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Christmas/December
holidays/New Year's
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To Donate a
Christmas Gift:
Some families handle gift giving
dilemmas by annually joining forces with friends, neighbors and family to
"adopt" a homeless family, a low-income family, or even a women and children's
shelter. It doesn't take much to please these parents and children -- many of
them lack even basic necessities, much less toys for their children.
It can be enjoyable for the whole family to put together
festive baskets with
necessities such as socks, underwear, toiletries, towels, baby clothes -- plus a
few toys for children. Such projects are very good at teaching children about
the needs of others. Below are a few suggestions for such projects:
Safety Tips
for Your Family:
 | Check out the
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Web
site for the latest news on defects and recalls. |
| Make sure you send in warranty cards so
that if a product is recalled, you will be notified immediately. |
| If you're buying a product second-hand,
call the manufacturer to make sure the product is still
considered safe. |
| Check your tree for freshness. A dry tree will
lose its needles and is more susceptible to fire. Place your tree out of the
way and away from the fireplace, electrical sockets,
overhead lights, wall heaters, or other combustibles.
Water it daily. |
| Attach the tree to the wall, bookcase or
ceiling to make sure it doesn't fall over or that a small
child can't tug it over. A wide-based stand will help to keep it steady. Tuck
away electrical cords so that they can't be grabbed or tugged, or tape them to
the floor and wall. |
| Keep fireplaces clear of trees, ornaments,
Christmas stockings and blankets. Burn only wood, not wrapping paper, mailing paper or evergreen
boughs in the fireplace (embers of which can float out of
the chimney and start a fire next door, or result in a flash fire when paper or tree needles light and burn intensely).
Avoid using flammable liquids in your fireplace. Keep a
fire extinguisher nearby. |
| Take
care with "fire salts" that produce colored flames when thrown on a
burning fire. The salts are dangerous to children if swallowed,
so keep them out of reach. |
| Have your fireplace checked
over by a professional at a regular time each year. Use a sturdy screen and
never go to bed or leave the house without making sure the fire is completely
out. |
| Never use candles or other combustible decorations near or around trees.
Keep them away from drapes. Keep all matches or candles out
of the reach of small
children and pets. Never leave burning candles unattended. Turn off lights,
space heaters and other electrical appliances,
and blow out all candles when leaving the
house or going to bed. If you're lighting a menorah, keep
it on a high, steady surface. Do not put lighted candles near exits or in
windows. Keep your children away from all combustible or electrical objects. |
| Do not use electric decorations on a metallic tree. The tree
could become charged from a faulty string, and a person could be electrocuted. |
| Consider forgoing poinsettias, artificial snow, spun glass
"angel hair," tinsel, and sharp, breakable decorations when you have small
children in the house. Poinsettias, holly,
mistletoe, Christmas rose, wild arum, yew, amaryllis, and Jerusalem cherry -- along with several other plants
-- can be poisonous, or can cause skin irritation or
digestive problems (to children and to pets). Keep all plants and decorations up and out of the reach of small
children. |
| Put all breakables high up
on the tree, and keep a close eye on younger children to make sure that
nothing winds up in the mouth. |
| Check your children's gifts,
including the wrapping and packaging,
for small, removable or breakable parts, sharp edges or corners. Strings or
cords longer than seven edges present a strangulation risk to small children.
Keep any dangerous gifts away from your children (they can be
returned, donated, given to an older friend, or tucked away until your child
is older). |
| Make sure that indoor and outside lights and decorations are
used appropriately, and that the cords and lights aren't frayed or broken.
