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If you live in a warm weather climate like I do, you probably haven’t carved your pumpkin yet. We wait about 5 days before Halloween for this family event. For others, this weekend is prime time for carving those pumpkins with the kids! It’s a Halloween tradition for my family and Zippo has assembled some easy-to-follow tips so that you’ll be able to hit the ground running.

What You Need:

• Pumpkin (choose a large pumpkin for easier carving)
• Newspaper (just roll up and throw away the pumpkin guts!)
• Marker (to mark the lines of where you’ll be cutting)
• Stencils (search online for free stencils)
• Sharp knife and spoon or a pumpkin carving kit
• Small tea-light candle (to show off your talent!)
• Zippo Flex Neck ($19.95, http://www.zippo.com/product.aspx?id=1023899) — with a flexible nozzle, you don’t have to worry about burning your fingers when you bring your carving to life!

Instructions:

1. Place a pumpkin flat on its bottom, on a flat surface (you may need to cut the bottom of the pumpkin to keep it stable)
2. Draw a circle around the stem with a marker – make sure the circle is large enough so that you can fit your hand through it!
3. Cut around the outline with a long, sharp knife
4. Lift the newly made lid and remove the flesh of the pumpkin with a spoon. Go ahead and use your hands and let the kids give it a try. There’s nothing like the feel of pumpkin guts! Separate the seeds for roasting later on. Yummy!
5. Rinse the interior, clearing out the remaining flesh, and tip away the waste.
6. Draw your design on the front of the pumpkin with a marker or draw around an already-made stencil. Go simple if this is your first time, then move on to more difficult and amazing designs.
7. Insert the tip of your knife into the lines drawn and begin carving your design
8. When your Jack o’lantern is done, place the small tea-light candle inside the pumpkin.
9. Save your fingers from any unnecessary burns by lighting it with a Zippo Flex Neck. The long, slim, adjustable nozzle will fit right in between the carvings so that you don’t have to remove the candle to light it. Your fingers will thank you!

Zippo is on hand to get your family together this Halloween.

Information for this post was provided by Zippo. I will receive a Zippo Flex Neck for writing this post. All opinions are my own.

Green Food

Add green food coloring to almost anything and watch your kids eat it up. Some suggestions – vanilla pudding, ice cream shakes, white cake or cupcakes and of course plain old milk.

Share all sorts of naturally green foods such as green apples, kiwis, grapes, celery (add some peanut butter), green pistachios and a platter of green peppers, raw broccoli and cucumbers with dip.

Candy

You should be able to find all sorts of green candy and other St. Patrick’s related candy on sale for this special day. Think green M&M’s, lollipops, sour candies, and green apple flavored candies. Gold coins and shamrock shaped candies are popular too.

Lucky Charms Cereal

Serve it for breakfast, as a snack or add as a topping to iced cupcakes, cakes, pudding, etc.

photo credit - http://www.flickr.com/photos/laffy4k/403048731/

Corned Beef and Cabbage

The great thing about corned beef and cabbage is that children can pick out what they want to eat from this famous meal. If they don’t like the cabbage, then give them some carrots and potatoes with a slice of meat.

This is the recipe I’ve used for years:

Ingredients

1 Corned Beef Brisket with spice mixture (size depends on your family and if you want leftovers), rinse under water
1-2 heads of green cabbage – take off outer leaves, rinse and cut in fours
6-8 carrots, peeled, rinsed and cut in half (you may need to add more if corned beef is larger than 4 pounds)
6 large white potatoes, peeled and rinsed (you may need to add more again)
1 Loaf of Rye Bread
Various Types of Mustard

Preparation

Use a large pot to fit all ingredients. Add corned beef and cover with water. Do not add seasoning mix. (I find that children are more likely to eat this meal without the strong flavor of the seasonings. The meat has been brined so it holds a lot of flavor.)

Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 2 hours. Add cabbage and carrots. Cook for another 30 – 40 minutes. Add potatoes (keep them whole) and cook for another 20 minutes. Make sure all vegetables are cooked thoroughly. You may need to add more water when you add the vegetables. Keep another pot of boiling water going on the side.

When done, carve meat. Serve on a large platter with vegetable. Offer rye bread to eat with meal. Mustard is often used as a condiment too. My family likes to mash up the potatoes and carrots on our own dishes.

For leftovers, add some of the liquid to your containers to keep meat moist. Eat as a meal or have sandwiches.

Whatever foods you choose to eat with your kids on St. Patrick’s Day, remember to spend time together, share stories about the history of the day and about Leprechauns. Go see a parade or make a craft.

