Bored by that ever-present elf during the holidays? Here’s how to switch it up this year
There’s no pressure like the holidays to create lasting memories for our kids, but some of us aren’t ready to take on the nightly task of moving an elf around the house. Who wants to get out of bed because they forgot to set up an elaborate scene for Santa’s helper, night after night? If you’re looking for funny alternatives to Elf on the Shelf, look no further. We’ve got some funny, kind, and grown-ups only options we think you’ll love.
The Kindness Elves
As an alternative to the Elf on the Shelf, the Kindness Elves have arrived for the holidays to encourage littles to carry out acts of kindness every day this season. Each bundle comes with two Elves, accessories, a beautifully illustrated Storybook, and the 12 Days of Christmas Kindness ePack to get families spreading kindness in no time.
Developed by a tired mom who couldn't keep up with the Elf on the Shelf tradition, Santa's Lazy Gnome is perfect for parents. Santa has hired a gnome to report back to him for his naughty and nice list, which means your family's guy can hang out on the mantle all. Season. Long. WIN! You can order your gnome on Lazy Gnomes for $29.
Shepherd on the Search
Amazon
The Shepherd on the Search ($22) is a faith-filled way to celebrate Christmas. During the Advent season, parents read the story of your shepherd's journey then hide your shepherd! Every year is a new opportunity for your shepherd's journey to start anew and end on Christmas day as the shepherd finds his way to the manger.
North Pole Ninjas
Amazon
The North Pole Ninjas ($6) are all about spreading kindness, and it shows in the beautifully illustrated picture book that tells the ancient legend that the North Pole Ninjas use for new recruits. The kit includes a plush and huggable "sensei" to guide Ninjas on their journey to carry out 50 special tasks, each packed in a special envelope. Your mission? To spread the holiday spirit, kindness, and love.
Reindeer in Here
Reindeer In Here ($24) comes with a book and plush reindeer that celebrates how being different is normal! Your reindeer is a friend sent by Santa as the first gift of the holiday season and encourages kids to take their new friend on the go, so they can get to know your family and help Santa deliver their Christmas wishes. Created by a dad who wanted a positive Christmas tradition for his children, this tradition celebrates our individuality. Get this funny alternative to the Elf on the Shelf here..
Mensch on a Bench
Amazon
Hanukkah will have some extra Funukkah with The Mensch on a Bench ($30) hardcover book and a 12-inch plush doll of Moshe the Mensch ($30). (For those not down with the lingo, "mensch" is a Yiddish word that means roughly "a good guy.") Kids will learn the story of Hanukkah with the help of Moshe. Moshe the Mensch tells the story of how he was present at the Temple in the time of Judah and the Maccabees, who defeated the Greeks and watched over the Menorah as everyone slept. Now he can help watch over yours!
Peep On A Perch
Amazon
Now you don’t have to wait until Christmas for a magical friend thanks to Peep On A Perch ($6). That sugar-coated marshmallow chick we all know and love to eat is now in plush form and ready to join your family in the countdown to Easter. Designed to inspire good manners and kindness in kids, the Peep On A Perch works the same as the Elf.
It all starts December 18th. Are you ready? You will be with these 22 Hanukkah gift ideas for 2022
It’ll be here before we know it. Even though Hanukkah starts a little later this year, it’s still coming up fast somehow. Time with family, incredible food, and our favorite traditions are coming up and preparations are starting. As one of the happiest Jewish holidays of the year, we’re all too eager to get celebrations underway. That means we’re perusing our favorite websites to find the best Hanukkah gifts.
Whether you go really big during the Festival of Lights or stick with tradition and give small goodies, we’ve got some great ideas to help you celebrate. Some of our best loved sites have really knocked Hanukkah out of the park this year and we’re super excited to get wrapping. Well, maybe not actually wrapping, but definitely excited to give our nearest and dearest tokens of our affection and to add even more to look forward to! From keepsake jewelry, must-have kitchen tools, fun decor, and more, we’ve put together some fabulous gifts you can look forward to presenting to your family, hosts, teachers, and more! These are the best Hanukkah gifts of 2022!
GIR 5-Piece Ultimate Tool Set
Don't even think about starting all that cooking without the best tools. The GIR kitchen tools line is absolutely our #1 choice, and we're sure once you get your hands on them, you'll see why.
