Today, Heather shares a fabulous idea that simplifies gift wrapping and makes the holidays accessible for pre-readers:

“I love Christmas and all that comes with it: the music, decorating, baking, shopping, and -- my favorite part -- watching the excitement and anticipation of my four children. The one thing I do not love is gift wrapping, possibly because I come from a family where gift wrapping is considered an art form. The busier my life gets, the more stressful I find this task. Though I love the look of artfully wrapped gifts, my practical side always wonders if it is worth spending so much time on gift wrap that will be ripped off in a few seconds.
As I was shopping at Target for wrapping paper -- envisioning Christmas morning and the frenzied dash towards gifts under the tree, with each child pleading with me to find a gift that is theirs (my triplets are 3-years-old and subsequently are pre-readers) -- I had a Eureka moment. I chose a solid colored wrapping paper for each child, in the same colors we assigned them when they were small (to separate their baby essentials). Emma is purple, Will is blue, Theo is green, and Adie is pink.

And in an effort to hold onto the 'art' while foregoing fancy bows, I have opted for small gifts to garnish the boxes. Match box cars and bouncy balls for the boys, rings and barrettes for Adie, and absurdly cute take-apart Iwako erasers (apparently the latest must have for 1st graders) for Emma.

The solid paper makes gift finding easier (I can even skip gift tags!) and the little gift toppers dress up the packages with minimal fuss. Santa will leave the kids a note (that my Emma can read to all) with instructions on how to find their color coded gifts, and also to thank them for the milk and cookies.”

+ + + + +

Image credit: solid wrapping paper rolls from JAM paper and envelopes

Minding your intake during the holidays can be challenging for anyone, and even more so when you’re eating for two. Yes, you’re expected to consume extra calories (thought in general, it’s only about 300 calories, which isn’t a lot when you stack it up in terms of holiday cookies), but it’s important to make the calories count in a healthful way. This month, in my role as a March of Dimes mom, the discussion is around healthy eating and weight gain during pregnancy. Here are some of my key recommendations for healthful pregnancy habits; many are applicable to the non-pregnant crowd as well.
No two pregnant women are exactly alike. The topic of weight gain typically is a source of despair for pregnant women and I always like to remind my pregnant friends that no two pregnant women are exactly alike. Yes, there are general guidelines to keep in mind (see the March of Dimes's helpful guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy) but your history, body type, baby, etc., will be different than others. Cut yourself some slack and don’t compare yourself to others who are gaining less weight than you are. Keep checking in with your doctor, and so long as you are following a healthful trajectory, let nature run its course.

Fill up on fruits and veggies. It can be harder during the winter months to be excited about fruits and veggies, but these foods are key to a healthy person (pregnant or not). Before you hit the holiday party circuit snack on fruit so you’re not visiting the buffet table on an empty stomach. Or if you can’t stand eating raw veggies during the cold months, make soup with broth and loads of cut up veggies or make a vegetable-laden stir fry (even better, add tofu to the soup and/or stir fry). Another tip: to increase my green intake, I recently started adding a big handful of mesclun to my dinner plate every day. The leafy greens prevent overloading the plate with comfort food, and the mesclun serves well as a backdrop for a variety of foods (e.g., Brussels sprouts, risotto, fish, chicken tenders, etc.).

Carry healthful snacks at all times. I am definitely one of those supremely grouchy-when-hungry type people and when I was pregnant it was more important than ever to carry snacks with me at all times. I worked right up to delivery so I found it helpful on Sunday nights to cut up a big pile of vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, etc.) so it would be easy for me to pack a container of veggies for on-the-go snacking during the work week. I ate so many cucumbers during my pregnancy that my supervisor actually called me Kohcumber. I also usually had an apple in my bag at any given moment, and a bag of dried nuts and fruit. And water, always water.

Water, water, and more water. I just mentioned water, right? It’s really important (again, pregnant or not). I’m actually primarily a water person (I don’t drink soda and rarely drink juice) and I always toted a bottle with me when I was pregnant.

Enjoy avocados. People sometimes avoid avocados because of their fat content but it’s good fat. Plus, they’re high in fiber (which, um, you really need when you’re pregnant), as well as in vitamin K, potassium, folate, and vitamin B6. I started eating avocados regularly during pregnancy and while breastfeeding (considering it my “magic mama food”) and it has since remained a regular purchase when we shop. Jon, Laurel, and I all love to eat them, whether in sandwiches or smashed up as guacamole.

