stampingonthebackporch

Think about your happiest holiday memories. Most probably revolve around traditions.

This is a year to reinvent some of those traditions-or maybe even start new ones.

Let’s call this traditions with a twist.

We all know the most precious gifts aren’t the ones under the tree in the pretty papers.

What traditions have you normally done together? Maybe you have always gotten together and made cookies with the grandkids - and this year you can’t. How about sending a package to them with the ingredients - and a container already addressed and stamped to send some cookies back to you? I guarantee they will be talking about you while they bake - and what a memory!!!! (Ask them to FaceTime you for a bit while they are cooking —- or take a photo to send)

——or the opposite —- you make the cookies and send them along with some photos of times you spent baking with them 0r sharing memories of that - and letting them know how much you are missing them!

If you usually craft with your grandkids or nieces and nephews - send them a craft kit and plan a craft date over Zoom! Maybe its making paper chains or something for decorating for Christmas!

Or send each family a gingerbread house kit and have a contest over Zoom!

Have prizes for the fanciest, the one that never made it .... The most unusual ..... fun things so everyone gets a prize!!!

If you are going to meet with your family over Zoom - make it a party. Send party hats and decorations, plan a game - make a party *** and get the kids involved in planning it - when they are involved it makes their holiday even more special.

One year when our kids were young, Tim’s sister Mary sent everyone a matching t-shirt - including the adults. Wouldn’t this be a fun year to do that (or matching pajamas) and then take a Zoom photo shoot of all of the families? Or maybe a virtual ugly sweater photo shoot?

Send “love & care” packages!!! Send them early to set the stage for someone else’s Christmas. And especially those who will be alone. Make handmade ornaments or cookies and add something that connects to memories of them - photos, letter, a spice jar for someone you cook with, a craft item for someone you create with, a skein of yarn for that knitter

Plan a Drive By Party!

If you have kids, get them involved in decorating the front yard. Go beyond lights - think signs, anything they can come up with.

If you don’t have kids living with you, plan some things in the front yard for them to “look for” —- make it fun.

—-Invite your family and friends to drive by for some hot chocolate (or coffee) and cookies to go!!!!

And whatever you do - however you spend Christmas - be sure to take some pictures!

Another of our podcasts last year was about the one scrapbook every family should have - one scrapbook with a two page spread of each Christmas. The value of this is that it comes out once a year with the Christmas decorations so it actually gets looked at. You see the changes each year as the kids get older (of course the adults all stay the same) - and you are reminded of the years a certain person was missing - or there was an extra guest - and the funny stories.

The link to that podcast: https://stampingonthebackporch.libsyn.com/stamping-on-the-back-porch-2

This is a point in time that we have never seen the likes of before - and some day we will look back at this as a memory and hopefully we can say - we still made Christmas special.

Life is full of stories and we celebrate that today with some great stories about cardmaking. Whether our stories are funny and bring a smile to the receiver - or whether they are thoughtful stories about experiences we have shared -- making a card just for that particular person about that particular event - makes a impact on our own lives as well as others.

2020 will be known as the year we stayed home

This is the time of year where we look back over the past 12 months and ahead to the next 12.

So here goes —- a few lessons we learned from this year!

YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT

I heard someone say .... Do you think Mick Jagger was singing about toilet paper?

What have we always taken for granted? That there would be food in the stores, restaurants to go to, vacations to plan, schools..

The Flip Side - Appreciate What You Have!

FAMILY MATTERS

We do what we can to provide for older members of our families - both for our mom and our kids for us - bringing meals

More intentional about checking in - using zoom or phone calls

WE NEED OUR FRIENDS

We will never take for granted again being able to share a hug and just to be together over a shred meal, etc.

We need to know we aren’t the only ones dealing with loneliness or fear or whatever - its important to check in on each share how we are really doing.

Calling instead of texting can really help.

Technology has helped! We can connect with family and friends into more ways today.

WE CAN LEARN FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING SOBER

AA and the Serenity Prayer - taking it one day at a time and letting go of what we can’t change - Sober people already know this

Everything really can change overnight - people matter, not stuff

APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS

Slower pace of life for many of us with empty social calendars

Learning to go for walks or exercise at home instead of the gym

Cook more meals at home instead of going out

No more shopping - less eating out - ordering more online.

So what are we doing with that extra time?

Lots of deep cleaning and cleaning out closets and home improvement projects!

****More time for being creative —- hobbies help depress stress levels - crafting

ESSENTIAL WORKERS ARE OUR HEROES

From all of those that work in the medical field from the doctors to the housekeepers, the care staff at nursing homes, group homes and everywhere, delivery people, police and fire, grocery store employees —— everyone who has gone to work (all the jobs that couldn’t be done at home) to keep things running

HAVING FUN IS IMPORTANT - find ways to do that - laugh with your friends, watch funny movies —- laughter is good medicine - being playful

*we love to laugh and fun in the classes I teach and in the Back Porch Stampers - we are just enjoying each other and being creative together

Its important to have something to look forward to!

FOR THE NEW YEAR

We gave a 12th night gift to our family when the kids were growing up - it was always something new to learn in the new year. One gift that everyone could participate in - so magic tricks, art supplies, juggling....

Tim and I each will share one new thing we want to learn in 2021...

What new thing will you learn for this year?

Join us as we talk about the value of crafting in our lives and how it affects us both here and now and also how it can leave a legacy

During this 2020 pandemic time ... creativity and thoughtfulness will help us on what we can do to encourage others. We are offering a free craft online session each day aimed at children as well as adults so we can all take a break together and have some fun.