Get 15% off your GIR purchase with code TINY15 through 12/31/22!
Brooklinen's best-selling Luxe Sateen Sheets are the ultimate bedroom upgrade for the new year! Buttery-smooth 480-count sheets are so luxurious, and this bundle includes Brooklinen's duvet cover and extra pillowcases!
You can't have enough sparkle during the Festival of Lights, and this LED shadow box can be personalized with any name for a custom gift that'll be loved year after year.
Pairing your beef brisket or cholent with Cabernet Sauvignon is an excellent way to complement the flavors of both without overpowering either. This Napa Valley Cab from Peju has notes of blackberry, plum, vanilla, and tobacco. Bring a bottle to your Hanukkah gathering and leave one at home for yourself!
Warm, cozy, and comforting? A hot cup of tea, rich cocoa, deep French press coffee—no matter what the beverage of choice is, this sweet vintage-inspired tea kettle is perfect. Plus, the splatter pattern is a unique pop to add to the kitchen.
Nutcrackers are said to represent power, strength, good luck, and goodwill. They also protect your home and loved ones, so this Hanukkah-themed one is a fabulous gift!
Honey Cake & Latkes: Recipes from the Old World by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Survivors
Honey Cake & Latkes: Recipes from the Old World by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Survivors is a beautiful collection of heirloom recipes from Auschwitz-Birkenau survivors. But it's not only a cookbook; this is a moving account of each person who contributed and their recollections of pre-war life and post-liberation memories. All proceeds from the sale of this book go to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Foundation.
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These Christmas inflatables will help you create the hap-hap-happiest holiday yard on your block
Maybe we’re a little competitive. Maybe we think Clark Griswold was behaving completely reasonably. And maybe we wait all year to fill our yard with Christmas inflatables. Inflatables are easier than lights (although you don’t have to guess how much we love those, do you?), can be displayed day and night, and come in a ton of different shapes, sizes, characters, and more to match your holiday decor. They also come in options for different holidays, so if you’re into that sort of thing, you can have an inflatable for every season. Not that we would…
Naturally, we’ve rounded up the best of the best Christmas inflatables we could find so that you can show your neighbors up spread holiday cheer all season. You can pick one as a yard statement piece, if you will, or scoop up several and fill up your yard. When it comes to holiday decorations, more is more, right? You could even decide to embrace the spirit of the season and coordinate with your neighbors. Just link them to this post and start planning! No matter what, these Christmas Inflatables are going to give you all the National Lampoon’s vibes.
If you buy something from the links in this article, we may earn affiliate commission or compensation. Prices and availability reflect the time of publication.
These fun and festive menorahs from Amazon are adding some extra twinkle to your Hanukkah celebrations this year
Hanukkah 2022 starts a little bit later—December 18th to be exact—but it’ll be here before we know it. And no Festival of Lights is complete without a menorah. We’ve found some fantastic menorahs—where else?—on Amazon to light up your celebration.
Quick brush up on your Hanukkah history:
How well do you know your Hanukkah history? Let’s get a little refresher out of the way.
Firstly, the word menorah means “lamp” in Hebrew. The ancient menorah had seven branches, and was an “everlasting light”, an oil lamp meant to never go out in the temple in the area that was known as Judea. At the time—167 B.C.E.—the small area of then-Judea was caught in conflict. The Egyption Empire and the Greek-Assyrian Empire clashed and Greek king Antiochus outlawed all Jewish practices. The observance of the Sabbath, keeping kosher were eliminated and the temple where the menorah burned was desecrated.
A small group of Jewish rebels, known as the Maccabees, were able to take back the temple over the course of several years. The menorah was relit. As the story goes, despite having only a single day’s worth of oil, the menorah miraculously lasted for eight days. Accordingly, the modern-day menorah has nine candles: one for each of those eight days and one to light the rest. Hanukkah marks the rededication of the desecrated temple of Judea when it was taken back by the Maccabees
So, now that you know why the menorah is such an important element of Hanukkah, we can get to the roundup of some of our favorite ones. These menorahs are not only unique, fun, pretty, and festive, but can be found on Amazon because we love convenience. They’re a great option for keeping with tradition while at the same time, creating a holiday aesthetic that’s perfect for your own vibes. So get ready for eight nights of celebration with our menorahs from Amazon roundup!
If you buy something from the links in this article, we may earn affiliate commission or compensation. Prices and availability reflect the time of publication.