Don’t deprive yourself. Having grown up in a sweet deprived household, I can speak firsthand about how deprivation makes people even crazier than if you allow for moderation. I eat healthfully and did so when I was pregnant with Laurel, and I enjoyed treats in moderation. My lifesaver as I waddled around during my last trimester in the extreme heat of summer? Soft serve twist cones.

Go organic. Regular readers know I’m a longtime proponent of green living. I know a lot of folks turn towards organics when it’s time to introduce baby to solids, and I encourage organic eating while pregnant (and beyond) too. It’s good for you and for baby. You can read a bit about the organic movement via this post, and I also recommend reading this excellent CSA 101 post, which includes leads for Boston-area CSAs.

Find fitness. In addition to being mindful about what you're putting in your body, it's also important to find fitness; being fit will help you through your delivery. When I was pregnant with Laurel I kept things low impact but was able to stay strong and toned by walking everywhere and also swimming laps (all the way up to the day before Laurel was born!). Swimming was particularly excellent in the final trimester because it offered a welcome feeling of weightlessness and was very peaceful. However, since walking outside and getting in and out of a pool probably seem less appealing now that it's winter, I recommend some light cardio, stretching, and yoga at home. I'm a big fan of the free (well, included with cable) ExerciseTV programming On Demand; you just can't beat the convenience.

+ + + + +

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The scene: Iowa City, 1993

The reason I was baking: Boredom

Unfortunate baking selection: Sugar cookies

Background: When I was in high school and in the grips of my eating disorder, I used to read cookbooks like romance novels. I went through a phase one Christmas in which I made some two dozen different kinds of Christmas cookies and gave them all away as gifts. Ma got mad at me because I was spending so much money on rarely used baking supplies and not even eating any of the cookies. I think it was during that period that I started viewing baking as an academic exercise best used for entertainment value. I really don't have much of a sweet tooth.

One rainy afternoon during the summer after my freshman year in college, I was in the apartment I shared with Amanda, Jenny and Steph. I was hanging out with my boyfriend at the time (I *think* -- I'm having trouble figuring out who it was, because I can picture the parking lot of this apartment complex but am picturing a boyfriend from several years later, and I know I didn't fry THAT many brain cells in college) when I decided I was bored. And when I'm bored, I like to hearken back to my childhood for entertainment options. Cookies! I decided. We should bake cookies.

Only we were in college. Without the Internet. (Imagine it!) We obviously didn't own any cookbooks, and we were too lazy to go somewhere to try to find a recipe. One of my roommates had some baking supplies. I tried to remember what goes in sugar cookies. Flour. Sugar. Baking ... something. I pulled out our popcorn bowl and started mixing stuff together. Some milk. Eggbeaters. (It was me -- we had no real eggs.) Nothing for flavoring? No problem! We have Crystal Light lemonade! We'll just use that. They'll be LEMON COOKIES!

We made the dough into cookie shapes. They were a little lumpy. Crystal Light doesn't mix very well. We couldn't remember how long to bake cookies, so we put them in for about 15 minutes and went outside for a smoke.

I was sort of excited. I mean really, how cool was I, remembering how to make cookies like that? How surprised my roommates were going to be!

When the cookies came out of the oven, they looked a little ... flat. I poked one, and it held the depression of my finger. Permanently. My boyfriend took one bite and spat it out, harking. Apparently we'd used baking powder instead of baking soda or vice versa, or maybe we even needed both. I have no idea. What I do know is that these cookies -- these cookies! -- could FLY. We took them outside to throw them off the balcony for the birds. They lofted like Frisbees, sailing across the parking lot. One even cleared the bushes forty feet away. Seriously. At the time, I expected a call from Boeing at any moment. My boyfriend deemed them a new breed of cookie: Lemonus Discuses.

We left them sitting outside in the rain, figuring they would dissolve. When we went outside a few hours later to get dinner, they were still there, impervious to the rain. Not even soft.

I had created indigestible, flying cookies. AWESOME.

I adore Gabrielle Blair; I first met her at the inaugural Disney mom bloggers mixer where we bonded over our shared passion for design, and I have since admired and enjoyed all of the artful ideas and stories she shares via her blog Design Mom, as well as the social media smartness that stems from her work as a co-founder of Kirtsy. Gabrielle projects such grace and generosity and kindness and creativity. And for the fifteenth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, I’m thrilled to share Gabrielle’s three super fast, surefire ways to create instant holiday mojo at home.

