Though we tend to go minimal and handmade for the holidays (column on this topic forthcoming), when we do buy gifts, we shop local and/or indie as much as possible. And oh how the local and indie awesomeness abounds in Boston! Worth checking out this weekend: the Boston Bazaar Bizarre (Sunday, December 6) at the Cyclorama, Boston Handmade’s retail gallery featuring 30+ local artisans and crafters at Downtown Crossing (open now through December 24), and the Harvard Square Holiday Fair (open now through December 23).

Image credit: locally operated Murdock Design (showing at the Boston Bazaar Bizarre on Sunday).

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.

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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.

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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.)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Jessica!
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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).

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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 met Allison Czarnecki of Petit Elefant this past summer at the T.J. Maxx/Marshalls event; she’s one of these people who exudes a lot of wonderfully happy mojo, whether it’s in person, through her blog posts, or via Twitter and Facebook. As a blogger, I particularly love Allison’s keen eye for style and her desire to offer ideas for a range of budgets. I’m subsequently thrilled that today, for the sixth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Allison shares simple guidelines and great ideas for easy accessorizing.

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From Allison:

Accessorizing for the holidays can be loads of fun; there's stuff in the stores you just don't see year-round and there are bright and bold colors you might not wear any other time of year. Plus, there’s all of those scarves, mittens, and cable knit hats…what's not to love? Being a stylish mama is a piece of cake during the holidays if you follow a few simple guidelines:

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1. Stick to your style. Are you more of a J. Crew girl than a thrift store bohemian? Then go with simple accessories, only glammed up a little. Don't try to be something you're not just because you're getting a little extra dressed up for a holiday party. For example, here are some great J. Crew pieces to kick conservative looks up a notch for the holidays:

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2. Don't overdo it with accessories. Unless your signature style is piling it on, don't wear the cute hat and the scarf, plus the 5 necklaces, bracelets, big earrings, huge belt, massive bag, and ultra-tall riding boots. Girlfriend, it's too much. If you add one, maybe two statement pieces to an outfit, that is plenty and there will be more of you to look at, which is the whole point of accessorizing anyway. Here's an example of some inexpensive boho options from Forever 21; you don't need more than one or two of these strong pieces to finish your cool look:

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3. Stay within your color palette. Accessories come in a range of colors that may tempt you to go a bit crazy, but don't buy something that doesn't look good on you just because it looks great on the mannequin in the store. If you stay true to the colors you already have in your closet, you really can't go wrong. Even basic color palettes can render swoon-worthy accessories, as with this mix of examples from Gap.com.

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Now, with these simple guidelines in mind, go forth and conquer all those PTA teas, company holiday parties, and family gatherings! And have fun while you do it…these are the holidays after all.

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Allison Czarnecki is the founder and editor of Petit Elefant, where she writes about traveling with kids, fashion & style for women, recipes and crafts, home & garden…all on a realistic budget. Allison also is the mastermind behind the ultra cool SocialLuxe Lounge. You can follow Allison on Twitter at @petit_elefant.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Image credit: Michelle Stern

I first met the lovely Isabel Kallman of Alpha Mom at the inaugural Pampers mom blogger meeting in Cincinnati and have since adored being in her company at every turn (most notably while interviewing Salma Hayek, talking all things blogging, and while wearing paper bags on our heads). Isabel is a smart entrepreneur, a kind friend, and always is thinking towards personal improvement, community building, and outreach to those in need. Fittingly, for the fourth in my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series – Isabel shares easy ideas for reconnecting with the spirit of the holidays through giving.

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From Isabel:

It feels better to give than receive.

And yet, our kids haven’t figured that out. It’s our responsibility to help them understand that adage.

I always remember the episode of Friends where Phoebe is struggling with whether to become a surrogate for her brother and sister-in-law. Phoebe’s mom steps in to help her in the decision-making process by giving her a puppy to care for for a week or so, with the caveat that Phoebe must give back the puppy soon after. Right about when a sad Phoebe is about to return the puppy, her brother falls in love with it and Phoebes spontaneously decides to gift it to him. She declares that as hard as it may be, it feels better to make another person happy with a treasured gift. (Of course, the requisite punch line is that the puppy wasn’t hers -- but her mother’s -- to give away.)

You get the point.

Developmentally, young children are selfish. It’s just who they are. As parents, we need to help them learn firsthand about the gift of giving and the joy it brings to others. And to oneself.

As adults, we too, often forget -- especially in the craziness of shopping and wish lists.

Here are some things you can do by yourself, and with your children, to donate your time, goods, and services during the holidays, hopefully to reconnect with -- as cliché as it may sound -- the spirit of the holidays.

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1. Begin the holiday season on Thanksgiving Day, not Black Friday. Thanksgiving is perhaps the best day of the year to model charitable giving. Local schools, shelters, and houses of worship throughout the country are already organized to feed the needy. We all are busy, but taking time out of your day to feed the less fortunate is a priceless gift you can give to your family and others.

2. Online shopping can help you give without costing you a cent. Ever heard of iGive.com or iBakeSale.com? These sites connect shoppers, retailers, and charitable organizations. There you can holiday shop your favorite retailers (like, almost all of them) and assign a percentage of your purchases to be donated in your name to your favorite charities. This is all without having to pay extra for your purchase. You pay the retail price of the goods, but the retailer pays the referral fee to the charity. Huzzah!

3. Donate your earned points. That is, the shopping points you earn and accumulate through your credit card companies and the frequent flier miles earned through the airlines. See, your loyalty is valuable.

4. Remember those not at home for the holidays. The holidays are associated with home and family. But as you know, for many that is not their current reality. Perhaps pay special attention to charitable organizations focusing on the military (e.g., Adopt a US Soldier) and hospitalized children (e.g., Toys for Tots).

5. Clean out your closet ahead of the season. You’re going to need the extra space to hide gifts and store new ones, right? So, kill two birds with one stone and clean out your closet and take your gently-used goods to the Salvation Army or Goodwill.

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Isabel Kallman is the founder and chief cook at Alpha Mom, a lifestyle parenting and marketing research company. She loves stilettos, comfort food, and reading books with her 6-year-old son. You can follow Alpha Mom on Twitter at @alphamom.

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Image credit: Power of Giving

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.

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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.

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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.

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Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Though I still can’t stomach the concept of holiday in terms of retail displays in early November, I’m willing to make exceptions for the performing arts and independent artisans. And from November 6 – 8 you can access the wares of 300 fine artists at the Boston Christmas Festival at the Seaport World Trade Center. Also, given my obsession with gingerbread last year (and, admittedly, cake competitions on cable), the gingerbread house competition (of which this Fenway Park replica was a winner) seems particularly intriguing. Tickets are $12 for adults (discount available); kids under 14 are admitted free.