Try out these 14 simple, family-friendly crafts that are perfect for Hanukkah
There’s only so much “Dreidel, Dreidel” a kid can play to celebrate each Hanukkah season. Make the Festival of Lights a little more fun with these easy Hanukkah crafts for kids. From a gold dinosaur menorah and “Menorahs By Mail” to pop-up cards and kindness chains—here are some creative ways to keep your little artists busy all eight nights.
Use all different shades and patterns of blue paper to decorate this Star of David. Take creative license and put your unique flair on this Hanukkah craft! Hang it in a window on a hook or wherever it fits best.
Make this giant menorah to display in a wide window or a big space. Let your kiddos get creative with the decorating. Use any paint colors and even add jewels (or glitter if you are brave) if you'd like.
Make your holiday cards stand out from the rest with this dreidel pop-up card that's way easier to make than it looks! All you need is cardstock paper, scissors, and watercolor paint. Get the simple instructions at Madcrafty on Youtube.
In Judaism, Tikkun Olam means "repairing the world through acts of kindness"—and it's one of the most important Jewish principles. This simple paper chain garland combines Tikkun Olam with the eight nights of Hanukkah—each link of the chain contains a simple act of kindness you and your kids can do each day. Get the instructions (and the free printable) at CoffeeandCarpool.com.
Menorah By Mail
Melissa Heckscher
Got loved ones who celebrate Hanukkah far, far away? We love this idea from Martha Stewart magazine, which lets you send a mailable "menorah" with gifts for all eight nights of Hanukkah. All you need is a business-sized envelope to decorate as the menorah, with eight smaller envelopes to go inside (or make your own envelopes, as we did!). Your kids can put small gifts or sweet messages inside each little envelope.
Is it baby's first Hanukkah? Mark the occasion by letting your little one put his foot down... in clay! These baby handprint and footprint menorahs are easy to make and will work as precious holiday decorations for years to come. Get the easy instructions at ReformJudaism.org.
Epic battle scenes! Death-defying miracles! Dramatic endings! There's a lot to the Hanukkah story that makes it a riveting tale. How about giving your kids the challenge of re-enacting the holiday story with LEGO bricks? That's what this family did one year after a Hanukkah gingerbread house led to a family tradition of LEGO holiday retellings. Get the story—and some inspiration—at Reformjudaism.org.
Menorah Flame Headpiece
Melissa Heckscher
Every little person at your Hanukkah gathering absolutely must wear one of these adorable menorah flame headpieces (Bonus points if you've got exactly nine kids). There are no fancy instructions for this Hanukkah craft: Just cut strips of construction paper and affix a paper flame in the middle. Let your kids decorate their flame—glue and glitter make it really sparkle! Then, staple the strips at the ends according to each child's head size. Light the lights!
Let the kids in on the holiday surprises by asking them to help make these fun party favors. Toilet paper tubes, paint, glitter glue, and tissue paper (plus fun treats for stuffing into the tubes) are all that are needed to make these colorful treats that can be used over and over again. Creative Jewish Mom has step-by-step instructions on how to make them.
What’s better than a Hanukkah gift? One that’s wrapped in special, homemade wrapping paper. Tori Avey has a great idea for a potato-stamped paper that the kids will have as much fun making as they do opening.
Everything is better with glitter! Kids will love constructing their own sparkly menorahs that use silver glitter, gold sequins, and glitter glue! You might be cleaning up stray glitter until long past Hanukkah, but the beauty of these keepsake menorahs will make it worth the mess. Get the instructions from this Creative Jewish Mom.
It won't take much convincing to get kids on board for this craft, which doubles as a delicious dessert. These Hanukkah-themed treats are as yummy as they are adorable. The bite-sized desserts—they're made of just marshmallows, sprinkles, pretzels, and chocolate—are the perfect treat to bring to any Hanukkah party or to serve after dinner at your own special bash. Food blogger Tori Avey has an easy no-bake recipe. *Psst: These little edibles take just a few minutes to prepare.
The Menorasaurus
Melissa Heckscher
Why settle for an ordinary menorah when you can make one that's both a candle holder and a fearsome prehistoric reptile? This DIY "menorasaurus" may look store-bought, but making it is actually easier than you'd think. All you need is some spray paint, a plastic dinosaur, and some hex nuts. Get the instructions (for this and other fun homemade menorahs) here.