+ + + + +

From Gabrielle:

At our house, we celebrate Christmas. And there are three things I do to make my home feel like Christmas almost instantly. They are not hard. They are not expensive. And if you do all three things right this minute, your house will feel like Christmas too.

1. Make the house smell delicious.

Take a small pot. Or a teapot. Fill it about halfway with water and heat it up like you're going to boil it. Add any combination of seasonal spices that you like. They can be crushed or whole. And you can leave some out if you prefer, or if your stash is low. You don't need more than 1/2 a teaspoon of any of them: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves.

Once the pot has boiled or neared boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer and enjoy as your house fills with the most wonderful scent. Watch the water level and keep adding more water as needed. Every few days, when the spices aren't having the same impact they did at first, wash out the pot and start again.

If you want to have the yummy scent, plus something yummy to digest as well, heat up apple juice and the same spices instead.

2. Help the house sound wonderful.

Pull out your Christmas CDs. If you don't have any, it's easy to start a collection. Look up Christmas music on Amazon and see which albums get the best reviews. Start with one or two albums and add a new one each year. Or put together a mix collection via iTunes. If you're interested in a super-bargain, stop by places like Big Lots. They offer really inexpensive Christmas CDs from all sorts of obscure bands and orchestras -- maybe you'll find a hidden gem.

If starting a CD collection sounds like too much work, turn on your radio and let it seek till you hear some Christmas tunes. During the holidays, there are always 1 or 2 stations that dedicate their programming exclusively to Christmas music.

3. Get your twinkle on.

I'm a fan of tealights. They are big impact for little price. You can find a big bag of them in quantities of 50 or 100 at Ikea and Michael’s for $5 or less. Put them in inexpensive glass tealight holders. Or empty baby food jars. Or on little plates. And set them around the house. On the mantel. On the kitchen table. On a book shelf. Because they're inexpensive, I don't mind burning a dozen at a time -- grouped in 2's and 3's for bigger impact. They're typically unscented (which in my pregnant state, I much prefer) and they'll last all evening.

+ + + + +

Doing these three things will take all of 10 minutes. I recommend making it a ritual at the end of each busy day. Set the spices to boil. Turn on the music. Light the candles. Just imagine yourself with a mug of spiced apple juice, enjoying the flicker and warmth of the tealights while Bing Crosby croons in the background. Your senses will be cared for — and you're sure to feel cheery right away.

+ + + + +

Gabrielle Blair is a graphic designer and mother of five. She's the author of Design Mom and a founder of Kirtsy. She is not done with her Christmas shopping but her house smells delicious. You can follow Gabrielle on Twitter at @designmom.

Okay, here's the other reason I love my new job: The Holiday Hot Mess Photo Contest. It was birthed from a discussion of holiday visitors and OH THE COATS AND THE BOOTS AND THE PRESENTS AND THE TISSUE PAPER.

AND THE PACKING PEANUTS.

AND THE CARDBOARD.

AND THOSE LITTLE TWIST TIES.

I hate the little twist ties with the force of a thousand suns.

The only good part about all this crap is that it's funny! Who doesn't love a photo like this?

 

Just throw your coat anywhere.

Seriously, if you don't think that's funny, then your heart is too sizes too small.

Have I mentioned yet how much I love my new job?

OKAYILOVEMYNEWJOB.

Here's one reason why: I get to focus on issues that matter to women. On Friday, we found out that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is available at 8:30 a.m. Central (9:30 Eastern, 7:30 Mountain, 6:30 -- eek -- Pacific) (as in RIGHT NOW) to answer our questions about healthcare reform.

Over the weekend, we rushed to collect your questions for Sebelius, and after hearing us call out for questions on Twitter, Facebook and BlogHer, you responded.

And then D.C. became buried in a snowcalypse.

But the White House? They don't care about little things like snowstorms. Sec. Sebelius is still answering questions like the good Kansan she is. (Go, Kansas.) Listen to her healthcare reform live feed on BlogHer with BlogHer's Morra Aarons Mele now.

If BlogHer's stream doesn't work for you, you can also watch on the White House's Facebook page.

Today, Jules shares her (or rather, her son’s) raves for the cool construction cutlery from Flying Peas (utensils are available in yellow as shown and also in pink). Read on for Jules’s review, as well as to learn how to win a construction cutlery set for your little one (entry closes midnight, December 28).
From Jules:

These days, my son is all about trucks; he loves to look at, touch, and play with trucks. The construction cutlery from the comprehensive and very hip Flying Peas online boutique subsequently has been a big hit, helping him gain independence with eating while engaging him for longer than usual at the dinner table.

