Simple Gingerbread Man Ornament - Preschooler Craft

Sometimes you just need a simple Christmas craft to make with little ones, and this adorable gingerbread man ornament fits the bill perfectly.  It's easy to craft, it uses basic supplies... and it's totally cute!

Want to make one?

1)  First, download the gingerbread man template here, and cut it out.
2)  Color the gingerbread man.
3)  Using white glue, add google eyes, buttons, and yarn embellishments.
4)  Punch a hole in the top, and add a yarn or ribbon hanger.

That's it!  Cute, right?  What kind of homemade ornaments do you remember making when you were a child?  Do you still have them?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Snowman Door

Recently I came across an adorable snowman door (that you can find here).  I knew my boys would LOVE it, so we decided to do our own version.  Isn't it sweet?

It is so much cuter than a plain white door, and I love how easy and inexpensive it was to create.

Here's how my four year old and I made it...

1)  We traced a CD onto black construction paper to make the eyes.
2)  I drew the nose onto orange construction paper.
3)  We used a 2 inch punch to make the mouth.
4)  We used wrapping paper for the scarf.  (It's 3 1/2 inches wide.)
5)  We used a 3 inch punch to make the buttons.

Do you have a white door in your house?  I bet your little ones would love this project.  I know mine did!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Elf on the Shelf Gift - Magic Elf Seeds

Look what our Elf brought again this year... MAGIC ELF SEEDS!

Two nights ago, "Elfie" brought magic elf seeds (which look a lot like tree-shaped cookie decorations) and a letter.  

The letter contained this poem (which you are welcome to use, but please don't reprint it without written consent from me):

Plant them in sugar, 

all in a row.  

Wait for the magic, 

and see what will grow.

My boys followed Santa's instructions and planted the seeds before they went to bed last night.

Then, this morning, we found the seeds had grown into chocolate suckers.  Can you believe it??????  This is our third year planting magic elf seeds, and it is still very exciting for us!  Has your elf brought you anything fun this year?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

MistleTOES Easy DIY Gift

I just love this "For Your MistleTOES" DIY gift idea.  It is perfect for a girlfriend, teacher, co-worker or neighbour.  It's cute on its own, but it could also be a fun addition to a gift basket.  Wouldn't it be fantastic to wrap it up with a pair of socks and a gift certificate for a pedicure?

This gift couldn't be more simple.  Download the tag I designed by "right clicking" on the picture below.  It is set up as a 4X6 .jpg file, so you can just print it or get it developed like a regular photo.  Then, just cut out the tag, and add a little ribbon.

Cute, right?  Who would you give this little DIY gift to?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Easy and Fun Elf on the Shelf Idea

Here's a quick tip for all you Elf on the Shelf owners.  Our "Elfie" likes to bring us little gifts from the north pole.  Last week he brought us an elf ornament.

It's easy and inexpensive, but it's lots of fun.  My boys were super-excited when they saw what Elfie brought us. 

Does your Elf on the Shelf like to bring you little gifts?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Our Favorite Christmas Traditions

I'm sure you have heard me say it before, but I truly believe that family traditions and rituals are the building blocks of childhood memories.  I have blogged about many of our Christmas traditions, but I thought it might be helpful to share a collection of my top five Christmas traditions.  

Just click on the links below for more info.

1)  The Polar Express - mini van edition.  Seriously fun!

2)  Elf on the Shelf - our elf antics are nice... not naughty.

3)  Letter Writing to Santa Party/Fundraiser - our way of giving back during the holiday season.

4)  The Tree - the five things we do every year.

5) Christmas Eve - the five traditions that make Christmas Eve the most special day of the year.

And of course, we bake cookies, build gingerbread houses, listen to Christmas carols, go carolling, and watch our favorite Christmas specials.

Are holiday specials part of your Christmas celebration?  What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Elf on the Shelf Book Countdown

It's December 1, and it's time to start "counting down" to Christmas.  Luckily, last night (while we were sleeping) our Elf on the Shelf decided to put together a Christmas countdown for us.

If you don't have an Elf on the Shelf, this is still a great idea.  Dig out 24 of your Christmas books and movies, wrap them up, and number them.  Then, each day, the kids unwrap and read/watch the book/movie they opened that day.  Fun, right?

Our Elf is usually pretty smart.  He numbers the books/movies to ensure that there is always a movie on family movie night, and "The Night Before Christmas" is always the last book my boys open.  Such a clever Elf!

How do you count down to Christmas?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more fun Elf on the Shelf Ideas here.