Christmas 2013

This year I told the kids that they all had to come up with a gift to send to Matt for Christmas.  The only criteria I gave them was that it couldn't be too big.  Then they each wrote a personal Christmas card to go along with their gift.  Here are some of their ideas:

Greetings from Europe!

My daughter Rebekah recently returned from a trip to Europe with her Aunt Cindy and a couple of other girls.  It was the trip of a lifetime!  Bek worked hard and saved enough to pay for her trip along with one year of college including room and board.  It took her a couple of years, but she did it.  They were gone for seventeen days and traveled to England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Belgium.  While there, Bek mailed a post card to Matt from every one of their stops along the way. Knowing that Matt has a sweet tooth, she purchased different kinds of candy from the various countries.  When she got home, she whipped up these cute bag toppers using Photoshop.  She also sent a deflated Rugby ball that she bought for her Rugby playing brother when she was in Ireland. Matt loved it!

Burnt offerings anyone?

I think Colin actually made the best personal/practical gift for Matt.  In his seventh grade Life Skills class they made aprons out of dishtowels.  They turned out so awesome!  Colin also included a bottle of our favorite steak seasoning with $20 wrapped around the bottle so Matt can go buy a steak for he and his companion.  Have you ever tried Spade L?  Man, oh man, oh MAN!  You will NEVER go back!  It is a meat seasoning with flavors for beef, pork, chicken and fish.  We have the one for beef in our food storage...yup, it's just that important to us.

(image courtesy of FDC Factory Direct Craft)

- click on above image to be taken to FDC for step by step apron instructions -

The aprons looked pretty simple to make - I was volunteering in the class the day they worked on them. I found a pattern for the exact one on FDC Factory Direct Craft (factorydirectcraft.com).  The instructions are for a child size and it tells you to cut the towel in half if it is for a 'small' child.  Don't cut it and it will be the perfect size for an adult. 

Choose the Right!

Maren decided that she wanted to send some CTR rings for Matt to give out to not only the children of investigators but for him to give to children when he's out tracting.  Her idea was this:  If Matt is out tracting and he can see that the person has children...even if the parent isn't interested in their message, he can ask if he can leave a gift for the children.  He can explain to the children that they are to wear the ring on their right hand (unless they're a 'leftie').  Whenever the reach out to do something, the ring will remind them to always choose the right!  What parent wouldn't want that?... AND this small, simple message will stay with the parent...and maybe, just maybe that seed will grow and be ready to harvest when the next missionary's come knocking.  

We picked up the CTR rings for $1 each at our local Distribution Center located in Deseret Book. Don't have a Distribution Center near you?  No problem...you can order them online by clicking here or visit store.lds.org and they'll be mailed right to your door...well, to your mailbox at least. You can even order them in 28 different languages if you're ordering online.  Cool huh?!?  We put them all in a little drawstring bag so Matt could just keep them in the pocket of his shoulder bag. Do you think they'll ever go back to backpacks?  Hopefully not for the next two years...those shoulder bags are pricey!

Family...

My gift for Matt this year was a framed family photo.  We had it taken two days before he left on his mission.  He took a photo with him but it was an older one...Matt is the tall one on the back row. Isn't he cute?

What did you send your missionary for Christmas?

Send post cards

Whenever you go anywhere that is different than where you usually are...grab yourself some post cards to send to your missionary.  If anyone else is going to be there that knows your missionary...grab some for them as well.  This past summer Jeff and I went on a business trip to San Francisco for a KFC convention.  My friends and family were great sports to write post cards to Matt.

Missionaries LOVE mail!  They don't care who it's from or the size or shape. They just want to know that they're not forgotten and what's going on at home. Make it easy on yourself and others by bringing labels (return and for your missionary), and post card stamps with you on your trip.  If you purchase the post cards and have them already pre-stamped and addressed, it is much easier for someone to just jot a few lines and hand it back to you and you can pop it in the mail.  Most hotels have a gift shop that sells post cards and they also have daily mail pickup. Just ask at the front desk.  Some hotels even have free post cards of the hotel.

Make a Photo Book!

Every year my kids look forward to the Bouwhuis Family Camp Out.  We've been holding it for years and years and it is one of the traditions that my kids want to make sure we keep on doing when they have kids.  I have ten siblings and we all take turns planning the event though everyone is more than willing to pitch in and help with the planning.  The planner gets to plan the where, the when and the food.  

I wanted Matt to feel like he was included and missed so I took lots of photos and had them developed into 3x5 size.  I took a pack of  3x5 index cards and some pens and markers to the camp out and had everyone write messages to Matt then included them randomly in with the photos.

Make a punch template using a spare 3x5 index card.  Use this template as a guide so that all your holes are lined up and your stack will be neat and tidy...yup, my OCD is always kicking in...OR your could take the entire stack to the copy shop and have them drill the holes.

Make a cover and a back for your Photo Book. 

