Make Plans for Holiday Family Memories
How do you plan to celebrate the holidays with your extended family? It can be expensive to exchange gifts with every cousin, aunt, uncle, niece and nephew but you definitely want to do something special with the people you love. Here are some ideas to help you plan for holiday family memories.
Make Plans for Holiday Family Memories
Visit an Aquarium or Zoo:
If you don’t want to just exchange random gifts with each of the extended family members, maybe a trip to the Aquarium or a zoo is a better option. Look online for group discount rates or check for kid’s free nights. If you have a really large group, call the location and ask if they can give you a deeper discount since you are bringing such a big bunch. Take pictures of different groups of the family members in front of the various attractions and exhibits, then come home and use those pictures to create a photo flip book for each family unit.
Go Christmas Caroling:
Spend an afternoon baking cookies with the extended family, then go Christmas caroling to a local retirement home or nursing home and hand out the cookies to the residents. Tip: Call ahead and get permission to go caroling through the halls of the local hospital or facility. Not only will you be making memories with your family, but you will also bring joy to those around you. Last year the kids and I gathered some friends and went to McDowell Place here in Danville and caroled through the building. It was a fun time sharing the songs of the season with the residents while we made memories together!
Enjoy Christmas Lights:
Once the time changes, the dark comes much earlier. After the sun goes down and the Christmas lights gets turned on for the season, spend some time walking around downtown, driving through the neighborhoods or spend some time at the KY Horse Park enjoying the lights of the season. Don’t forget to walk through downtown Danville once the tree is lit and the lights are turned on for the holidays. Grab a cup of hot cocoa or coffee and enjoy the sounds and colors of the holiday season. It’s a great way to make some memories together.
Help Decorate or Rake Leaves:
Whether you choose to rake leaves for an older neighbor or offer to set up the Christmas tree for your grandparents, take some time to do some helpful deeds for the older generation. Not only does this benefit them because they can’t physically do some of these activities, but it also gives the younger generation the chance to work hard and be a blessing.
Participate in Operation Christmas Child:
Many churches in the area participate in Operation Christmas Child. You can fill a box with small toys, toiletries, gloves, and hard candies that will be sent to children around the world who may not experience the Christmas season. Check with your local church to see when their collection days are.
Give a Goat:
Some families like to give to help the hungry around the world. Organizations like World Vision allow you to buy a goat, chickens, other livestock or even medicines to help change lives around the world. There are different donation amounts that will purchase animals to feed the world. For more information, click on the image below.
You can even provide clean water options for underdeveloped countries by donating products like the Lifestraw .
Think outside the box and find ways to make a difference and create memories with the people you love!
How do you plan to enjoy the coming holiday season? Whatever you choose to do, make sure you take some time to make memories with the people you love!
