From our very first e-mail -- back when I was just starting out and she was very much established already -- Asha Dornfest of Parent Hacks has always amazed me with her warmth and openness. Asha is funny and smart and clever and I just adore her; I only regret that neither of our scheduled in real life event meet ups this year have worked out. The good news is that Asha is so effective at translating her warmth and smarts online, which is what makes Parent Hacks so great (and gives me my Asha fix in absentia). I’m thrilled that today, for the eighth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Asha shares her favorite holiday hacks; a useful mantra plus tips for maintaining your merry and bright this holiday season.

+ + + + +

From Asha:

I'll put this out there right up front: I'm perplexed by "holiday stress." Stress? Because of a holiday? Now I'm not 100% Pollyanna; I get that this time of year is fraught with family politics and time/money pressures, but I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the stress caused by too many party invitations, or sub-par decorations, or last-minute shopping, or getting just the right tree, or cooking just the right food, or wearing just the right outfit. Are these things really worthy of your stress?

I submit to you my number one holiday hack: Be kind to yourself. You and your family deserve this time to rejoice. You have worked hard all year -- in your jobs, in your homes, raising your kids -- and you deserve a break. Go only to those parties filled with the people you want to see, and politely decline the rest. Keep the decor and the food simple, and let the company make it special. Do those things -- and only those things -- that make the holidays happy for you and your family. Then sit back and relax with some egg nog.

And now for some of my favorite holiday hacks, all submitted by the very smart readers of Parent Hacks:

How to buy gifts for young kids when they're always with you at the store.

How to organize a holiday gift for your kid's teacher.

Simplify shopping with kids by taking pictures for the "wish list."

Number the gifts under the tree to keep the kids guessing which ones are theirs.

On Christmas Eve, let Santa take away the old toys, too.

How to involve your kids in Christmas tree cleanup.

Skip time-consuming return lines; donate unwanted gifts instead.

Have a wonderful holiday. You've earned it!

+ + + + +

Asha Dornfest is the founder and editor of Parent Hacks, a site that has been described as "McGyver meets parenting." She's also one of the moms of Momversation -- the twice-weekly video show that brings together outspoken mom bloggers to talk about what matters most to them. You can follow Asha on Twitter at @parenthacks.

+ + + + +

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As a designer, I can’t help but adore the amazing craftiness at Craft. So what an honor it is to be featured on their site today. In my guest post, I share the how-to for creating the fabulous photo bookmarks that I first fashioned for my family a few Christmases ago and now create for clients. How can you not love a gift that's pretty and inspires reading? Only problem? Now my family knows what my holiday token is this year.

Marie LeBaron is a blog friend who I have yet to meet in real life, but we share a passion for crafting and food and I so admire all of the crafty awesomeness she shares on her site, Make and Takes. And though Marie and my friendship is relatively new, her enthusiasm encouraged me to sign up with her and ten other bloggers for what no doubt will be a (somewhat insane) major bonding experience: a 200-mile relay run come spring (gulp). I’m thrilled that today, for the seventh installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Marie shares easy yet engaging holiday crafts to enjoy with your kids.

+ + + + +

From Marie:

We're now officially in the holiday stretch and there are presents to buy, the house to decorate, and treats to make. Here are a few fun projects we're making and taking in the next few weeks to celebrate the holidays.

Beaded Ornaments: Decorating the tree is part of the fun of decorating the house for Christmas. And all you need to make your own ornaments are beads and pipe cleaners. Create traditional shapes as shown here, create shapes for other winter holidays (e.g., a Star of David for Hanukkah), or let your kid’s imagination run wild. These ornaments are fun to give as gifts or to make to hang on your own tree. No doubt your kids will love to look back on them when they're grown up.

+ + + + +

Fruit Loop Garland: This is a classic holiday craft that’s fun for kids while encouraging motor development. All that’s involved is threading Fruit Loop cereal (or check stores such as Whole Foods for a natural/organic alternative) onto string. We make a lot of these fruity garlands to put on our tree, even though my kids typically eat a lot of the cereal while we’re stringing! And a tip: attach a little bit of tape to the threading end of the yarn or string (to form a shoelace type end) to help little fingers thread the cereal through. (Garland shown in first image above.)