Pay attention to instructions for use of electrical
decorations. Make sure they're UL-approved, and don't string together more than 3 strands of lights on each extension cord. |
| Make sure your family has an escape plan in case of fire -
and practice it! Have working smoke detectors on each
floor (your local fire department can help you obtain smoke alarms and can
give you advice for installing and maintaining them). See our
Fire Safety page for more. |
| Do not leave out foods that
are potential choking hazards, such as nuts, hard candies, popcorn or candy
canes. Never leave alcoholic drinks within reach of children. |
| When visiting with friends
and relatives, or if having friends or relatives over, keep a close watch on
the children. Small children have a
tendency to suddenly fall into swimming pools, fall off balconies, wander out doors,
taste medications, swallow earrings, play with guns or knives, harass a
jittery pet, pull a pot off a stove, or stick a finger in a socket. Never
leave your children unattended in someone else's home. |
| Remember that when friends
visit your home, they can unintentionally be distracted from watching their
own children. Try to childproof your home if you know young children are
coming over, and keep a close watch. |
| When entertaining, avoid
using candles. Provide smoking guests with large, deep ashtrays, and check
them frequently. Make sure children know to stay away from ashtrays. Run the
contents of ashtrays under a faucet before dumping them in the garbage. After
guests leave, check upholstery and trashcans for cigarettes that weren't fully
extinguished. |
| Designate a non-drinking
driver if you'll be drinking while out. If you're hosting a party where
alcohol is served, make nonalcoholic beverages available. Avoid serving too
much alcohol to your guests, and do not pressure your guests to have "one for
the road." Remember that only time (not coffee, food, drinking water, a cold
shower or fresh air) will reverse the effects of drinking too much. Insist
that any guest who is slurring words, walking unsteadily, or showing other
signs of inebriation stay overnight, ride with a friend or catch a cab. |
| Make sure that everyone
buckles up while driving -- even if it's only to the grocery store. |
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Suggestions for giving to seniors:
It's tricky buying for seniors. We
recommend that (unless specifically requested), you avoid pets, colognes,
perfumes, wine, candies or liquor. Good ideas include these:
| Gift baskets of their favorite food
items or bath items or lined note pads, stationery, greeting cards, stamps and pens, etc.
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| Gift certificates for their favorite
department store or bookstore, pharmacy, hairdresser, restaurant, theater, deli or concert hall (especially
if you offer to go with them). |
| For seniors who don't drive, a bus pass
or coupons for taxis. |
| Bath robes, sweat pants, blankets,
warm sweaters, slippers with non-skid soles and socks (seniors tend to be colder
than younger people), scarves, handkerchiefs, mittens. |
| A cordless telephone, pre-paid phone
cards, a computer or an answering machine can be helpful. |
| Large-print books, address books or
calendars (marked with family birthdays and anniversaries, and perhaps
personalized with family photos). You also can offer to rewrite their address
book, help them organize photos or letters into a beautiful photo album, or
retype something special to them. |
| Subscriptions to favorite magazines,
newspapers,
toys or treats for a pet they already have, payment of a monthly bill, or the
hiring of someone to shovel snow or cut grass for a month or two. |
| Items for their favorite hobby. |
| A book of coupons offering yourself as a
gift (you promise to clean their house, mow their lawn, cook a meal, repair broken items, do safety checks, take them shopping,
to church, to the country, to see Christmas lights, to the hairdressers, to the park, to
the museum, to a concert, etc.). |
| Crafts handmade by grandchildren (such
as a tape with the child's voice or singing on it, special cards, play dough
handprints, homemade cookies, poetry or stories, clothing decorated by the
child, etc.). |
| Playing cards or favorite board games
that you or your children will play with them. |
| Schedule a multi-generational photo
session, and frame the resulting photo. |
| A nice dinner out with you (perhaps
without small children, so that you can talk). |
| Favorite treats or snacks (make sure
these don't interfere with medication or a restricted diet). |
| For seniors in care facilities, work
with the family member or staff to give gifts of a more personal nature. If
you can't afford new clothing, second-hand stores and thrift stores often have
clothes in excellent condition:
 | Check clothes and make sure they're
still in good condition and that they fit. If buttons are missing, zippers
are broken, or if clothing is stained, offer to repair them or get them
cleaned. |
| Check for good shoes and slippers with
non-skid soles. |
| Check for socks and intimate apparel
in good condition. |
| When buying clothing, select clothing
with large buttons (or no buttons), Velcro, and simple, easy-to reach