These utensils -- designed for toddlers who are still perfecting meeting fork to mouth -- are the perfect tool for mealtimes because they have easy grip handles and are detailed enough to pique my little guy's interest long enough to make dinner extend beyond 5 minutes (love that!). The set comes with a bulldozer pusher, fork lift fork, and front loader spoon. The utensils are dishwasher safe and are constructed of FDA approved materials; the latter being news we can all eat easy with!

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

Now, want to win a Flying Peas construction cutlery set? Here’s how:

Visit the Flying Peas online store, then email contests@bostonmamas.com (with ‘Flying Peas’ in the subject), and name another cool product Flying Peas sells.

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

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Monday, December 28, 2009.

*One lucky winner (drawn using Random.org) will receive a Flying Peas construction cutlery set ($20 value).

For the last several years my less is more mantra has never rang truer than during the holidays, and this mantra has proven particularly practical since becoming a parent. My Simplifying the Holidays guest bloggers have shared so many fantastic ideas; now here's what my family and I do during the holiday season to keep “random stuff creep” to a minimum and encourage creativity and mindfulness in giving within our family and community. Also excellent, many of these ideas can involve your kids -- this is great for bonding and saves you from spending precious alone time on errands and holiday preparation.

Make a plan. I loved Melissa Massello’s piece on prioritizing and planning holiday spending. Follow Melissa’s plan (we’re now in the final holiday stretch but the general concept remains relevant) or devise a plan that fits your family. For example, I have a large immediate family (six siblings) and a few years ago we decided to stop exchanging gifts, instead focusing on time together and optional small tokens. My holiday plan typically involves crafting some cool handmade tokens for my siblings and doing a bit of gifting for my mom and my husband’s family following the parameters below.

Shop local. While I love the convenience of online shopping, I am very committed to supporting local businesses and artisans. We’re fortunate to have a wonderful array of independent stores and galleries within reach (and don’t forget Etsy as a resource) and I love shopping with Laurel. We always marvel about handmade things and the artists who make them, and she loves helping to think about what gifts certain people would love. Taking Laurel shopping also helps her learn about money; it’s been very touching to have her offer to chip in for gifts from her piggy bank.

Gift usable items. I have a strong aversion to tchotchke so I gift people with things they can use. You can’t go wrong with food gifts such as magic salt, spice rubs, cookie or soup jars, or baked goods, and these projects are great to assemble with kids. In the past I’ve also made candles and soaps. Our go-to gift this holiday is painted pottery because it’s a fun activity for Laurel, creates usable items (e.g., plates, mugs), and supports a local art studio. And for my sibling token, I’ve already crafted these fabulous photo bookmarks.

Use what you already have. Laurel generates a lot of artwork. So one year we made holiday cards entirely using her paintings as background (I simply cut the pieces to fit our envelopes and attached a printed message and photo). Other years we have gifted her paintings in inexpensive matted frames. And for a super minimal approach, simply assemble a series of artwork in a stack (if you have a lot of variably sized items, mount on construction paper), punch 2-3 holes along one side, and fasten with ribbon. Voila! A beautiful, heartfelt art book. (Side bonus: tidies up your house.)

Encourage teaching moments. We parents are responsible for helping our children become thoughtful community members. And the holidays offer plenty of opportunities to encourage teaching moments. You can teach older kids about everyday philanthropy; for example, engaging their help to knit or crochet goods for those in need. Or your family can volunteer a few hours at a local shelter. We talk to Laurel about families in need and contributing to food, clothing, and toy drives. I take her shopping for these drives and she helps pick items to give to other families.

Give the gift of the arts. A great way to avoid playroom clutter? Give the gift of the arts. Not only is it fabulous to support local arts organizations, but these experiences are so multisensory for kids that they really stick. Laurel has incredibly strong memories of the live performances she has seen, and they need not be expensive, particularly with little ones with a limited attention span. Look into inexpensive performances by your local high school, college, church, or community arts group. And when your child gets older and can make it through a longer show, splurge on something like The Nutcracker (this was my sister Stephanie’s gift to Laurel this year and Laurel was blown away). It will be an experience your child will never forget.

