Gifts from my kids…
… are often home-made, especially for Grandparents and aunts.
When kids make gifts, they come from the heart. Like these scented sachets being made at home.
It started partly to be cheaper but it isn’t always the case.
What’s more important is that the kids put their time and love into it so it means so much more than some $5 soap or chocolate we could buy.
It also teaches them the real value and pleasure in gift giving. Aside from the giving bits, making gifts also entertains them in a positive way, teaches them crafty skills and IS FUN!
I’m looking for some new ideas for this Christmas, although we’re thinking of pots of herbs that the kids grow from seeds and maybe decorate the pots.
My children have already made…
- stepping stones
- dyed tea towels
- photo frames (thanks for that idea on a Love Santa letter!)
- painted pots of citronella candles
Has anybody got some other ideas they could share please?
Love Santa letters – constant prices
In the seven years we have been writing letters to help Santa, we haven’t changed the price so our letters are still $10 each (or $9.25 for orders of 3 or more).
Why no increases, even after some rough financial years and two postage increases? Because Love Santa is not about the money, it’s about the love of Christmas, magic and children.
We know others are selling letters for more than us, and not always at Santa’s request, but we’ll stay with covering costs and making people happy.
And of course our letters still contain a number of personalised details, craft and cooking ideas and a small surprise mailed individually to each child.
Some good deeds to think about
As promised when I explained what a good deed is, here is a list of some good deeds many children do each year when Santa is watching:
- reading books or stories to little people who can’t read yet
- helping someone tidy up, like helping Grandma sweep leaves in the yard or Grandpa wash the dishes
- sharing toys with brothers, sisters and friends
- picking up rubbish every time you see some on the ground
- taking a drink to someone who is hot
- rubbing Mum or Dad’s shoulders or feet to help them relax
- helping someone else learn a new thing – like holding a little sister’s hand as she learns to walk or showing a friend how to ride a tricycle
- using good manners and doing what Aunts, Uncles and friends’ Mums and Dads ask you to
- getting yourself ready for bed – and going to bed without a fuss lots of nights
That’s just a few – what special good deeds are doing this year to make sure Santa has you on his ‘nice list’?
Good deeds
We all know that Santa is watching to see who are the good boys and girls, and he loves to acknowledge some of children’s good deeds in his letters, too. But I got thinking – does everyone know what counts as a good deed?
I’d be here all year if I tried to type a complete list of good deeds, but I can give some tips on what makes a good deed and will post some examples one day soon.
Making someone smile makes you feel good too
So a good deed is:
- something that makes someone else smile
- anything you do that helps another person (or more than one person) or the world
- something ‘out of the ordinary’ – that means not just doing what you have to do or what Mum and Dad tell you to do
- having a go and doing your best – it doesn’t have to be done perfectly as long as you are working hard at doing something nice
What else do you think makes something count as a good deed?
Christmas Cheesecake – yum!
This mixes two of my loves – Christmas and cheesecake! Ok it is a cooked cheesecake so it looses points there but still – yummo!
Anyway, this is lovely on a summer day with fresh fruit so I often take it to BBQs and other Christmas get togethers.
Base:
Mix together…
2 cups of crumbed Marie biscuits
125g butter
0.25 tsp cinnamon
0.25 tsp nutmeg
and put into a greased 20cm springform pan. Place in fridge while you make the filling.
Filling
Preheat oven to 160 C
Beat 500g cream cheese with 180g (0.75 cup) white sugar
When smooth, add 3 eggs one at a time
Stir in 250g dried fruit and 1.5 Tbsp dark rum
Pour into base
Bake until firm (about 1 hour)
Leave door ajar but cool cake in oven
refrigerate overnight then serve & enjoy 🙂
You could leave a slice of this out for Santa, too, and it’s easy enough for kids to make.
Christmas planning help
I just came across this free Christmas planning ebook (with printable extras like a baking planner) that may be useful for lots of people. I’m all for planning and do bits and spieces of Christmas prepartions ahead of time – keep Christmas fun not stressful!
What tips can you share for planning a happy Christmas?
Love Santa on Twitter
Just a quick announcement that Love Santa is now on Twitter, so as well as tweeting any posts you like, you can follow us on Twitter directly (and we intend to tweet each time we add a blog post, too!)