Why let the Hanukkah fun stop after the dreidels stop spinning? Bring the menorah into the bathtub with this simple DIY foam bath set. Kids can help cut the shapes from foam boards, but the real fun comes in the tub when they can construct and deconstruct their menorahs, over and over again! Get easy instructions for this Hanukkah craft from Simple Play Ideas.
Light the lights, spin the dreidel, eat some latkes—and read a book! There’s no better way to tell the story of Hanukkah than by, well, telling a story. Lucky for your littles, there are plenty of new books on the market to bring the festival of lights to life in their imaginations. From The Rugrats and Pout-Pout Fish to a book that actually becomes a menorah itself, here are our picks for our favorite Hanukkah books for kids.
This isn't really a book; it's a decoration! This colorful board book contains all the pieces to make a decorative foldout menorah, perfect for spaces where you don't want kids lighting up (I.e. in their rooms, at school, etc.). Kids will love popping out the pieces, putting them together and adding the candles each night.
An adorable board book for toddlers that uses sweet, rhyming text and the hallmarks of Hanukkah (latkes, jelly donuts, menorahs) to celebrate the love between parent and child. Includes page cutouts and raised elements to captivate little readers.
A Rugrats Chanukah: The Classic Illustrated Storybook, by Kim Smith
Millennial parents will love introducing their kids to this infamous '90s-era baby crew, who learn—after a series of misunderstandings about the ‘meany of Hanukkah’—the real meaning of the holiday.
This story about a Jewish family preparing for Hanukkah gives readers a glimpse of immigrant families living on the lower East Side of New York in 1912. When the youngest daughter Gertie isn't allowed to help prepare the meal, she throws a tantrum, but once her father comes home, she's finally allowed to a part of the holiday tradition—lighting the first candle on the menorah!
An alligator with a food truck sets out to find some fresh new flavors for his Hanukkah latkes in this rhyming story that centers around tradition, cooking and friendship. If peach or turnips aren’t your kids’ thing, the included recipe for rainbow latkes will hit the spot.
This classic Hanukkah book follows the journey of Hershel, a traveler who makes his way into a village on the first night of Hanukkah. Expecting to see warm lights and latkes, instead, he finds that a band of goblins has taken over, and not a single candle is lit. Using only his wits, Hershel tricks the goblins night after night, but will it be enough to save Hanukkah?
“In the small blue room, there was a bubbala”…and a mishpacha (Jewish family), and a kiss on the keppelah (head)—and a host of other Yiddish phrases that match the rhythm and tone of Margaret Wise Brown’s classic bedtime tale. This simple parody pays homage to Jewish culture and values and will amuse the bubbies (grandmothers) maybe more than the bubbalas (darlings) themselves.
Pinky Blum and the Case of the Magical Menorah, by Judy Press
Looking for a Hanukkah-themed book that your independent readers can tackle on their own? This short chapter book follows kid detective Pinky Bloom as she takes on the case of an Israeli coin stolen from her synagogue. Strange events ensue—and Pinky solves the case with the help of her little brother.
Everyone’s favorite scaled grumpy face is back to light the lights (underwater!) in this sweet rhyming story that toddlers will love. Follow Pout-Pout Fish as he lights the menorah, spins the dreidel and celebrates Hanukkah with his fishy friends.
This picture book for older children loosely tells the true story of a community, that in 1993, stood up to bigotry. It follows Isaac, whose family is Jewish, and his best friend, Teresa, whose family is Christian, as they gear up for the holidays in their traditional ways. But when Isaac’s window is smashed in the middle of the night, the children bring the community together to stand up for what’s right.
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The Menorasaurus is our favorite DIY menorah idea!
Want to jazz up your Hanukkah with a homemade menorah that your kids will love? It’s easy! The secret ingredient to your hip homemade Chanukkiah is the 3/8″ hex nut—these little metal bolts are perfect for holding Hanukkah candles. Basically, if you’ve got something that can hold nine hex nuts, you’ve got yourself a menorah. Want to get started? We’ve got three easy tutorials for DIY menorahs, and when you’re done, be sure to check out our other favorite Hannukah crafts for kids.
