Merry Christmas!
Love, the Spooners
12/25/17
12/21/17
Teacher Christmas Gift Ideas (File this post away for next year.)
We adore our teachers. I could cry thinking about how dear they are and how much they have loved our kids over the years. I want to celebrate them!
In the past, teacher gifts have sneaked (snuck?) up on me. But not so much now that I have become a little more seasoned school mom. If I could, I would buy every teacher a $100 gift card to their favorite restaurant. But... a few more realistic ideas...
Ideas of things that express our gratitude but also don't junk up their life.
Idea 1: Poinsettias
This is what we gave this year. My friend gave me the idea. I got most of them to our teachers early in the month so they could enjoy them all December long. Bonus: it was done early.
Idea 2: A personal gift wrapping party! My friend, Jessica, says this is her go-to gift for teachers. Some pretty wrapping paper, some tape, a nice bar of dark chocolate. Getting some gift wrap on sale for next year is a good idea. I also like the idea of getting some really special, upscale wrapping that is a step up of from Target or Walmart. Etsy has some great options.
Idea 3: This third idea takes some forethought and is a little labor intensive. Make a batch of the Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls and give some pretty napkins and paper plates to go along with them. Our teachers went crazy for this a few years ago.
Gift cards are always appreciated I'm sure, and I have gone that route many times. But as we have more and more teachers in our life, these ideas are better suited to our budget but still express our big, big love we have for them.
In full disclosure, I did not give gifts to Caroline's teachers. She only goes one day a week. I totally dropped the ball and forgot. Maybe I can show our love for them on New Year's or Valentine's. Which is a reminder that Christmas does not have to be the only time to give a gift.
What's your go-to teacher gift? Ideas?!
In the past, teacher gifts have sneaked (snuck?) up on me. But not so much now that I have become a little more seasoned school mom. If I could, I would buy every teacher a $100 gift card to their favorite restaurant. But... a few more realistic ideas...
Ideas of things that express our gratitude but also don't junk up their life.
Idea 1: Poinsettias
This is what we gave this year. My friend gave me the idea. I got most of them to our teachers early in the month so they could enjoy them all December long. Bonus: it was done early.
Idea 2: A personal gift wrapping party! My friend, Jessica, says this is her go-to gift for teachers. Some pretty wrapping paper, some tape, a nice bar of dark chocolate. Getting some gift wrap on sale for next year is a good idea. I also like the idea of getting some really special, upscale wrapping that is a step up of from Target or Walmart. Etsy has some great options.
Idea 3: This third idea takes some forethought and is a little labor intensive. Make a batch of the Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls and give some pretty napkins and paper plates to go along with them. Our teachers went crazy for this a few years ago.
Gift cards are always appreciated I'm sure, and I have gone that route many times. But as we have more and more teachers in our life, these ideas are better suited to our budget but still express our big, big love we have for them.
In full disclosure, I did not give gifts to Caroline's teachers. She only goes one day a week. I totally dropped the ball and forgot. Maybe I can show our love for them on New Year's or Valentine's. Which is a reminder that Christmas does not have to be the only time to give a gift.
What's your go-to teacher gift? Ideas?!
12/18/17
TGI...Christmas Break!
Hello out there! Merry Christmas!
Over here we are thrilled, thrilled that it is Christmas break. With school winding down, so do all the parties and hoop la that go with it.
I have found the way to enjoy the season is to embrace and love the things we do and be proud of the things that we don't do.
we do...
put up a tree/ decorate the house
go to the amazing music services at church
buy family gifts
buy teacher gifts
watch Christmas movies
make hot chocolate
make the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls
go to Christmas parties
we don't...
go see Santa
make gingerbread houses
do excessive baking/make sugar cookies and decorate with kids #nope
send holiday cards (love receiving! but I don't send)
give neighbor and friend gifts
do a family advent devotional #aintnobodygottimeforthat
All this could change one day, but for now this is where the lines fall.
My kids are happy as can be with a cup of hot chocolate, a fire, and a strand of lights in their rooms. Life is stressful, add in all the Christmas extra and its beyond too much. We have to be ruthless as we pick and choose for the sake of our souls!
A few of my Christmas favorites from this year and years past are....
these citrus ornaments made them last year! so pretty
a couple of playlists on Spotify - Christmas Peaceful Piano and Navidad Instrumental
I'm convinced my children behave better when there is instrumental music playing.
a movie - The Apartment - This is not a kids' movie. Actually, it's a little dark and its not exclusively a Christmas movie. But it takes place around Christmas. It won best picture in 1960. If you like old movies, you'll love it. You can rent it on Amazon for $2.99.
hot, peppermint tea - goes great with anything chocolate
chai tea
thought this was a super helpful gift guide, The Very Best Gift Guide for People You Sort of Know
lastly, a must read.... Christmas Guidance for Moms
What about you? What do you do? What don't you do?
Over here we are thrilled, thrilled that it is Christmas break. With school winding down, so do all the parties and hoop la that go with it.
I have found the way to enjoy the season is to embrace and love the things we do and be proud of the things that we don't do.
we do...
put up a tree/ decorate the house
go to the amazing music services at church
buy family gifts
buy teacher gifts
watch Christmas movies
make hot chocolate
make the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls
go to Christmas parties
we don't...
go see Santa
make gingerbread houses
do excessive baking/make sugar cookies and decorate with kids #nope
send holiday cards (love receiving! but I don't send)
give neighbor and friend gifts
do a family advent devotional #aintnobodygottimeforthat
All this could change one day, but for now this is where the lines fall.
My kids are happy as can be with a cup of hot chocolate, a fire, and a strand of lights in their rooms. Life is stressful, add in all the Christmas extra and its beyond too much. We have to be ruthless as we pick and choose for the sake of our souls!
A few of my Christmas favorites from this year and years past are....
these citrus ornaments made them last year! so pretty
a couple of playlists on Spotify - Christmas Peaceful Piano and Navidad Instrumental
I'm convinced my children behave better when there is instrumental music playing.
a movie - The Apartment - This is not a kids' movie. Actually, it's a little dark and its not exclusively a Christmas movie. But it takes place around Christmas. It won best picture in 1960. If you like old movies, you'll love it. You can rent it on Amazon for $2.99.
hot, peppermint tea - goes great with anything chocolate
chai tea
thought this was a super helpful gift guide, The Very Best Gift Guide for People You Sort of Know
lastly, a must read.... Christmas Guidance for Moms
What about you? What do you do? What don't you do?
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