+ + + + +

Stained Glass Christmas Trees: To give your windows a festive feel, try these bright and cheery stained glass trees. Simply fold green paper triangles, cut holes in them (as you would a snowflake), then add some wrapping tissue paper to the back, letting the colors shine through. Attach a brown rectangle for the tree stump and a yellow circle of paper (or a pom-pon) at the top.

+ + + + +

Homemade Lollipops: Lollipops are the one candy that we make every December. They are fun to make and eat, and are a perfect gift to give to the neighbors. These are mostly made and poured by me, but my kids love to help set up the sticks and watch as the lollipop liquid gets poured. You can make these with metal molds, but we like to have them come out all wonky, simply pouring them over the sticks. Click here for the lollipop recipe.

+ + + + +

M&M Graphing: With so many flavors of M&Ms, this is a fun taste testing activity to do with the kids. We poured all kinds of M&Ms into our bowl, then closed our eyes and picked one out. We graphed what color it was, what flavor it was, and if we liked it. This activity is a fun one to do in a classroom setting for younger or older grades, helping them have fun as they eat and learn! If you’d prefer to use a natural alternative (for example, SunSpire Sun Drops) you could change the parameters of the game to guess and graph colors.

+ + + + +

Marie LeBaron is the owner and founder of Make and Takes, a website sharing kids crafts, home crafts, easy recipes, and parenting tips. She’s a crafter, foodie, and mother of 3. She also loves to read, run, and blog. You can follow Marie on Twitter at @makeandtakes.

Now that December is here I’m ready to embrace the holidays, and over the years I’ve found that Christmas décor is actually really easy. Once the tree is up, a pretty tree skirt and some festive stockings go a long way in creating the mood. And if you love having these elements (and more) coordinated just so, consider Sterling Pear’s holiday décor starter set. Great to gift or to start your own traditions with, this simple yet richly embroidered and trimmed set includes two stockings, a tree skirt, and a table runner. And as part of the Giveaway Goodness series, Sterling Pear kindly is offering one lucky reader their holiday décor starter set! Simply check out the rules below and enter to win by midnight, December 4.

+ + + + +
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Jessica!
+ + + + +

Rules:

Leave a comment below about this giveaway to enter to win. Be sure to include your name and email in the appropriate fields so we can contact you if you win (including just first name or first name + last initial is OK).

One comment permitted per person; US & Canada entrants welcome.

Anonymous or SPAM-like comments will be discarded.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Friday, December 4, 2009.

*One lucky winner (drawn using Random.org) will receive a Sterling Pear holiday décor starter set ($113 value).

+ + + + +

And for those who wish to shop now, use code BOSTONMAMAS09 for a 20% discount off your order at Sterling Pear (a browser other than Firefox is recommended when shopping the Sterling Pear site).

I first connected with Michelle Stern of What's Cooking two years ago, when she approached me about contributing to Boston Mamas. Though Michelle is based on the West Coast, I adore her hands on approach to cooking with kids and we walk the same green path; the geographical disparity quickly became an afterthought. It was such a pleasure to finally meet Michelle this summer, when we happened to film our segments for The Juice back to back. Just as lovely in person as she is over e-mail, though Michelle is a regular contributor to this site, given that she is one of my favorite eco-foodies, I wanted to feature her in my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series. Today, Michelle shares a few simple yet meaningful ideas for mindful holidays gifts.

+ + + + +

From Michelle:

It’s nearly impossible to avoid the madness that is the holiday season. Billboards, transit advertising, mailers, and festive to-go cups are all telling us that we need to spend, spend, spend during the holidays. I love a thoughtful gift as much as the next person. And my children are already about to burst with enthusiasm for Chanu-mas (Chanukkah + Christmas). But I can’t help but think that we need to try to carve out another message. How about a few alternatives to traditional store-bought gifts this year? Each of these ideas brings the season of giving to a new level – they help the planet, teach kindness, and help those who may need a little lift, all while spending quality time with your kids.

+ + + + +

Cook from the Heart:

Everyone associates the holiday season with tasty goodness. For some of us that means chocolate, for others it means hot cocoa with little marshmallows or perhaps a jar of homemade seasonal chutney. Excellent gifts can be made, not just purchased. How about making some fabulous gifts from the kitchen this year? Ask your kids what floats their boat. Leaf through the pages of your favorite cookbook together, go on a grocery shopping adventure, and then blast some holiday tunes as you all cook for your loved ones. It’s a win-win situation – you get to play with your kids and make your gifts at the same time! (Plus, you will probably save some money, too…but nobody needs to know!)