Give gifts with longevity & purpose. Instead of the latest fad toy, consider giving gifts with longevity and purpose. Books are a great gift because when they can be passed on to a younger friend or donated to the local library when your child outgrows them. Art and craft supplies offer fun for play time as well as inspiration for gifts. Another great idea is a donation to Heifer International, where your child could pick the animal to gift to a community. And Jon and my gift to ourselves is that we’re in the process of signing up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program; it’s an investment in our community farmers and a gift to our health.

The gift of time. Finally, I wanted to remind people of a non-material gift that often is overlooked: the gift of time, even if it’s as simple as offering to spend an hour or two together. More than any one thing, Laurel often just wants to be with the people she loves. A couple of weeks ago when she decided to make a Christmas list, the first (and actually, the only) thing she wrote was, “Have Grandma Nancy move closer to us.” For a mother bent on minimalist living and who values family connection, this simple wish was the best Christmas gift Laurel could ever give me.

+ + + + +

Image credit: Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker

Stephanie Precourt projects remarkable light, positivity, and gratitude; qualities -- along with her lovely writing style and beautiful photography -- that make her blog Adventures in Babywearing so wonderful to visit (even for those of us who are beyond babywearing). I first met Stephanie at the inaugural Disney mom bloggers mixer, during which time she was pregnant with her daughter Ivy; since then, it’s been a joy to be connected with this kind and thoughtful friend. For the fourteenth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, enjoy Stephanie’s reflections on the nothing and everything of the holidays.

+ + + + +

From Stephanie:

I don't usually buy new books. But the boys had a special reading night at the local bookstore recently and a small, simple book caught my eye: The Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonnell.

We had a voucher: for every purchase that night, a percentage would go to the school. I grabbed the book without even opening it up. I never do this. But I just had a feeling about this book.

I let the boys each pick out something at their reading level and paid. When we got home I pulled out The Gift of Nothing and set it on the end table. At that point, it matched the Christmas decor.

Then it was the book chosen for bedtime. The simple photos tell a simple story: of what do you give to someone that has everything? Nothing? There is so much stuff. It's hard to find "nothing." But if you can be still, you will find it. And nothing, can be everything to someone.

Every year we seem to scale back our Christmas more than the last. And our Christmases aren't much, if you’re measuring by number of presents under the tree. But that's not what we think counts.

It's not just for financial reasons; it's partly because when you think about it, we really have everything we need and want. Of course there is always the latest this or that. But, the excitement of those new things grows dim so soon. My mother's heart can't take the highs and lows of so many I have to have this! toys that now await new batteries deep within a toy box, in pieces under the bed, or left to weather in the backyard. Here is how our family celebrates:

1. We encourage our whole family to consider spending time together rather than money. And for the parts of our family that do have money to spend, we do something special together. This holiday, in place of presents, we went to a water park hotel for a weekend with Grandma & Grandpa and aunts and uncles and all the cousins. The kids all understood this was their Christmas gift from Grandpa & Grandma. There would be no presents to open, but memories and time spent with each other to last much, much longer.

2. With the other grandparents, we'll go to the museum and see the Christmas trees around the world. We'll spend that day together and have a "lighter" Christmas on Christmas Eve.

3. At our house, on Christmas morning, there will be small toys and candy inside the stockings, and a couple of gifts for each child under the tree. Nothing extravagant, but definitely thoughtful gifts that are not only useful, but special and imaginative.

4. On gifts: just as I prefer to keep the gift-giving simple, I long for the gifts themselves to be simple. Maybe handmade, and most importantly something that captures the spirit of the recipient. I've bought Ivy a felt tea set (her very first tea set), and the boys each a secret compartment vintage book. I'll fill the books with some individual little treasures for Noah, Carter, and Gray.

I know it's certainly not much. And it's definitely not "nothing."

But it means everything.

+ + + + +

Note: I'd like to thank @summerm for telling me about the secret compartment books; such a perfect suggestion for my boys ages 4, 7, & 8. If you are up to the task, I found an awesome DIY video on how to make a secret compartment book. I thought about giving it a try, but it would be too difficult to do without the boys finding out. We also have a very small, simple house.

+ + + + +

Stephanie Precourt has been married to her husband Jeff for 10 years & is the mom of three boys (Noah, Carter, Grayson) and a home-birthed girl (Ivy). She works from home as the voice of Adventures in Babywearing, as well as SheKnows.com's Real Moms Guide. She also freelances for NWIparent Magazine and the NWIparent blog Close To Home, and is the Managing Editor for 5 Minutes For Parenting. You can follow Stephanie on Twitter at @babysteph.