Our twitter name is @LoveSantaAu (we want to emphasise our Australian connections!) and we’d love to say hi so let us know when you find our profile 🙂
Nougat Noelle
Another yummy treat we make as inexpensive gifts (put it with the Chrissie caramels in celophane packages – pretty & decadent!) Enjoy!
3 egg whites
3.75 cups white sugar
0.75 cups light corn syrup
150g glace cherries (mix of red & green is ideal for a Christmas look & feel)
2 tsp essence (I love vanilla but my husband prefers peppermint – take your pick!)
Line 2 baking trays with non stick baking paper
Chop up the glace cherries (a very sticky job, but hey!)
Put sugar, corn syrup & water in jug (no lid or cover). Cook in microwave on high for 5 minutes or a bit longer – stirring every minute – til mixture is boiling & sugar has completely dissolved.
Cook for another 5 minutes then check every 30 seconds (take it out of microwave & use a warm sugar thermometer) until syrup reaches 125 C .
Beat egg whites to soft peaks (Did you know this is easier with free range. fresh eggs than horrid cage eggs from shops?)
Slowly pour syrup onto eggs, beating continuously.
Mix in the cherries & essence, and beat until nougat looses shine.
Drop onto tray by the teaspoonful. Leave to set.
leave your thermometer in warm water to keep it warm between tests. If you don’t have a thermomoeter (or you manage to break it like I did last Christmas) drop a little syrup into very cold water as a test – its ready when it forms a firm supple ball.
Add pistachios or slivered almonds for a nutty addition.
Chrissie Caramels
These are yummy – I have to admit I make double batch now as we ‘test’ so many of them we don’t have a lot left to package as gifts let alone leave out for Santa…
45g butter (or marg if you must)
750g soft caramels
3 tablespoons low fat milk
2 cups of unsalted cashews
1 cup unsalted walnuts or almonds
Put the caramels, butter & milk in the microwave (well in a bowl then in the microwave!) and heat on high for 1 minute then stir.
Heat for another minute & stir.
Heat for another minute & stir (see the pattern yet?!)
Mixture should now be smooth – if not, heat for another 30 – 6 seconds and stir.
Stir in the nuts until they’re covered in caramel.
Line a baking tray (foil, baking paper, whatever) then drop teaspoonful of the mix onto the tray.
Once it’s set, drizzle some melted chocolate over the top. If I have time, I use white & brown chocolate for an even nicer effect, but one chocolate or none works well too.
Store in an airtight container if you can resist eating them! Oh, and you can use other sorts of nuts or even mixed nuts if you prefer (mixed nuts makes it a bit cheaper if you’re on a budget but it’s a pretty cheap gift anyway.)
Canberra has lights too!
I just found this blog and even though it seems like a million years ’til Christmas, I know it will come soon enough and I may forget to come back in time anyway. So here are some places we go every year in Canberra – hope it helps others find Christmas cheer in the ACT!
Gymkhana Rd, Duntroon we see more than once usually as it’s close to home
Slavin Place or Parade in Gordon
Carina St, Ngunnawal
Merry Christmas Australia!
It is now officially Christmas Day on the east coast, and if Santa hasn’t been to your house yet – he’s on his way!
I would like to wish you a very Merry and safe Christmas. Have a lovely day of laughter, love and merriment, enjoying the spririt of giving and joy that is Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
Snacks for Santa
Santa’s sleigh is packed, the reindeer and boomers are rested, Santa has checked his list twice, the elves are checking the load is secure – Santa is almost ready to leave the North Pole and head Down Under!!!!!!!
How about you – are you ready for Santa’s visit? Have you prepared a snack and drink for him, and put out something for the boomers?
Santa is VERY BUSY tonight, after months of preparing, so he really appreciates you leaving a snack near your stockings. 
And I believe that by making it yourself, you help build up Santa’s magic supply so he can get down (and up) small chimneys and find the right stocking for all his gifts.
If you need ideas for making a snack for Santa, try our recipes , article or look at any letters you have received from Santa. Or share your favourite ideas and recipes with us.
I hope you’ve been good and are excited, because Santa arrives in only a few hours!!!!!!!!!!!
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