Giant Christmas Ornament

When I asked my son what he wanted to make he said “Something big! ” so I grabbed some paper plates left over from his birthday party , painters tape and we were in business!  By using a spoge roller paintbrush the paint dried quickly and the tape didn’t have to stay on too long, and came off easily with no ripping. Have fun!

1. Gather your materials. You will need 2 paper plates, some painters tape, paint, glitter glue , ribbon and double stick tape.
2. Start by taping your plates. You can make all sorts of designs, don’t be limited just because we chose stripes.
3. Start painting!
4. Add glitter glue, it’s the holidays you want it to sparkle!
5. Let dry. Pull off the tape!
6. Tape the plates together , with ribbon looped at the top.
7. Hang wherever you need some holiday cheer.

Books

Happy Christmas, Gemma by Sarah Hayes is a hidden gem. The book is narrated by a preschooler, the older brother to little baby Gemma. Throughout this family’s preperations for and celebration of Christmas he notes how he does what he is supposed to and his baby sister does not.  She makes messes,  pulls the ornaments off the tree, has terrible table manners during Christmas dinner and so much more! What makes this a gem in my mind is that no one ever corrects her, these are all age appropriate behaviors and the family is loving and accepting.  Perfect for families like mine who are expecting a baby, or those with older siblings who like to boss their younger ones around and may need a reminder that babies are still learning, just like they are!

Who Is Coming to Our House? by Joseph Slate is a sweet look at the animals in the manger preparing for Baby Jesus’s arrival. The animals aren’t sure who is coming but at the insistance of the mouse, they clean and prepare the manger until finally a very pregnant Mary on a donkey with Joseph by her side. The next page is probably my favorite image of the Baby Jesus image in any children’s book. Mary’s hair is down, feet bare and Jospeh is protective by, the animals are watchng and alert.  Illustrator Ashley Wolff does a perfect job with this simple but fantastic book!