My daughter and I made these BBQ spice rubs (pictured above) for holiday gifts. Pick up the spices, small glass jars, ribbon, hang tags, and a spoon if you want to fancy it up. The mixture is simple (I offer ratios since amount will depend on your number of jars):

1 part each: onion powder and cumin

1.5 parts each: brown sugar, paprika, and chili powder

0.5 parts each: coriander and garlic salt

[Also, for more food inspired gifts, check out these ideas for cookie and soup gifts jars.]

Go Green:

I wonder if Mother Earth minds that she doesn’t get any gifts for the holidays. How about we all make a pact to keep her in mind when we do our shopping this year? Here are a few ideas: cool reusable containers for kids’ lunches, nifty reusable produce bags, or a subscription to your local CSA (for yummy produce that comes from your neck of the woods instead of around the world).

Share:

People are often more sentimental during the holidays than during the rest of the year. It’s a good time to double your favorite soup recipe and drop some off at your local women’s shelter. Or you could help an entire community become sustainable by making a donation to Heifer International for a living gift in honor of your grandparents.

+ + + + +

Michelle Stern owns What's Cooking, a certified green company that offers cooking classes for children in the San Francisco Bay Area. When she isn't in the kitchen, she's the head chauffeur for her two children, dog walker to her two mutts, and chicken feeder for her backyard flock. You can follow Michelle on Twitter at @whatscooking.

+ + + + +

Image credit: Michelle Stern

Today, Paige shares easy ideas for creating holiday tabletops with a twist:

“With just four days left until Thanksgiving, the holiday excitement (and stress) is beginning to set in around my house. I enjoy cooking, but truthfully, my favorite part of hosting Thanksgiving (or any party for that matter) is creating fun, beautiful, and sometimes unexpected tabletops. So with just days to go until the beginning of this year’s holiday season, here are some last-minute, easy ideas that will help kick your tabletop up a notch. Use one idea or combine a couple...and have fun!

+ + + + +

1. Nix the fancy tablecloth. Instead of spending a ton of money on a tablecloth, consider throwing a yard of home décor-weight fabric across a basic, inexpensive white banquet cloth (available everywhere from Target to Costco). Finish the edges of the fabric with fusible webbing to create instant clean edges with an iron. Check your local fabric store’s remnant section – you might walk out with a yard for under $10.

2. Arrange flowers with ease. For a super easy arrangement of flowers, stop by the grocery store and purchase a mixed bouquet (or two, depending on the size of your party). Unwrap the flowers and sort by type (mums in one pile, greenery in another, etc.). For each pile, trim the stem ends to the right height for its own vase (or glass or bottle). Use vessels in different heights and sizes and cluster them in the center of your table.

3. Use perfect poms. Not only are pomegranates super healthy, they’re perfect tabletop décor because of their great color and shape. Buy a bunch at the grocery store and place them on your table in a glass bowl. Break them open at the end of dinner for a light and sweet dessert option. Perfectly simple (and delicious).

4. Bring in the kid stuff. Rather than sending the children off to the requisite kids’ table, incorporate a “kid” activity directly onto your tabletop. Cover your table with art paper (roll paper works nicely), then place markers, crayons, and colored pencils in harvest colors in glasses down the center of the table or at each place setting. Then doodle away as you rest between courses.

5. Make it a family affair. Consider using family pictures to decorate your table (with frames and all). Place a small stack of paper and a pen at each place setting and encourage your family to record memories and the things for which they are thankful. Gather the slips of paper in a bowl and read them aloud at the end of the night as the tryptophan coma sets in!

Happy Thanksgiving!”

+ + + + +

For more décor related awesomeness from Paige, check out Mudroom Boston. You can also follow Paige on Twitter at @mudroomboston.

+ + + + +

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A few weeks ago I experienced a rather unusual night of party hopping that included seeing John Ondrasik (aka. Five for Fighting) live at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston. In addition to being utterly moved by the musical experience itself, I also was touched by John’s clear love for his family (exemplified when he explained the inspiration for various songs). Thanks to the lovely Barbara Jones, I met John after the show, at which time he kindly offered to pen a guest blog post on Boston Mamas. In particular, I was curious about John’s best strategies for staying connected with his family while on the road; an issue I discuss with many parents who travel for work. Read on for John's advice on this topic:

+ + + + +

From John Ondrasik:

I have the two best jobs in the world. Around 8pm every night I realize my childhood dream as a touring singer/songwriter. The gig takes me to venues across the country and allows me to share a common experience with old fans and new. When it works, there's nothing better. Well, there's one thing better, and that's my other job...Daddy.

