Christmas Cheat Sheet
The last few days before Christmas can be a bit of a frenzy, so let us help you out with a little Christmas Cheat Sheet!
These are some of our tried and true tips for making the holidays run a little more smoothly, including links to Santa trackers and videos, information on big light displays around Moncton, and more!
TIPS FOR WRAPPING CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Santa paper
Be sure to chat with the Big Guy and find out what wrapping paper he’s using this year. It’s always best if his wrapping paper is different than yours!
Tablecloths for big items
Not sure what to do with that gangly, oversized gift? Use a vinyl Christmasy tablecloth to cover it quickly and prettily! Bonus tip: stock up on tablecloths during the post-holiday sales. I’ve often found them for under $1 and they store easily in the bottom of your Christmas bins!
Undo ties on toys
Most parents know ‘some assembly required’ is best tackled pre-Christmas morning. But even little twist ties holding toys in place can upset little ones on the big day. Take a few moments to undo all the wires and such while wrapping; it will make the unwrapping much more fun!
Keep an extra gift or two on hand
Pick up a few yummy bars and wrap them up fun, like our quick reindeer friend here below. You might be surprised by a neighbour dropping by or happen to catch the postal carrier coming around and be able to hand out this adorable, thoughtful treat. You can add a small gift card to a local coffee shop for an extra holiday smile. They’ll look great under the tree, too, if you don’t use them up before!
MORE TIPS FOR A SMOOTH CHRISTMAS MORNING
Buy batteries
Even if you don’t think you need any, gifts might arrive without. Stock up now.
Wrap a large empty box
Leave the top of this large, wrapped box open. Place beside the tree. Use it to stash wrapping garbage in so that your photos remain clutter free!
Set a reminder on your phone
Not one for waking up – we’re pretty sure the kids will help you with that! Set a reminder so you plug your phone and any other cameras, etc. in before you head to bed on Christmas Eve! You might also want to check your storage and make sure you don’t get caught without room for photos and videos come Christmas morning.
Prep breakfast in advance
Check out this round up of Christmas Breakfast Casseroles & more from our friends at East, Drink, & Be You.
RELATED: Need some tips on keeping cool under parenting pressure this holiday season?
We’ve got some tips from New Brunswick parenting coach Alison Smith to help you out!
FAMILY GAMES & ACTIVITIES FOR CHRISTMAS AT HOME
If you’ve got all the busy stuff taken care of, you can relax and enjoy some family time. Here are a few simple activities you could do with the kids.
Check out our recipe for Christmas play dough; easy to make at home and great for gifting to friends!
Make snack time seasonal with some easy tricks. How about a fruit candy cane with slices of strawberry and banana or Grinch snack?
You might also want to make a batch of our Curried Christmas Nuts!
Take a few moments to set up some Minute to Win it type games for your family to enjoy. We played some a few years ago with the kids and they still talk about it! Favourites included indoor snowball fights, trying to knock jingle bells out of empty tissue boxes tied around your waist, and seeing who could build a cup tree the fastest.
You could also stock up on some paints & paper to follow along with a paint party video online! Riverview’s own That Art Thing has a sweet family-friendly elf leg painting how-to up on their Facebook page. Check it out!
HOW TO SEE SANTA THIS CHRISTMAS
If your kids haven’t already received a message from Santa this year, check out Portable North Pole. In minutes you can access personalized messages from Santa and the elves, colouring pages, and online stories.
Good to Know: If your kids are sticklers for detail, be warned: while you can personalize several parts of Santa’s message, most of his video remains the same. My three kiddos didn’t question that their videos were almost identical, but older siblings might notice. You might want to do a family video.
Santa is also hanging out in person at Bass Pro & CF Champlain in Greater Moncton.
You’re likely familiar with the NORAD Santa Tracker; it’s been sharing details about Santa’s Christmas Eve flights for more than 50 years. For a great little story on how it all started (a misprint in a Sears ad!), check out this NPR story.
Good to know: If you need help coaxing little ones into bed, Santa tends to fly over New Brunswick starting around 9pm (though he does backtrack to ensure no one is missed).
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Folks always share lots of great ideas on our Facebook page about where to head to check out Christmas light displays. We’ve rounded up some of the favourite picks here! Please remember to be be cautious when slowing or stopping to admire the handiwork.
We’ll highlight a few must-visit traditions:
Light Up Riverview features tens of thousands of lights along the Waterfront Trail, with amazing photo opportunities and a chance to imagine yourself in Stars Hallow or your own personal Hallmark Christmas movie!
A trip along Elmwood Drive is a tradition for many, and for good reason! Right across from the entrance to Irishtown Park you’ll find a display unlikely to be matched anywhere in the city. Check out this great television story on the display and how it all began.
The houses in and around Old Shediac Road, especially on Branch Road, and the Pinehurst neighbourhood are always a sure bet to impress. And of course the Star Wars & Star Trek house near Centennial Park is a huge hit again this year – be sure to watch the upstairs windows, too!
We were blown away by the set-to-music display at the Hogan’s home on Pasadena Drive in Moncton. Now that he’s helping with WILD LIGHTS, the winter exhibit at the Magnetic Hill Zoo, his home lights are usually not until until the second weekend in December.
And speaking of WILD LIGHTS, there are hundreds of thousands of lights displayed throughout the 40 acre park, as well as animals to visit. Check their site for admission details.
When you’re leaving, be sure to drive up Mountain Road toward Lyons’ Store; the house at 3202 Mountain Road has an incredible display with homemade decorations that move, 35,000 lights, and music playing on 89.1FM.
For more great light displays, check out our Guide to Christmas Lights, Hot Chocolate & More!
A Little Viewing Treat
Have you watched Hamilton yet? We loved it – and this Christmas version is simply the best!
Eclipse 6 puts out a tonne of great holiday content – we particularly enjoyed their rap!
You might also want to watch Jenna & Tosh mix up some holiday cocktails! We’re hosting our 5th holiday drink making podcast special in 2023; start with the link below & you’ll find the rest! 🙂
Christmas Cocktail Recipes from our 2020 Holiday Podcast Party!
However you celebrate, we wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas holiday!
That reindeer wrapping is so cute.
Also Pasadena drive in moncton has an awesome light show synced with music.
Oh my, we made it to Pasadena – the Hogans have outdone themselves!! What a great light show!