At his school, he had to bring something for each classmate on Valentine ’s Day. One year, I forgot about it and had to scramble at the last minute. Luckily, I love buying school supplies at the back to school shopping sales. There are great bargains to be had.

Here are some things that I always keep in stock for the last minute projects or  Valentine’s Day cards

• Colorful construction paper
• Stickers, glitter, ribbons, and glue
• Markers
• Old Shoe Boxes—they come in handy if you have to bring notes for 25+ people.
• Fancy cut scissors are extraordinary. They are a simple twist that goes a long way.

With supplies, the options are truly endless—simply making “love” coupons that they can give to their friends or siblings for a hug or a smile or a nice gesture could make some kids truly happy.  And don’t forget that you can make a special valentine for your kids as a surprise as well such as a Valentine’s Day Coupon Book.  Use any of these ideas as a starting point and think about what would make your kids feel the most loved.

Most of all, remind them that caring for each other should happen year-round, not just on Valentine’s Day.  But there’s nothing wrong with an extra-special treat on this extra-special day.

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day.

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This is a guest post written by Aparna Vashisht who is the founding mom and CEO of Parentella.com.

Grab some hot cocoa, sandwiches and blankets and set the TV to watch if the famous groundhog comes out of his burrow. You can follow Punxsutawney Phil on his own Facebook page or read about him on the official Groundhog Day website.

The website is full of information about the day’s events, news and activities for your children. You can even watch Phil’s live prediction and send a free eCard.

Here’s a poem about Groundhog Day:

There’s only one day the whole long year, that I hope the pray the sun won’t appear.
The second of February, you all know, the ground hog goes searching for his shadow.
If he should find it, the story is told, we’ll have six more weeks of winter’s cold.
But if it’s cloudy, his shadow’s not there. There’ll soon be warm weather and days will be fair.
So please, Sun, for just this one day, find a big dark cloud–and stay away

Some More Activities

• Have a fun discussion about superstitions
• Use a weather website to learn about what is really predicted for your area
• Make a craft of a groundhog
• Read about the history of Groundhog Day
• Find some free online coloring page for this special day
• Since groundhogs eat greens, serve up a salad and pretend you’re groundhogs

Enjoy this video about Groundhog Day:

And remember there’s nothing like making a day even more special when you spend it with your kids!

Halloween is celebrated on October 31st in the US. Preparations for costumes, home decorations, parties, etc. are made weeks in advance. Stores begin putting out Halloween candy and other items in early September, often along with Back To School supplies.

Halloween Candy and Food

According to the National Retail Federation, the average American will spend $66.28 on Halloween this year. Second only to costumes, candy eats up the largest chunk of this budget with American families spending an average of $22 each Halloween on confections.

Candy apples, candy corn, and all types of candy, especially those in Halloween wrappers or shapes are popular. In the 1930′s – 1940′s, children often started bonfires and roasted potatoes or nuts that were given to them. This was a treat, especially during the Depression.

Pumpkins

At first, pumpkins were used to decorate for Halloween in the rural areas on the US where they were more easily found.  Now this custom has grown to many areas where pumpkins are brought in to cities all over the US. Carving pumpkins, adding a candle and roasting pumpkin seeds is a tradition in many families now.

Trick or Treating

Known as “guising” in Scotland and Ireland, children would dress up in costumes to disguise their identities and beg for food, then became trick or treating in the USA.

The earliest known reference to ritual begging on Halloween in English speaking North America occurs in 1911, when a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario reported that it was normal for the smaller children to go street “guising” on Halloween between 6 and 7 p.m., visiting shops and neighbors to be rewarded with nuts and candies for their rhymes and songs. Another isolated reference to ritual begging on Halloween appears, place unknown, in 1915, with a third reference in Chicago in 1920. -  Halloween – Wkipidea

Trick or Treating is now common in the US. Having treats, often candy, to give to visitors is considered a courtesy. You also have a chance of being “tricked” if there’s no candy at your house. That can mean something as innocent as your doorbell being rung a number of times to eggs being thrown at your house or car.

Costumes

Halloween costumes were first based on the occult, such as witches, devils and ghosts. Now they are often based on the current popular toys, movies, celebrities, etc.

What are some of your own Halloween traditions?

Sources:

Halloween: An American Holiday, an American History

Halloween: Customs, Recipes & Spells

Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night

There’s a fragrance named I Love Dior perfume For Women. Isn’t that proof of a woman’s desire for something from the Dior collection? Dior handbags are the rage and are gorgeous. The the logo on them is stunning and there are so many different styles.

