Our first Re-thunk Christmas, I was terribly afraid that my children wouldn't get to experience the MAGIC of Christmas. The Christmas mornings that my parents helped me to experience when our living room was completely transformed, waking Mom and Dad with "come see what Santa left!!!" and how did Santa know how much we wanted those bicycles? But the magic was there... more magically than ever... this idea put the magic BACK in Christmas for me as an adult.

My main gift for friends and neighbors this year is a set of cloth napkins and a soap or a basket of baked goods. The napkins are easy, just make reclangles of fabric (I made them 10 1/2 inches by 15 inches, but you can make them whatever size you like) and hem them twice, long sides first and then short sides. They are very inxepensive and as a bonus, cloth napkins are eco friendly.

 http://sunnysideuplife.blogspot.com/2009/11/another-christmas-gift-completed.html

My husband and I have a 16mos old active boy.  We came up with the idea to go to our local Home Hardware and ask for a refidgerater box.  We are going to paint and create a play house for him for Christmas.  It may not last long, but then again neither to a lot of toys you buy!  I also thought if you kids were a little older they may enjoy creating and painting a playhouse with you!  Have fun!

Consider sponsoring a poor child  overseas through Compassion International at  www.compassion.com

For $38/mo a specific child in a specific country( you pick) will  attend a child development program in their community that will provide educational, spiritual , and physical care through a local church already established in that country. You can  also exchange letters during the year with your sposored child. You can truly be part of the solution to global poverty- one child at a time!!

Calling all the collective wisdom of the "Kid World". Does anyone have any out-of-the-world ideas to use in Sunday School for Advent Conspiracy? I'm working on it - but could use some fellow creative types to help.

If you like to crochet, you've probably come across a few patterns for little delicate flowers, some of them being extremely easy and only taking about ten or fifteen minutes to make. If you search "how to crochet a flower" on Youtube, you'll find a good plenty of tutorials for pansies and lilies and all sorts of other flowers. For my girlfriends at college this year, I've planned to use red yarn to crochet little flowers and then attach them to safety pin backs that you can find at the craft store.

This would be a fun gift for any family with small children or simply a great way to celebrate the season yourself.

http://thecitycradle.com/how-to-homemade-advent-calendar-kids-activity-c...

This jewelry is beautiful!  You can support their ministry and get an awesome gift for others or ask for this for yourself!  Cost varies depending on what you purchase.

http://nightlightinternational.com

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those
living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Isaiah
9:2

For those DIY'ers out there who have not found this, this site is AWESOME.  www.instructables.com

You can find directions on how to make/build/improve almost ANYTHING!  Make furniture, dolls, computers, etc.  ANYTHING!

I am suggesting that you make something cool for kids.  Barbie's never ahve enough clothes so make some Barbie clothes.  You can find the directions on the above site.  Here is the direct link.