Gift Bags Kids Can Make

I'm always looking for ways to involve my kids in the gift-giving process.  So, when it came time for us to deliver Christmas gifts to our neighbours, I had the boys make these Christmas tree gift bags.

I love how they turned out, don't you?  Want to make your own?

You'll need: plain brown gift bags from the Dollar Store, strips of construction paper in various colors, scissors, glue, and yellow buttons.  Then:

1)  Cut strips of construction paper into various lengths... from larger to smaller... and arrange them on the bag.  Secure them with white glue.

2)  Cut a short strip of brown paper for the tree trunk, and secure with glue.

3)  Glue a yellow button onto the top of the tree.

4)  Allow glue to dry completely.

That's it!  You are ready to fill the bag with lots of Christmas goodies.  My boys had a great time delivering their homemade gift bags to our neighbours.

How do you get your children involved in the gift-giving process?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Philips Sonicare FlexCare Platinum Review

I have always used a manual toothbrush, so when Phillips offered me the chance to test the Philips Sonicare FlexCare Platinum, I jumped at the opportunity.

The verdict.... I LOVE it.  I tested it for 14 days, and I can seriously see the difference.  My teeth actually feel smoother.  (It removes up to 7x more plaque in hard-to-reach areas and reduces gingivitis up to 2x better than a manual toothbrush.) 

As a busy mom, it is nice to have something I can do for myself that doesn't take any extra time... because time is in short supply around here.  I am all about efficiency, and this toothbrush helps me clean my teeth better in the same amount of time.

It took me a day or two to get used to the vibrating, but the toothbrush has variable speeds, so it made the adjustment easy.  And, this model comes with a UV Sanitizer which is a fantastic way to fight germs in a house with three little boys and a mom who needs to stay healthy.  :-)

The bottom line is... I think this toothbrush is fantastic, and I highly recommend giving it a try.

 ♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure: I was provided with this product (free of charge) for reviewing purposes only. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are 100% my own.

Tissue Paper Wreath - Preschool Craft

As you may know, I am a monthly contributor on the CBC Parents Site, and today I am sharing a simple Christmas craft.  Aren't these Tissue Paper Wreaths adorable?

My boys really enjoyed making them, and if you think your little one would have fun with this craft too, you can find the full tutorial here.

And, while you're there, take a look around. The CBC Parents Site has a lot of fantastic crafts and activities for kids.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Easy and Inexpensive Christmas Card {Quick Tip Tuesday #30}

Christmas cards can be expensive... especially custom cards.  However, you can easily put together an adorable option for less than $.15 a card.

The secret is to design a card that can be printed as a normal 4X6 photo.  I used Picmonkey.com to come up with this little card.  Cute, right?

It was easy, inexpensive, and fast (1 hour developing makes it perfect for last minute cards).  Do you send out Christmas cards?  I just love getting Christmas cards in the mail, don't you?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Simple Felt Ornament - Santa Belly

Every year, I come up with a simple felt ornament that I can send out with my Christmas cards.  Because I make so many, I always design something that is easy, inexpensive, and lightweight.  Here is the felt ornament I am sending out this year.

Cute, right?  My 4 year old calls it a "Santa Belly" ornament.  

Here's how easy it is to make your own:

1)  Cut two identical circles from red felt.  {Mine were about 3 inches in diameter.}

2)  Cut a black strip of felt, and stitch it onto the middle of one of the circles.  {Mine was about 1/4" wide.}

3)  Sew a yellow button onto the middle of the circle with the black stripe.

4)  Attach a ribbon hanger, and stitch the 2nd red circle onto the back of the front circle.

This year, I made 60 of these ornaments.  I think they make sending out Christmas cards a little more fun, don't you?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Elf on the Shelf Donuts... free printable box

Look what our Elf on the Shelf brought us!  Aren't these teeny tiny "Elf Donuts" adorable? The little Elf on the Shelf donut box is simply the cutest... and I'm sharing a free downloadable version below.

These donuts are actually Cheerios topped with icing and sprinkles, and they came in an adorable box that you can download for free here*.  

*Due to a google security update, it is making people request access to the download. If you want to click on the link and request access, I will give it to you.

Or, you can click on the picture of the box (below), right click, save the image to your computer, and print it like a regular photo. As long as you don't change the dimensions, it will work perfectly.

Lately, I've heard some people complaining about Elves that bring expensive gifts... but who wouldn't love this idea -- a few Cheerios in a free box? 

What flavour "Elf Donut" would be most popular at your house? I think they would be fun with iced Froot Loops too. What do you think?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find MORE easy and inexpensive Elf on the Shelf ideas here.

The Polar Express Mini Van Adventure... with free printable golden tickets

Last night, our family continued one of our favorite Christmas traditions -- The Polar Express (mini van edition).

The adventure started when my boys headed to bed and found tickets to "The Polar Express" golden tickets lying on their pillows.  (You can download a copy of the ticket I designed here.)  Excitement ensued, and everyone got on their coats and hats as fast as they could.

When they got to our van, I punched their tickets (wearing my conductors hat), they had a snack of hot chocolate and cookies, we listened to Christmas carols, and we toured our town in search of our favorite Christmas lights.

Then, when we got home, each boy found a bell (from Santa's sleigh) on his pillow.

Fun, right?  Have you ever gone on a Polar Express adventure with your little ones?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS - (Click here for a cute printable tag for your bell.)

Find more easy and inexpensive ideas for Christmas family fun here.