Editor’s Note: Be sure to place all menorahs on a level, non-flammable surface away from drapes, decorations, and fabrics. Keep them out of reach of children, and never leave a lit menorah unattended. To be extra careful, we recommend menorahs not made out of metal be coated with a fire-retardant spray (like this one) before use to reduce the risk of fire.
The Menorah of Misfit Toys
If your junk drawer is anything like ours, it's probably full of left-behind kid stuff you wish you had the heart to throw away. Don't toss those treasures; use them for this menorah that will make your kids love their misfit toys all over again.
What you'll need: -Nine small toys or figurines (think Barbie heads, Happy Meal toys, lone blocks, etc.) -Nine hex nuts -Wooden plank (or a few simple wooden blocks glued together to make a platform) -Hot glue gun
What you'll do: Have your kids dig through their toy boxes (and your junk drawers) and pick out nine small toys to use as candle holders. Be sure they find one that's a little taller that can serve as the shamash. You can also place the shamash toy onto a block to set it higher than the others, as shown above.
Glue hex nuts onto the top of all the toys, and be sure to cut off any hair or string that poses a fire risk when candles are lit. Let your kids decide which toy will go where and then glue them all onto the platform.
Go ahead: Type it into Pinterest and you'll see the whole kingdom of prehistoric menorahs for sale. Why not make your own? It's super-easy, and takes less than an hour to make!
Good to know: This menorah doesn't leave much for the kids to do (hot glue guns and spray paint aren't exactly child-friendly), but your kiddos will love seeing their dinosaur transformed into an instant Hanukkah heirloom.
What you'll need: - Plastic dinosaur - Nine hex nuts - Metallic gold spray paint - Clay (for leveling the hex nuts) - Hot glue gun
What you'll do: Let your kids pick out their dinosaur (Hello, Dollar Store!).
Using a hot glue gun, glue eight hex nuts onto the back of the dinosaur and another atop the head for the shamash. To make sure all the candles will stick up straight, squish a little clay onto the bottom of the hex nuts before gluing them onto the dinosaur (it helps to also dab some glue onto the bottom of the hex nut themselves so they really stick into the clay)
Spray the whole thing with metallic gold spray paint and you're done!
Hot Lights (or, the Hot Wheels Menorah)
What you'll need: -Nine Hot Wheels cars (with flat tops) -Nine hex nuts (or 10 if you want to raise the shamash candle a little higher) -Wooden plank -Paint -Hot glue gun
What you'll do: Have your kids pick out nine cars and paint or decorate a plank of wood however they wish. While the paint is drying, glue the hex nuts atop the cars as shown. For the shamash (middle) candle, use a taller car or glue two hex nuts atop so it stands higher than the others.
Let your young assistants help you arrange the cars in whatever order they want. Then, glue the cars onto the plank.
Try these holiday paper crafts to keep your kiddo busy
Are you looking for some holiday paper crafts to carry your crew through the pre-holiday season? These easy ideas will keep the kids active and busy when it’s too cold to play outside, and as a bonus, you can use your little artist’s paper craft to decorate the house or as handmade holiday cards.
Who doesn't love this polar bear? Your kiddo can use their creativity to make such cute cards out of their hand shape. They can even make the polar bear the bard itself (with no dark blue background).
Instead of spending on the real deal on the red and green leaves of a holiday flower only to see it fade away, help your child make a paper version that'll last year after year. Start with red and green cardstock paper, drawing a cloud-like spiral form with a pencil. Cut along the lines, fold the paper, and follow these directions by Mini Monets & Mommies to make pretty poinsettias.
Paper plus paint plus prints equals this fabulously festive bunting from Creative Jewish Mom. Hang this homemade Hanukkah decor during your eight-night celebration or send your child's cute creation to family and friends as a sweet holiday gift.
Homemade gift wrap is sooooooo welcome at this time of the year. Your always-crating kid can make their own paper to cover presents with this easy how-to from Tori Avey.
What better way to use your child's pics than as part of a creative craft? Forget about keeping your child's precious photos on a cloud somewhere. Print them out and follow The Soccer Mom Blog's step-by-step instructions to make this picture-perfect pop-up!
Are you looking for a holiday paper craft that doesn't go overboard on a Christmas theme? These sweet snowmen are easy for kiddos to create and perfect as non-religious holiday cards. Get the full how-to from Fireflies and Mud Pies.
