Each year as the holidays near I mentally prep myself for the installation of my own special holiday tradition. 

ANTTSTWHOP Isn't it fun to make up your own traditions? 





In MY version of It's a Wonderful Life--- Perry style. I try to instill the movie's message of " It's A Wonderful Life" ( you caught that right?) to my children with my own personal holiday made up tradition CLEVERLY NAMED: 


AIN'T NOBODY TALKING TO SANTA-- TIL WE HELP OTHER PEOPLE
or 

ANTTSTWHOP 
for short. 


That's a great slogan huh? 
I'm imagining it penned on a logo now? * daydream* 




Any way-- ANTTSTWHOP was created in a vain attempt to get my children to understand that we HAVE A VERY VERY BLESSED LIFE ON SO MANY LEVELS and that we are so blessed, because our hands are open to giving. I was once told by a wise pastor that you cannot receive with clenched hands. Open them to giving and you open them to blessings.

We're givers. Plain and simple. We give ALL YEAR LONG. BUT--I make a special point during the holidays however to PUSH for this value to be up front and in YO FACE with my kids.
Hence 
ANTTSTWHOP There's so much GIMME GREEDY as I call it with the whole Santa thing-- that no matter what faith you clench onto….the true meaning is so very much obliterated. No worries. I'm not soapboxing for the elmination of Santa. 
S. Claus--- you can reel back in your recon elves that just appeared in my office. 




I just mean that FIRST I teach my kids that holidays and particularly Christmas-- is about giving and sacrifice.


This is how we do it. ( sing it with me now)


1. We sit down with each child and help them make a list of 5 or more things that THEY want to do for others this season. We of course give loads of suggestions but we try to find connections for them personally. Emma loves animals so of course the Humane Shelters are on our list of "gives." We gave you a great list of ideas below in a separate article. 


2. We create a special paper or display that houses our GIVE ideas. One year it was magnets on the fridge this year it's just a sheet of paper. Our 5 year old draws pictures and writes words that look like this. CFE. ( COFFEE for the Bell Ringer) We'll color each in, when they've been completed. Our 8 year old writes descriptive paragraphs and uses curly q writing because she can. It's her thing. Make it personal to your family. It's all about the ideas rather than the display. 



3. We begin our quest that next week. Fufilling our list one by one. Once the list is complete--- it's SANTA time. The kids get to write to Santa but instead of asking for toys-- they let him know what THEY'VE DONE to help others. Then they sneak in a toy or 78 request. 

There is no greater joy than seeing your child helping others. The swelling of your heart is beyond anything a Grinch can muster after Roast Beast and Who-ville songs and a prouder parent you will not be. More importantly when your 5 year old comes back to you after walking over to the Salvation Army bell ringer with coffee and whispers, " I think that'll keep him warm" you'll know you're giving your own child a gift that no elf can make. 
Happy Holidays! Debby, Kim and Chris 

Do you have a holiday tradition? 


Check out our other holiday traditons ideas sent in by readers after our KDKA appearance!

We also are giving away a LEAP PAD LEARNING TABLET!  

4 vouchers to the Harlem Globetrotters! 

We have an ICAUGHTSANTA.COM e-giftcertificate up for grabs!

VISIT OUR CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR THIS WEEK

CHECK OUT OUR SEASONAL SAVINGS GUIDE!

 

 

IT'S FINALLY HERE!

MACARONI KID'S SEASONAL SAVINGS SPECTACULAR!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM OUR FAMILIES TO YOURS! WE PUT TOGETHER OUR MOST FAVORITE ADVERTISER DISCOUNTS FOR YOU as well AS SOME GIVEAWAYS AND FREEBIES HIDDEN throughout the Guide!

HARLEM GLOBETROTTER TICKETS

NUTCRACKER TICKETS

SCOUT BY BUNGALOW TOTE BAG

SPA NATURALS GIVEAWAY

AND MORE…

Click here for the guide if you cannot access it via the image above.

Just a few of the many who joined us:

Frames Of Infinity Photography

Tastefully Simple

Learning Express of Robinson and Bakery Square

South ...

This week's picks

 A Lyrical Christmas Carol Dec. 8-11

 Hard Rock Cafe Breakfast with Santa December 10-11 from 9-11am.  Come and eat breakfast with the Big Guy himself!!!  And come and see Mac Kid there on Saturday!

Create your own gingerbread house at Station Square. Dec. 10 from 11-12...Mac Kid will be there!  Will you?

Urban Mommies Holiday Tot Hop Dec. 11, Mac Kid will be here too!
 Free Fifth Ave. Holly Trolley every weekend until Dec. 17 

 Plan Ahead 

Breakfast with Santa at the Aviary Dec. 17 ...

Family Traditions

Looking to incorporate some new traditions this holiday season? We have some unique options for you! Some sentimental, some philanthropic and others are just nothin’ but fun! Thanks to everyone who submitted your ideas and if you have one you’d like to add, just put it in the comments section because we love to hear from you!