Print it out onto heavy card stock and laminate it for durability.  

Add some large rings to the top and ta-daa....you're done!

The whole thing will fit into a small Flat Rate box with just enough room for a little treat...

Almond Joy's for my fellow coconut lover.  

There's only two of us in the family.  

Sad for them.  

Good for US.

We never have to share!

(insert evil, maniacal laugh here)

Primary - "Happy Birthday" Poster

In our Primary, the kids make a "Happy Birthday" poster for each of the missionaries serving from our ward. It is so much fun to put together and the missionaries and kids both LOVE it!  It takes only a bit of prep time to pull together and seems to get faster every time...because I never change the basic design. Call me lazy or call me smart. I choose smart.

I pick up 2 yards of butcher paper from the local craft store.  I usually buy enough for a few posters at a time and just put a rubber band around each roll and keep it in the closet until I need it. Depending on the butcher paper, you may need to cut it down the side to make it a little narrower so it will fit on a door at the church.

Using a wide tipped black marker I write my message at the top of the poster and then draw candles along the bottom edge.  Seriously this takes less than five minutes.

Now, using colored pencils, just scribble around the outer edge of each letter.

Any kind of colored pencils will work (although my daughter and I are partial to Prismacolor) or you could use crayons.  Don't use markers.  You'll go through at least one set with every poster you do!

Don't worry about being 'neat'.  It actually looks better a bit sloppy...my kind of project!

Color in the candles along the bottom edge...

You certainly don't have to do 'candles', I used to do 'cupcakes' but candles 

are much faster to draw and color.

I tape the poster onto a door just outside the Primary room and put a box of markers on a chair (just something inexpensive that won't soak through the poster and leave the birthday message on the door - like Crayola for example).  I also post a note on the other side of the door that says, "Please use other door" so the kids don't get bowled over when the Sunday School class that meets on the stage gets dismissed.

Quietly pull the kids out three or four at a time until everyone has written a message.  I don't usually pull out the Sunbeam's.  With the Senior Primary you can just instruct them that as one child comes back in another one can leave, row by row until they're all finished.  Anyone who walks by is more than welcome to write a birthday message and I always make sure that their family knows we're working on their missionary's birthday poster that week so they can write as well.

I purchase square mailing tubes from my local post office ($3.99) - round ones tend to be a bit pricey.  Call their moms and ask what the missionary's favorite candy or treat is and put in a couple of small bags.  Some missionary's like healthy snacks so you could add some protein bars or small bags of nuts or fruit rolls.  Before closing it up I like to write a quick note on a PostIt inviting the missionary to send a note or postcard back to the Primary.  The Primary kids don't know that I do this but they are THRILLED beyond THRILLED whenever a thank you note gets read to them in Primary.  Sometimes we even get a photo sent back showing the missionary with their poster.  Awesome!

"My Wish For You" - New Year Crackers

I haven't ever sent my boys anything for New Years...my bad...I just couldn't come up with any ideas and they had just received a plethora of packages for all the holidays from Halloween to Christmas so I've always just let it slide on by.  While sitting with my 'soon to be Sunbeam' Nursery kids during Singing Time in Junior Primary the music leader let the kids pull Christmas Crackers and sing the song that was hidden inside.  Super cute idea!  So, I guess I owe this bit of inspiration to Lesli... Thanks, Lesli!  This project does NOT need to be sent out in time for the new year.  It is YOUR wish for THEM in the new year and could easily be sent any time during the early part of the year.

First of all...what exactly is a Cracker?

While Crackers can be found in the United States they are predominately found in European countries during the Christmas season and at other celebrations throughout the year and have been around since the Victorian era.    They have a small strip of paper at the end hidden within the tissue that has a tiny bit of aggregate on it which makes a popping sound when you pull it.  Yeah.  Mine don't have that although I have been told that you can find these strips online.  What CAN'T you find online?  

Crackers typically hold very little; usually a paper crown, a riddle or joke and a small gift or novelty item.  Mine include "My wish for you..." notes from family members, confetti, candy and some money (not much, just enough for lunch out).  At parties, Crackers are typically used to decorate an individual place setting and are opened prior to the meal being served.  Party goers would pull the Crackers to open them and then don their party crowns prior to eating creating a fun atmosphere as well as a gift for the party guest.

Supplies:

empty toilet paper rolls

tissue paper

ribbon

confetti

candy

small gift

money

Stickles Glitter Glue

Yield = 4 Crackers

I learn better by seeing and doing so here are detailed photo instructions:

Start off by making the 'Happy New Year' Cracker 'band' that will go around the middle and hide your perforations as the glitter glue will take a little bit of time to dry.  

I used Stickles Glitter Glue that I found at my local scrapbooking store.  Use whatever kind you would like but I liked how the tip was almost the same size as the 'dots' on my lettering so it was pretty quick to finish up.  It will be much easier to cut your bands apart prior  to applying the glitter glue.  You'll just have to trust me on that one...