Paper art doesn't always have to start at the craft store. Chances are you have plenty of reusable paper sources at home. Before buying brand-new supplies, take a look around the house. Upcycle cardboard tubes, turning each one into an artsy candle for a make-believe menorah by Mini Monets & Mommies. Add finger paints and tissue paper to make this cute craft complete.
Your child can magically transform a piece of paper into ornament awesomeness. Okay, okay, so technically they aren't 'magically transforming' the piece of paper. Instead, they can follow Mama.Papa.Bubba's instructions and learn how to make these adorable little letters.
Up your kiddo's artsy recycling game with this paper takeout container project. Whether you use washed and dried upcycled containers or new ones (you can buy new foldable takeout boxes at most craft stores), all your child needs is a cardboard tube, some tissue, paper, glue, and glitter paint to create these handmade gift boxes.
Recycle last year's holiday cards, turning them into this year's crafty presents! Follow the directions from Hands On As We Grow and learn how to make these artfully amazing bookmarks. Keep a few of your kiddo's creations for yourself or give them out as holiday gifts.
If your family has a tradition of checking out the neighborhood lights, no need to drive around aimlessly. Nextdoor has teamed up with the Home Depot to make it easy to find the most spirited houses in your area. The Cheer Map maps the best and brightest decorations, whether you’re searching for Christmas inflatables or menorah displays.
To find the map or add your home, head to the Nextdoor app and click the “More” tab. There’s even a handy how-to guide on hanging holiday lights, if you’re on the fence. The map will help you plan the perfect sightseeing route and find some new, cool spots in your own neighborhood.
According to a recent poll on the app, the overwhelming majority (90%) of respondents plan to decorate for the holidays and 70% put up decorations in November. So if you’re ready to get out on a drive, now is the time. Don’t forget the hot chocolate!
—Sarah Shebek
Featured image courtesy of James Wheeler, Unsplash
The holidays are about traditions. Some holiday traditions are generic and some are unique to the family, some are old and some new. At some point, the job of passing on these traditions shifts from the grandparents, to parents of young children. It’s not discussed, it just happens that way. Family traditions need repetition in order to carry on, much like good habits need repetition to stick. In our half Jewish family, we do a great job with the traditions surrounding Christmas, but we are lousy about lighting the menorah at Hanukkah. This year we only remembered the first day, shame on us.
Actually, shame on my husband and me, because we need to be the ones to carry out these traditions so that they become ingrained in our children’s experience of the holidays. It’s that whole lead by example thing. Something else the kids won’t continue to do, if we don’t, and that is to properly thank their relatives for gifts received.
It’s easy to open a box under the tree, but someone made an effort to pick the gift out. Maybe they even waited in an irritatingly long line at the post office to mail it. They didn’t do it for the recognition, they did it out of love. In my opinion, they deserve more than an email or a text. Yes, even if the gift arrived in an Amazon box.
Grandparents, aunts and uncles love receiving a physical note of acknowledgement of the gifts they sent. It’s not as good as a hug or a phone call, but it is still personal. Children may not be enthusiastic about writing thank you cards, I know mine are not. They may not know what to say. They may not know how to address an envelope.
Strategies for Helping Kids Write Thank You Notes
Pre-address the envelopes for your young children. Small children love applying the stamp.
Show your older children how to address the envelope and where you keep addresses of relatives.
Write out a simple script for your younger children to follow when writing the card. Ask your child to write something specific about the gift they received (I have already built my new Star Wars Lego set) or something that they like about the giver (thanks uncle Joe, I love that you play guitar too, maybe we can play together soon).
Have the cards ready to be tackled after snack time or before video game time on the weekend.
My neighbor used this brilliant strategy: Insert a few family photos into a Word document and print out enough copies as you need cards to send. Place the printouts on the kitchen counter with a sticky note of who the recipient is. In assembly line fashion have each member of the family hand write a short note to the recipient and ta da!
Order your children their very own personalized stationery, especially as they get ready to go off to college! Tell them where to buy postage stamps (other than the post office).
Personal thank you notes show gratitude and reaffirm connections with relatives. Hopefully this good habit turns into a tradition in our family. My hope is that one day, when I am the grandma or someone’s distant aunt, someone much younger than me will keep up this tradition and maintain a connection with those older or living far away.
I am a professional home organizer at Simplify Experts, a blogger, and a mom of two boys ages 11 and 13. I blog about home organizing for busy families, especially those impacted by ADHD.