Do you go overboard with Christmas crafts with your kids? Every past December I have gone bananas over Christmas crafts to do with my kids, but this year I really scaled it back.
This December there were a lot of changes. The first being I no longer live across the street from Michaels where it was really easy to scoop up multiple crafts for less than $1 or $2 each. I have to drive an hour to my closest craft store besides Wal Mart, which is Hobby Lobby. I stocked up on these items in one trip to Hobby Lobby and called it good this year.
This picture cost me close to $30. The majority of these craft kits are for 2 people, which is awesome. A lot of the other kits that were available were for 6 people or more and I just have no reason for that many. I couldn’t give away those extras without it being weird…I have tried that in the past and I feel like the recipient felt pressured to take the kit I gave them and then felt obligated to do. it. Even though I was just being nice…it might have just added extra things to do on the parents plate who wasn’t into it in the first place. Which is totally fine. not everyone is a crafter.
The second thing that was really different for me this year is that this is the first December where my oldest, my 6 soon to be 7 year old, is in school all day, 5 days a week. So there really isn’t that much time for her to do all these activities on top of all the activities that she already does in class. She definitely enjoys doing crafts with me on the weekends, but I for the first time, am not the sole provider for her ability to do creative things. Which is awesome, just different. So I didn’t need as much and my 2 year old, is well…2. She doesn’t need much either.
I did however buy myself some crafts this year. I don’t think I will be able to do them this December but I wanted to purchase the paper mâché ornaments and tags for either the kids to paint, or for me to practice some decorative painting on next year. The kids are definitely painting those porcelain ornaments with that kids paint though. I cherish those handmade ornaments my kids make every year. It’s like a Christmas time capsule.
Anyways, I love those decorative cutesy things for Christmas and hope to do some more handmade gifts next year…I didn’t make any handmade gifts this year for maybe the first year ever! Which I still have time do some handmade gifts if I stay up late at night. Well, I knit my kids hats and socks but I usually still gift a few things to other people and I just ran out of time this year because I have been trying to do so many things with only so much time to do it in.
Anywho, what are you crafting on this Christmas? We did the Santas in the picture this morning and tomorrow we will probably color the gingerbread houses. I have some cookies to bake later and it is just super chill at my house this year. I love that. I don’t feel like I have to do all the things, it’s going to be ok to do a bit less this year.