Dior cosmetics are another good choice for Mother’s Day. Look through your wife or Mother’s make up bag to see what color and type she uses and purchase the same or go to the department store where she buys her make up to get a list of what she likes. Don’t forget Dior sunglasses, fine jewelery and shoes.

Be sure to wrap your Mother’s Day gift in special paper and a unique bow. Then sit back and listen to her squeal in delight when she opens her Dior present!

Mother’s Day crafts are one of Mom’s favorite presents. She’ll treasure them always. When a child creates something with their own hands, it’s the most special gift of all. I write the date on my gifts and cards and save them all. I have boxes of crafts saved from years ago.

Here’s some Mother’s Day Craft ideas:

• A picture drawn with crayons, painted or sketched. Add a frame from the dollar store or a magnet to hang on the fridge so it can be displayed.
• Decorative Soaps – Use a Soap Making Kit to make this task easier.
• Bookmarks – Create a bookmark with beads, heavy cardboard or craft foam. Remember to add some extras that your Mom likes, such as cats or angels.
• Jewelery – Use beads or kits to help you.
• Candy – Yes you can make your own candy, even chocolate. Think strawberries dipped in chocolate or something sweet and yummy. (I take photos of these delicious treats.)
• Flowers – Either handmade or real make lovely Mother’s Day gifts. Plant some flowers just for Mom or make a few of your own with tissue paper or fabric.

Share these craft ideas with your child or a single mother’s child to help them make Mother’s Day special.

1. Rainbows are popular for St. Patrick’s Day. Get out some crayons or markers and draw a colorful rainbow. If you’re lucky enough to see one, take some photos.
2. Going along with rainbows, make a batch of rainbow cookies. Use sugar cookies and add rainbow sprinkles or icing to make the shape and colors of your rainbow.
3. Leprechauns are easy to make out of paper lunch bags. You’ll need construction paper to add some extra touches like the hat and beard. Let your imagination guide you!



Image by bon_here via Flickr

4. Get a rock, paint it white and add a kiss from an ink stamp or paint to make the Blarney stone. You can even decorate it further with some glitter.
5. Make Irish Soda Bread with your child. Here’s a recipe from AllRecipes for Amazingly Easy Irish Soda Bread.
6. Make a Leprechaun box and watch your child’s eyes grow with excitement! You can use a cardboard box, covered with a paper bag or green construction paper. Decorate it as you see fit. Be sure there is a small opening. Leave it out the night of March 16th. Open it on March 17th at night to see what the Leprechauns have left to thank you for making them a place to stay for the day.
7. Look for clovers if weather permits. You’re sure to be lucky if you find a four leaf clover!
8. Eat a bowl of Lucky Charms for breakfast.
9. Here’s a video to teach you how to draw a shamrock:

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Be sure to spend some time with your children making some crafts and cooking some food. Maybe they’ll try Corned Beef and Cabbage this year.

Hire a babysitter – Even if it’s an older child who will be present during the party, be sure to pay for his or her services. All parents can chip in to pay for this or the party host can foot the bill. The adults will have more time to be on their own and not worry about the children this way.

Prepare Child-Friendly Activities – Be sure that the children will have a great time with some crafts that you purchase, games for indoors, music for dancing, dress-up clothing and movies for down time.

image source – The Attached Parent

Decorate – Put up streamers, provide hats, crowns, noise makers (hide them until it gets close to midnight!), and balloons if there’s no children that this will provide a choking hazard to.

Food For Kids – Party food is something that everyone looks forward to and children should have their own fare too. Think kid size and lots of choices – pizza bagels with toppings they can add, chips and dip, cookies, etc.

New Year’s Eve is a holiday that children can take part in too. They can learn about why we celebrate the ending of a year and the coming of a new one. Even if they don’t make it until midnight, they can get a taste of what a New Year’s Eve party is. Some of my happiest memories are trying to stay awake with my cousins and being whisked away fast asleep in the dark to my bed.

Santa Claus is often at the mall or other stores. There’s going to be a long line to visit him today, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. If Santa looks tired or his voice sounds odd, you’d better not cry!

Have someone don a Santa outfit. If your children recognize the voice or pull off the beard, better not pout!

Eat the cookies and drink the milk left for Santa Claus. Write a thank you note. If your child says that the handwriting looks familiar or finds some off the cookies in the trash you’d better watch out!

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