As a father to a nine-year-old son and eight-year-old daughter, I'm smack in the parental golden age and I know it! And here's the rub: with two amazing, inquisitive, competitive, and (mostly) innocent no longer babies, it's rough being on the road, again.

Many families face this reality, especially our troops, who are away from home for months on end. We mom’s and dad’s learn to treasure every car pool wait line, soccer net take down, and late night burger run. I was asked if I have any tips for my fellow parental road warriors. Here are a few:

1. Believe the Skype! Video conferencing is as crucial to the traveling parent as the babysitter is to the work-at-homer. Being able to see as well as talk to Daddy is huge for my kids’ psyches. I try to call around the same time each night and spend both group and one-on-one time. My daughter enjoys a tour of my hotel room and my son digs the up close eyeball-in-the-camera gag. Skype also is free once you have an Internet connection, so set up the monopoly board and buy some houses!

2. Pen Pals. Exchange the written word! I get more insight into my children’s lives through their letters than any conversation. It’s cathartic for both sides and sneaky bonus writing practice. E-mails are fine but throw in some handwritten letters as well. They can be re-read when needed, and age better than your favorite Amarone.

3. Stay Engaged. When I’m out for weeks at a time I have my wife send me the kids’ homework and art projects. With technology I can get same day video files of the kids’ games and recitals. Though it’s not the same as being there it brings me closer to home and helps them focus on times tables and piano practice.

4. Bring ‘Em! On short trips sometimes I’ll bring one of my kids, even pulling them out of school if it’s just a day jaunt. Not only do they get a sense of Daddy’s job and see a bit of the world, it’s an adventure and treasured alone time. (And make sure Mommy gets her turn too!)

Whatever the tech or the trick, there’s no perfect answer for road dogs with puppies. We’re like anyone else and just miss our kids! For me, I don’t tour as much these days. I’m lucky to have that choice, because these golden ages are only gold, once.

+ + + + +

John Ondrasik is the singer/songwriter behind the multi-platinum Five for Fighting. His new album Slice is good for kids of all ages.

+ + + + +

I am grateful to Barbara Jones for coordinating this guest blog and to friend and fellow concert attendee Jodi Grundig for providing the photo of me and John.

I adore Melissa Massello, not only because she’s super creative and fun (plus, we share bonds over figure skating, fashion, shredding, and all things writerly), but because I’ve seen her jump from traditional employment to fulfilling her dream of launching the online magazine Shoestring Magazine, which focuses on tips for achieving the good life for less. As the first in my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, today Melissa shares a strategy for prioritizing and planning holiday gifting that can result in major bargains, meaningful finds, and less stress.

+ + + + +

From Melisssa:

As much as it pains me to see the displays on store shelves, the white snowflakes printed on red Starbucks cups, and the wintry wonderland of Overstock.com TV commercials in late October/early November, the truth is, I've always done my holiday shopping before Thanksgiving. The hard part is keeping my finds a secret until December.

Why? Well, for a bunch of reasons, some of which might only make sense to me, but they save me time, money, and most of all, stress -- that is, when I can contain my enthusiasm for my finds. Here’s how I go about my shopping:

The Bucket List

Whether due to being sentimental or simply caught up in the spirit of the season, I tend to completely overdo it this time of year. That is, unless I make a concerted effort to distance myself, setting realistic expectations about events and making an objective, uber-organized list for gift-giving -- which I review at least three or four times over a period of weeks. I use a practice my dad calls Rocks in a Jar:

Put the Rocks (family members) in first, the Pebbles (friends, close colleagues, extended family) in second, and the Sand in last (co-workers, obligatory nice gestures). If you take the hour or two to do this, you'll absolutely have room for everything -- both financially and emotionally -- no matter your budget or busy schedule. Assign realistic dollar values for each of the three buckets and then make each of those dollars count.

