights.




We always swing by Quick Trip to get slushies and hot chocolate.




Grace is putting up her glow in the dark stars to help her remember the importance of light.




Here is Sam putting up his stars. 



Delivering Treats and an Invitation to Church

So, my kids might need some lessons regarding manners and looking into people's homes, but they sure had fun running through the neighborhood delivering treats!  Also, this is an easy and non-threatening way to invite people to church.  Our church has little cards with information about the various services in December that can easily be attached to the goodies.

Santa Hats

Everything, including doing math facts, is more fun with a Santa Hat!

 

Pray Over Christmas Cards

This is the only time of the year that I actually enjoy getting the mail.  It is so fun to receive Christmas cards and to learn what everyone has been up to during the past year.  Often, the kids do not know who the people are who sent the cards.  An easy and fun way to "introduce" the kids to some of these distant relatives and long-time friends is to let the kids select one card to put on the dinner table.  That night, tell your kids about the sender of the card and include that family in your mealtime prayer.

Making Treats for Our Neighbors

Making treats for our neighbors is another activity that the kids enjoy.  We keep it simple by making a snack mix that consists of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, M&Ms, Teddy Grahams, Chocolate Goldfish, Cashews and pretzels.  The kids are involved in the whole process. They help pick out the ingredients, mix them up, fill the bags, make the gift tags and deliver them.  Of course, we break up the project into small parts,and it takes us two or three days to get all of it done. 



Just getting started




Sam getting started making snack mix.




Mixing all the ingredients



Working together to fill the treat bags.



The back of the gift tags

 

The front of the gift tags



A Sneak Peek into Family Night #5: Requires Some Advanced Planning

The fifth and final family night is my absolute favorite. I wish I could say the same for the kids, but their favorite is clearly the fourth family night.  It is just hard to compete with a party when you are talking about 6 and 7 year old kiddos.  It is my prayer that their perspective will shift as they grow and mature.

I will be posting Family Night #5 in its entirety later, but I just wanted to highlight the following aspects of the evening as they do require some advanced thought and consideration.

Although, we would love to have our fifth family night on Christmas Eve, we have ours the last night we are at home together with just our immediate family.  After we have finished with the lesson and songs, we talk about how people and God's Word are really the only things that matter in this world.  Everything else will pass away, but God's Word and people's souls will live forever.  Although it will be exciting to receive gifts over the coming days, not one of these presents or toys will bring lasting joy.  In fact, many will quickly be forgotten.  Only God, through the gift of His Son, brings eternal joy.

Then, we give each child a "spiritual" gift.  This gift is intended to help them remember the permanent nature of God's Word.  Over the years, we have given Grace Christian themed bracelets, a necklace with a cross and a devotional book.  Sam has received a CD with Bible stories that he could listen to during rest time when he was little, a Bible for Little Boys and a Daddy and Son devotional book. 

This year, we are choosing scripture verses that we think will be encouraging to each child over the coming year.   I am going to order a wall sticker with their verse for each of their rooms from ScriptureArt. Tom and I are also going to write letters to each child that we will read aloud to them that evening. These letters will talk about the various characteristics that we have seen in them this Christmas season and that we want to encourage and celebrate.  I expect that these letters will become a permanent and cherished tradition in our family.

Nativity Sugar Cookies

Another fun and easy way to incorporate Christ and the story of his birth into your Christmas activities is to use nativity cookie cutters or even just star and cross cookie cutters when you make sugar cookies with your kids this year.  While you are baking, take the time to talk about the meaning of each piece. Simple and subtle changes like this will continue to gently shift your family's focus away from the secular nature of this holiday and will create teachable moments.  Also, the cookies are just as good!

Family Night #4: The Victory of the Savior

Sunday, December 18th

• Theme:  The birth of Christ is good news and is a reason to celebrate!

• 2011 Christmas Memory Verse (James 1:17a)

o   Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.

• Lesson for Elementary School Children: 

We have learned that God sent his son to earth to give us hope and the chance to live with Him in heaven some day.  But, this is only part of the "Good News." 

Read Mark 15:33-16:6. At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.

Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins and then was raised from the dead.  Now, He sits at the right hand of God.  This is the Good News!  If we accept this gift and ask God into our heart as our personal Lord and Savior, our sins will be erased. We can live for eternity with God in heaven.  Although it is important to make good choices, there isn't anything that we can do here on earth to earn our way into heaven.  We simply cannot get there on our own. We have to accept this gift of grace which is available to everyone.  What a powerful and priceless gift.  This is a reason to celebrate!

• Alternate Lesson for Preschoolers:

o   “The Sun Stops Shining” pg 302 of the Jesus Storybook Bible

o   "God's Wonderful Surprise" pg 310 of the Jesus Storybook Bible

• Discussion:

o   Why do you think we should celebrate the birth of Christ?

o   How would our lives be different if Christ hadn’t been born?

o   How can we celebrate the birth of Christ every day?

o   Do you think that God wants us to be excited about his son?

• Week Four Key Verse (Psalm 126:3)

o   The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

• Sing “O Come All Ye Faithful” (Third Day)

O Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all ye citizens of heaven above,

Glory to God, Glory in the highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O Christ the Lord, the Lord,

Christ the Lord.

Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,

O Christ the Lord, the Lord,

Christ the Lord, Christ the Lord.

• Activities:  Birthday Party Celebration

o   Invite some of your children's friends or another family to join you.  This is a great way to reach out to others.  Have them bring a gift to the party for someone in need.  This could be for a toy drive or some other charity.  Our guests this year are bringing something to contribute to our Secret Santa, and we are going to do our secret drop off as part of the party.

o   Celebrate with a Birthday Cake.  Use a large center candle to represent Christ as the center of our lives to light a small candle for everyone there.  Place the small candles around the outside of the cake and sing “Happy Birthday”.

o   Talk about the Christmas Colors. We use a cake that is some combination of red, white and green colors so that we can discuss the meaning of the Christmas colors.
      White—Perfection of Christ
       Red—Blood of Christ
       Green—Everlasting life that is available to us only through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ

o   Play birthday party games.  Some examples are:
     Christmas Bingo:   Simply print Bingo cards, and use jingle bells (or some other small object) for markers.
      Pin the Nose on the Reindeer
      Christmas Pictionary:  You can use this Word List as a starting point and can add or delete as needed.  For the little kids, we let them choose between drawing and acting out the words.  Also, Hobby Lobby sells dry erase posterboard which works really well for this.



Sam, Grace and friends playing Christmas bingo.

 

Sam's friend, Barrett, playing Christmas bingo.



Grace playing Christmas pictionary.  I love her expression.



Sam playing Christmas pictionary.