What you'll need:

• Construction paper
• Scotch tape or glue stick, scissors
• Hole punch
• Scraps of yarn or string
• Photos of your family
• Old paintings or drawings the kids have made

Tips: I scan and copy family pictures on to my computer if I don’t want to use the originals. If you don’t have a computer scanner, you can make color copies at the copy center. This can be expensive, maybe $2 a copy, but you can scrunch a lot of photos on to one page and then cut them out later. One year I made all of the photos black and white and the kids loved it! I took good paper into the library and made copies myself. I spent ?10 a copy that year and man was it worth it…even though I had to ask the librarian to open the copy machine so I could add my paper!

1.) Go to our "Printable Resources" and download the annual calendar there. You can then personalize it by typing in birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates.

2.) Print as many copies of the calendar that you need on 8 ˝” by 11” construction paper. (I cut my paper to size by taking it to the local copy center and using their papercutter.) Choose great colors for different months (ex: orange for October).

3.) Attach them all together like a normal calendar by punching four holes and tying them together with string.

4.) Have each child decorate the picture page that goes with each month with construction paper, markers, glitter and glue, crayons, and just about anything you can find in your extra craft box; even old art work from the kids (my favorite!)

5.) You can let your older kids add the pictures of their choice and you can help your younger children add photos to theirs.

6.) Your calendars are done and ready to be sent out to Grandparents and family alike. While the kids are making theirs, I try to put together one of my own to give to my husband on Christmas day. This is used as our annual kitchen calendar and I try to use photos from last year and keep the calendars as an annual reminder of all we’ve done together as a family! They’re more fun than photo albums.

I hope some of this idea helps your Christmas Season to be a little easier on your pocket book and more importantly I hope this helps to bring your family closer together at this wonderful time of year. Merry Christmas from my family to yours! Thanks for listening.

Aloha


Kristi