A wise editor friend in NYC once told me to actually take out the cash for my entire holiday shopping budget, then stash a few notes for each present in separate, labeled envelopes, then spend no more than that amount – for example, one envelope marked Mom with $50, one for Husband with $100, etc. This tactic works incredibly well for mall shopping, but for online shopping or a combination of resources, my secret weapon is a $1 iPhone app called Better Christmas List. A good, old-fashioned list (in whatever form lists work best for you) will do, too.

If you start early enough, you can focus on finding one or two "perfect" presents each week until the holidays, as well as hunt down the best deals and best value products through a combination of sales, customer reviews, and retail coupons. It all feels a lot less overwhelming mentally, and a much smaller burden on the weekly paycheck, to break it up over time. You might even find, as I do, that you ENJOY it and get to share in the magic of the season, not just the materialism of it. You might even find you have time to bake cookies and pet treats from scratch, the byproduct of being organized that I found most memorable last year -- and which make great, cost-effective gifts for the people on your list in any Bucket.

+ + + + +

Melissa Massello is co-founder and Stealfinder-in-Chief at Shoestring Magazine, where she brings bargainista tips with new media tricks to the masses online. You can follow Shoestring on Twitter at @shoestring or fan Shoestring on Facebook.

+ + + + +

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Today, Paige shares a review of locally based IdeaPaint, a brilliant solution for inspiring creativity in the vertical direction, whether at home, work, or school. Read on for Paige’s review, as well as to learn how to win an IdeaPaint kit (entry closes November 19):

+ + + + +

From Paige:

“This summer, in a classic public radio “driveway moment,” I found myself totally engrossed in an interview with children’s author and cartoonist Mo Willems. The crux of the interview was that although we all start out as artists, somewhere along the way, we (grown-ups) lose interest in drawing and doodling because we decide we’re not any good at it (sing it, Mo…that’s me). Mo went on to say that many kids stop drawing, or just never pick it up to begin with, because they don’t see Mom and Dad draw. One solution? The Willems family painted their dining room walls with chalkboard paint, inspiring “group draws” with family and friends.

Brilliant! Off I went to the hardware store, returning home with a big can of chalkboard paint and the drive of a mother not wanting her kids to grow up creatively-challenged.

And then I thought about what this chalkboard paint scenario really meant -- chalk, dust, and worst of all, nails down a chalkboard. Needless to say, the chalkboard paint is still sitting in my hall cabinet.

So when I received the opportunity to test IdeaPaint, the brilliant invention of three Babson undergrads, I was thrilled. With this dry-erase paint, I could turn a kitchen wall into a space for raw creativity, minus the bone-chilling squeak.

According the directions, it looked like application would be a cinch (not for nothin’, IdeaPaint’s packaging is totally clever and fun to read). Two coats of primer, a pour of this into that, mix, and apply within an hour. Easy peasy. (Note: as a devotee of latex paint, I wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming stink-fest that ensued, but within four hours or so, the smell had pretty much disappeared.)

After applying, we had to wait for seven days for the paint to cure (no small task for my five-year-old who couldn’t wait to draw on the wall). And then, on day eight, we had at it. With dry-erase markers we had on hand, we started drawing (him) and writing to-dos (me) and generally reveling in the experience of writing all over our kitchen wall (it felt so naughty!). However, a swipe of the eraser to start again, and…whoops…what’s this? Ghosting. Everywhere. Everything we had just written and drawn was still there -- at about a 10% shade of its former self, but still there. Hoping it was a fluke, and that the paint just didn’t like my old markers (even though we use them with no problem on our two other whiteboards), I bought a new set and tried again. This time, it was perfect…the markers erased with no ghosting, and I was able to get rid of the other ghosting with some dry-erase board cleaner.

The paint is pricey ($99 to cover 25 square feet and $175 to cover 50 square feet), but worth it. We’re going to be painting our kids’ rooms in the next couple of months, and I’m considering using IdeaPaint on a wall or two in these rooms as well. ‘Cause no kid of mine is going to grow up creatively-challenged.”

+ + + + +
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Judy!
+ + + + +

Now, want to win an IdeaPaint kit? Here’s how:

Visit the IdeaPaint shop, then email contests@bostonmamas.com (with ‘IdeaPaint’ in the subject), and name a cool IdeaPaint color you’d love to apply to your walls.

One entry permitted per person; US residents welcome to enter.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Thursday, November 19, 2009.

*One lucky winner (drawn using Random.org) will receive a 25 square-foot kit of IdeaPaint (value: $99).