fasteners. |
| Does the family member need a shave, a
haircut, a permanent, a manicure, a pedicure? |
| Read personal mail, a book or a
magazine to the family member. |
| Listen to stories from the family
member, play cards, go for a walk in a park or playground, take the family
member shopping or to church. |
| Check to make sure finances are in
order, that newspapers and magazines aren't piling up, that correspondence
is answered. If not, help bring things up to date. |
| Mostly, keep in touch on a regular
basis and let your loved one know you remember and that you care. |
|
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Keeping the Meaning and Spirit Alive:
Sometimes it can be hard to find the spirit
of Christmas in the midst of sales, wrappings, tape and bows. Here are a few
suggestions for keeping the meaning of the season:
| Maintain family traditions: Tell
your children why you have the family traditions that you do. Tell family
stories, and show them pictures of favorite memories. Tell them how you
celebrated as a child, and how your parents and grandparents did. Pay tribute
to family members who are no longer with you. Avoid bringing up old wounds,
however -- make the tributes positive and sincere. |
| Involve your child in the yearly
rituals and traditions. Even young children can help bake, shop, wrap, and
decorate. If your family attends religious ceremonies, involve your children
as much as you can. They can sing, be in Christmas plays, or help with
preparations. These traditions will become important paths for your child to
follow as he/she grows into an adult and parent. Their involvement will help
them see the events and traditions as important, special and worthwhile. |
| Explain the cultural traditions:
Take your child to celebrations, explain what happens and why. Share the
history of the holiday, and set aside special and private time for your
family. There are several books available for all ages that can help explain
the historical and religious meanings of holidays. This year would be a very
good year to explore other traditions and to explain the importance of
understanding and tolerance. |
| Involve your children in charity.
Children are naturally generous with others. Even young children can
appreciate the value of donating, volunteering and sharing. Your children can
help choose the gifts, choose the activity to help with or choose the
organization to assist. Your children can help wrap or bake, and they will
benefit from being there when it happens. |
| Begin a tradition of giving thanks.
Set aside time at each dinner or bedtime to think about what you're thankful
for, and share this with your children. Encourage them to think of what
they're thankful for. Avoid forcing them to think of specific things or even
to participate - younger children are quite practical and selfish, and that's
natural and OK. As they get older, this tradition will become an important
part of their lives. |
| Have a plan for relatives who
unknowingly send inappropriate gifts. If you have preferences against
certain toys (such as toy guns, types of clothing, music, jewelry or candy),
make sure friends and family members know this in advance. Tell your children
that certain things are off-limits, and that if these items arrive anyway, the
thought will be appreciated and then the item will be donated or returned. |
| Keep the holidays fun and
family-friendly. Make sure children eat properly, go to bed at proper
times and maintain naps and quiet times. Avoid discussing painful family
issues or any disturbing societal events around them. This does not mean you
should be a push-over in front of family members, but try to keep any
disagreements or discussions mature and calm. If your children want to ask
questions about family members or events, try to answer as honestly as you can
in age-appropriate ways. Avoid talking about your children behind their backs. This will help your children learn that open
communication with you is a good thing. |
| Keep spending under control.
Begin with a budget, and avoid impulse buying by shopping with a detailed list
in hand. Avoid browsing, and avoid good deals unless they are already on your
list. If it helps to use only cash, then leave your credit cards at home. Set a limit for each person, and stay within it.
Return any unused items. Many experts recommend
not exceeding 1.5% of your annual gross income. But even that might be too
much for you, and that's OK. Don't think you have to spend a like amount for
relatives. Everyone has different spending ability. Many wonderful gifts can
be purchased at summer yard sales or quality second-hand stores. Often, a
homemade gift (especially from children), or a gift certificate for promised
shared time together or help with household chores or with baby-sitting is just what a favorite
relative needs. A U.S. Savings Bond costs just half of its ultimate face
value. Framed family photos, video tapes of family events, or a sample of a
favorite recipe are always appreciated. You can pick names and have each
person give one gift to one family member. Or, pool your money with family
members to buy one gift for someone. |
Other
holiday links:
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