12 Days of Christmas Socks --- Looking for something to do with those mismatched socks? Hang them up around the house and fill each one with an idea of how you ...

Play it Forward--A gently loved toy donation drive. Donate your used toys to be given to a family that is struggling this year.  Donate your gently used toys, Donate your time (and bring your families!), Donate batteries, Donate gift wrap or gift bags. 
Know someone that needs this? On Saturday, December 17th from 9am - 3pm, families in need of toys for their children can come and "shop for free". Each family is invited to take up to 5 toys per child for FREE. We anticipate collecting toys for all ...

This is your chance to get some room before the holidays come around and teach those kiddos an important lesson about giving at the same time!  Play it Forward Pittsburgh is collecting gently used toys for children ages 0 to teens at several drop off sites around Pittsburgh.  You can also donate wrapping paper, batteries and the most precious gift of all...YOUR TIME!

The idea is so beautifully simple...if you have extra give them, if you need some take some!  SO CLEVER! 

Donate toys up until December 15 ...

No stuffy Christmas pictures here!!!  Head on down to the Hard Rock Cafe and join in their breakfast buffet and get a rockin' picture with Santa.  What could be better????? Well, MACARONI KID of course!!! We will be there too with some awesome crafts! 

This shindig start at 9 and is a buffet some come hungry!  Breakfast Buffet $13.95 for adults $9.95 for kids under 12 kids under 2 free plus free parking from Station Square when you sign-up for the Kids Club.
 
Space is limited, so call ...

You heard it right.  Holiday sing alongs with BIRDS!  Our favorite Pittsburgh gem is the National Aviary, that' s no secret!  When we were asked to sneak peek the Holiday Bird Show Starring Fleury the Snowy Owl-- we FLEW down there to join in on the fun.  You should too because it was ADORABLE and is offered in addition to the incredible WINGS show!  Our girls LOVED the entire production and still talk about the "ducks on the sleigh" and the BIRDS FLYING OVER 'DER HEADZ."  The whole holiday sing ...

In 3 simple steps, iCaughtSanta can help you turn a typical Christmas morning into something spectacular! 

Want Santa by the Christmas tree? Coming down the chimney? Eating milk and cookies? Sleeping on the sofa? Stealing a kiss from Mommy? For less than $10 anyone can bring back the wonder of Christmas and be a hero to children by catching Santa "in the act."

Make this YOUR families new tradition!  It's as easy as CAPTURE, CREATE AND SHARE! 

 Here's one of my families pics! I have another one with ...

Do you need a sweet and salty treat for the holiday season? A treat your kids can help with? Plus a treat where they can learn or practice their counting? Well, look no further; here is a treat with only three ingredients.

You will need:

• Round pretzels
• Plain M&Ms
• Almond Bark
• Microwave bowl
• Spoon
• Wax paper
• Storage container

Line your counter or table with the wax paper. While you melt the almond bark in the microwave (30 seconds at a time on full power), have the kids layout the ...

When we were putting together our KDKA segment this month and found that we needed 

1.  a great holiday toy/ gift

2.  socks for our 12 days of socks tradition

it was clear who we would be utilizing.  Our very favorite friend of Macaroni Kid, Little MissMatched!  When you see our "clothesline" of Little MissMatched socks for our 12 days of Socks Family Tradition-- you'll be googling this company.  So we'll do the work for you and hand you the link!

http://www.littlemissmatched.com

SO ...

We highlighted our favorites below but for a COMPLETE listing of every little thing, click here and be amazed!
Tuesday, Dec. 6
“The Santa Clause”  8am, Hallmark
“The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Claus”  2pm, Disney Channel
"'Twas the Night Before Christmas" 6 p.m., ABC Family
"A Michael Bublé Christmas" 8 p.m., NBC
“Polar Express” 6:30pm, ABC Family
"Home Alone 2" 8:30 p.m., ABC Family
"The Nightmare Before Christmas" 8:30 Pm Disney
“A Christmas Story” 9 pm, TCM

Wednesday, Dec. 7
"A Very Pink ...

As you may know, I love doing crafts with my daughter. I especially love doing holiday crafts, so from now until the end of December, I'm going to be sharing some great handmade holiday crafts. 

The first one are these handmade Christmas bows. The best part about this craft is that it uses recycled materials.

This craft may be a challenge for younger children when folding the strips of paper. Some kids will be able to cut the strips of paper themselves and some will not. Let kids use ...

Every year, around this time, lots of parents are fretting over what to buy their kids.  Which toy will they like?  Which one will they play with for more than two minutes?  Which toy will help them learn something….anything?  These questions are even harder when you have a child who has a delay of some kind.  Which toys will help my child with their early intervention goals?  

Toys “R” Us is always a good place to begin, but few people realize that this huge toy store company has a ...

UPayLess2Entertain.com $5 off $50 purchase!

Urban Mommies- $5 off one of their regular events (excludes Top Hop and other special events).

Usborne Books and More $25 in free books for scheduling a home show!