The glitter glue comes in a variety of colors so match it with your color theme.  (Please tell me that I'm not the only one that thinks of 'color themes'...)  I used gold and silver for my theme.  Confetti seemed to be a bit harder to find than I had thought it would be so you might want to start there first and develop your color theme around what you can find.

Now, on to the Crackers:

Cut your toilet paper roll in half.

Cut a single sheet of tissue paper into fourths.

Need more detail?

Here you go:

Lay a full sheet of tissue paper on a flat surface.

 Note:  Each full sheet of tissue paper will provide enough paper for 4 individual crackers.

Fold the tissue paper UP from the bottom and crease along the fold line along the bottom edge.

Cut in half using the center line as a guide.

Note:  This will give you two long, 

narrow pieces of tissue paper.

Now cut the two pieces in half

along the bottom fold line.

Note:  You should now have four equal sized pieces of tissue paper.

Stack the tissue paper on top of each other,

 fold lengthwise and crease.

Open up your stack and press flat.

Using the center crease as a guide,

 make perforations using an UNTHREADED 

sewing machine.

Note:  The goal here is to make tiny holes

 that will help the tissue tear easily

 when the Cracker is pulled.

Take one piece of your cut tissue and using the perforations as a guide, line up the center 'cut' of the two half's of your Cracker and roll.

Tie one end closed using a piece of curly ribbon.

Now you get to fill your cracker

 with all sorts of fun little things...

Keeping in my color theme of gold and silver

I used Rolo's, Hershey Kisses and Hershey Nuggets, confetti, money and the folded up slips of paper are the New Year wishes (see below).

I took a notebook to a recent family party
and while there had everyone write their
"Wish for Matthew" in the New Year.








I later typed them into the computer so I could change the font to something small and tight.  I used Arial Narrow.  Even the longest of entries was small enough to fit into my Cracker.  After printing them out I simply cut them apart and folded them up.

Fill your crackers...


...then tie the open end closed
with a piece of curly ribbon.








Call me a worry wart ... I was worried that the cracker wouldn't pull apart in the middle like I wanted it to so my husband suggested that I encourage things along a bit by cutting a few slits in the paper. Using a sharp knife, cut a few slits in the tissue paper using the perforations as a guide.




Decorate the ends of your Cracker with additional curly ribbon.  Here's how I did it...

Cut three pieces of two foot long curly ribbon.
Using the sharp edge of your scissors and holding the ribbon on the blade of the scissors with your thumb, quickly pull the ribbon...Voila!

Follow this process for each of the 

three pieces of ribbon. 

Stack all three pieces of curled ribbon on top of each other like in the photo on the left...

Place this stack on top of the end of your Cracker as shown and tie a knot with the 'tails' to hold it in place.

Glue or tape the 'band' around the center of your Cracker covering the perforations and slits.




















Punching a whole in the end; attach a name tag if you are making enough for their mission companion and tie it on to the Cracker with the 'tails'... curl the 'tails.'

I made my tag by re-sizing a free printable that I downloaded from eighteen25 years ago.  It's one of my favorite printables and we have it hanging in our entryway (see the photo at the beginning of this post) at the beginning of every year.  Download the printable and just cut and paste it into a document.  Grab the corners to make it any size you desire.  By holding down the 'shift' key you can keep the proper proportions.

Click here to view the free Happy New Year printable from eighteen25.

We tested the crackers out a couple of times and they worked perfectly!

I put a couple of other little goodies in this package:
It's New Years which brings to mind goals and resolutions.
I found this free printable from Darling Doodles that was perfect!
It even fit my color scheme!

This is a full 8.5 x 11 printable and I wanted it to fit in their scriptures so again,
download, then paste into a document and re-size to whatever size you desire.
I turned my paper to 'landscape' and fit two on a page...

Click here to view the free What a Year it Will Be printable from darlingdoodlesdesign.com

The other day I watched a new video from the Mormon Channel called
New Years:  Look Not Behind Thee
I was really touched by the thoughts that were discussed
and created this free printable which I also included in my package.
Great advice for the New Year; for my missionary and for all of us...

Click here to download the above 5 x 7 printable.

Print onto white cardstock.  Write in the last name of each missionary before attaching to Cracker.

Click here to download the above free printable.

Everything fits nicely into the small Flat Rate box.  You can fit three crackers into a box (for those missionaries that are in companionships of three).  Don't forget to include a goal sheet
for each of them. Wrap everything in coordinating (...of course!) tissue paper.
Place Cracker 'definition' card on top of the package which will instruct the missionary
what to do with their Cracker i.e. "...and pops when pulled sharply at both ends."

Ta'da!  Finished!

Even though this is a tremendously LONG post, making the Crackers only took about
30 minutes and was a lot of fun to make.  Your missionary will absolutely LOVE them...

Happy New Year!!