Confessions of a Stay-At-Home Mom: Christmas

If you are looking for an easy last-minute gift idea, or just want to make something homemade and memorable for the holidays, this DIY Thumbprint Reindeer Ornament is easy and awesome. I started making them a year or two ago and give them as gifts to family. If the kids are cooperative (ahem) they take less than 10 minutes to make. And I love seeing them on the tree for years to come, exclaiming embarrassing things like, "Squeeeee! Look how tiny your thumbs were two years ago!"

If you are pulling this together last minute like me, you are in luck: this week, Michael's has all of the supplies ON SALE. The ornaments were 70% off and Sharpie markers are buy one get one 50% off. Luckily, the little jar of Crayola Washable Kids Paint is less than $2. So for the whole project, I spent less than $8, and I have enough supplies to make 9 ornaments.

And I apologize in advance for the reflection of my phone and hands in these pictures. The ornaments are silver and super reflective and there was just no way around it, people.

Here's what you need:

Brown paint (preferably kid-friendly and washable)
Black Sharpie marker (fine-point)
Red Sharpie marker (fine-point)
Bulb Ornaments (whichever size you prefer)
Cute little kid thumbs (not pictured)

Step 1: Dip your child's thumb in the paint. Dab it on a paper towel to get off excess.

Step 2: Press the cute little thumb onto the ornament. Account for spacing if you'll have more than one thumbprint on the ornament.

Step 3: Let the paint dry.

Step 4: Add antlers, eyes and noses (black or red) to the thumbprint(s). Write name(s) and the year.

And...you're done!

So cute, right? Happy holidays, friends!

Edited to add: I have no idea how I sorely overlooked A Charlie Brown Christmas . I am ashamed. And I have added it. Thank you, Amy, for bringing this glaring omission to my attention!

Now that we are well into November (i.e.: past November 1), I consider an appropriate time to begin creating a Holiday Movie Watching schedule (hereafter referred to as HMWS).

I know, I know.

There will be naysayers (not that I'm going to name any names here, ahem) who say it is far too early to being this holiday nonsense.

Holiday music? Gah!

Holiday recipe scouring? No!

And creating a HMWS?

Blasphemous.

Well, 'round these parts, you won't be hearing any of this curmudgeonly, negative and hostile rigamarole. We've got to celebrate the holidays, dagumbit!

And it begins with watching movies.

Now, can I hold off listening to holiday music a few more ~~weeks~~ days? Sure. But my due to the length of my favorite holiday movies list, I actually need to get an early start if I want to finish them. These are movies that, really, need to be watched before December 31st. It's just not the holidays without watching these flicks.

Because I love you so much, I compiled my near-comprehensive list below. I like to refer to as Steph's Almost-Comprehensive List of Must-Watch Christmas Movies of the Season.

A mouth-full, I know.

But, honest.

I figured there are others who might be looking to compile a list such as this. And I wanted to help you out. The list is an eclectic mix of childhood, traditional, and contemporary holiday favorites. I think it's pretty exhaustive, but I'll let you be the judge.

First, though, I need to apologize in advance for the preface I am about to make here:

Love Actually is NOT on my list.

I saw this for the first time last year, after a ton of people in my life told me I had, lest I was not human. So I did. And I was unimpressed. And nothing about it, aside from the fact it sort of takes place around the holidays, makes me feel like Christmas.

If anything, I found it depressing.

So...

Sorry.
But there are a multitude of other movies that just make my holidays complete. So if you are looking for a list to help you plan your HMWS, I've got you covered.