A Toddler Holiday!

Oh boy I am so excited for this Christmas with JoJo. He will be two in February so this is the first year he really gets to dig into his presents and is really aware of what is going on. I did my best to plan everything out so that I wouldnt be stressed out and could make it a magical time for him. I did a lot of my shopping early so I wouldnt be running around like a crazy person and I love that he is still young enough that I can even buy his presents with him present and he forgets about them so i can go home and wrap them while he is sleeping.
Some things I have found to make Christmas easier with a toddler is.......

-Dont even attempt to wrap presents while they are awake......just dont do it to yourself!

-Split up the visits with friends and family members if you can so that your child isnt overwhelemed by presents and company. I know it can be hard when you have a big family. However for the friends that we bought for and visa versa, I made a date with each of them to come over on seperate days so JoJo could spend some time with them and exchange gifts. That way he also understood better who the presents came from.

-If your cooking, try and make a dish or two that you can prepare a day ahead.


-When its time to meet Santa it can go one of two ways so make sure your child has already had their nap and is fed so you can bribe them with candy if need be, LOL. When we got to Santa's workshop we hung back for a minute so JoJo could see what was going on and that Santa wasnt eating children. I then gave Sante a candy cane and asked JoJo if he wanted to go sit with Santa and get a candy. It went rather well.....even if he didnt smile!


-DONT FORGET BATTERIES for any toys you bought. Nothing stinks more then opening a present that can't be played with because mommy and daddy forgot batteries.

-I am planning on assembling any toys the night before so that JoJo dosnt have to wait for us to pull them out of the box. I know patience is a virtue but he's only two.

-Lastly....my favorite quote for the holidays is "Christmas should be a feeling, not a season". Take time to make Christmas magical and to share traditions. I want his childhood Christmas memories to be full of lovely smells, bright colors, and quality family time. Kids need our time more then they need our dimes!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you!