Best Christmas Movies for the Family
If you are like me I’m sure you have a few favorite Christmas movies. My girls are just starting to be old enough to enjoy some of my favorites, so I asked my friends to help me compile this list of our favorite Christmas movies for the whole family to enjoy.
Christmas Movies for the Family
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Arthur Christmas
Curious George Very Monkey Christmas
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Elf
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas
Frosty
Happy Holidays From Madagascar
Jingle All The Way
Merry Madagascar
Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mickey Mouse
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas
Miracle on 34th Street
Muppet Christmas Carol
Polar Express
Radio City Christmas Spectacular
Rudolph
Santa Clause
Shrek’s Swamp Stories
Thomas &Friends: Santa’s Little Engine
Toy Story That Time Forgot
White Christmas
Winnie the Pooh. A Very Merry Pooh Year
If I’ve left one of your favorite off this list, please comment below!
Do you use a movie rating tool to help you decide what movies are appropriate for your kids? Here are a few I found:
“…gives parents an idea of what they will encounter when they take their kids to the movies. With that in mind, we look at a film’s violence, sexual content, profanities and substance use as well as both positive and negative themes included in the script.”
“We rate, educate, and advocate for kids, families, and schools”
“We enable adults to determine whether a movie is appropriate for them or their children, according to their own criteria.”
Don’t Let Christmas Be Chaos!
Is Christmas about to come and go right before your eyes?? Be intentional with your time. Plan it out, but don’t do too much. Too many of our days are overloaded with the busyness of the holidays. Choose one thing each day. Invite other people. Have fun with each thing you do. Here’s a list of things you can do.
With Friends
- Do a secret Santa Gift Exchange
- Go shopping with Friends
- Find a local place to volunteer
- Sit and relax and have a warm drink
- Have a hallmark movie night
- Bake together
- Christmas Lights
- Sock exchange
- Ornament Exchange
- Nutcracker or other plays
- Go to the snow
With Kids
- Advent Calendar
- Christmas countdown rings
- Crafts
- Bake cookies
- Read the Christmas story
- Go see Santa
- Watch Christmas movies
- Hot Chocolate outing
- Local Christmas parades
- Living Nativity
- Christmas Lights
- Dress Christmas-y
- Kids book exchange
- Gingerbread House decorating
Party
- Have a cookie exchange
- Throw a tacky sweater party
- Progressive Dinner
- Play minute to win it games
- Play Christmas Charades
- Different gift exchanges
…
Read MoreRoasted Butternut Squash Soup
As Christmas day approaches, our calendars get filled up with activities….shopping, decorating, gathering together with family and friends. The days are getting colder and the hours in the day seem to get shorter. When dinnertime comes around it is nice to have an easy dinner to serve for your family. One that is filled with wonderful flavors and incredible health benefits is an added bonus to help sustain the energy needed to accomplish all the things you have on your “to-do” list. This roasted butternut squash soup is easy to prepare and lasts for days in the refrigerator. It is a wonderful soup to pull out if a friend stops by around lunch time. Put on your favorite Christmas carols and take an hour to unwind as you fix this delicious soup for your family.
Ingredients
1 large butternut squash (2-2 ½ pounds) peeled and cubed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped fine
1 tablespoon butter
1 large leek, washed and chopped (2 cups)
4 cups fat free, low sodium, organic chicken broth (vegetable both for vegetarians)
½ cup sherry
6-8 fresh sage leaves chopped fine
¼ cup plain greek yogurt
Preheat over to 400 degrees. Mix cubed squash with olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large bowl and spread on a foil lined 15×10 jelly roll pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake 45-50 minutes until squash is fork tender. Allow the squash to cool. While squash is roasting melt the butter in a large stock pot and add the chopped leeks. Turn heat to medium and cook the leeks until translucent, stirring occasionally about 6-8 minutes. Add the cooled squash and the broth, sherry and sage and turn heat to high. …
Teaching Our Kids Compassion
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32
In light of the tragic shooting in San Bernadino this week, I am reminded of how lost we are without Jesus. In the midst of questions regarding why this happened only one thing stood out to me–that we serve a God that never falters, is always with us, and will never leave us. That is the only certainty in the world.
But what can we do?
As much as I want my kids to grow up in a world where they will always be safe and where I can protect them, I know that is not always the case. However, I can prepare their hearts and minds to be a light for God – to live their lives with compassion in a world filled with hate.
We just so happened to be watching “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” today and it brought up a lot of great conversations about “why the Grinch was mean.” We talked about how the other kids were not nice to him just because he looked different and how sad that made him feel. His sadness turned to anger and he became unkind. When we finish the movie I hope to talk about how Cindy Lou’s kindness and compassion made a difference in the Grinch’s life and how she taught him to be kind. I think this is the same way we can choose to react to this type of horror – to teach and show our children compassion in a hurting world. From small acts of compassion to the people in our lives, to global actions that first and foremost show God’s never-ending love.
I found this sermon by The Rock Church and World Outreach …
Read MoreContinue in Thankfulness!
Continue in thankfulness after Thanksgiving!
It is very easy to go about our lives not even thinking of how blessed we are. It’s one thing to the next to the next. Our minds are filled, our lives are filled, our stomachs are filled, and our schedules are filled. We don’t understand what it really means to be in need. Which I think really affects our ability to be grateful and give thanks. We live in a culture filled with entitlement and survival mode and excess. But… it is the month of thankfulness, so maybe we are paying a little bit more attention to being thankful, but I am almost sure there is some room to grow. So it’s time to take a look…
What were you thankful for today, this past week, this past week? And not just what, but who are you thankful for? How does that thankfulness impact you, and what does it compel you to do? Do you say thanks? Do you return the favor? Do you pay it forward? Do you live blessed?
I received a letter in the mail (REAL MAIL, not email) a few days ago from a friend telling me how thankful she is for me. She said she is taking the month of November and writing a letter to a different person every day to tell them she is thankful for them. HOW COOL IS THAT!
Focus on thankfulness past November! Let’s change our perspective with hope to change our lives so we are filled with gratitude. Practice the discipline of being thankful this holiday season, and hopefully it will overflow as habit into the rest of the year. And I call it a discipline, because it may take discipline to change your mindset or perspective. But disciplines cause lasting change. So …
Read MoreOh Christmas Card, Oh Christmas Card…
It’s that time again – the time to make your Christmas card and receive many in the mail! So much fun! But, I have found that a lot of people are unaware of how many options you really have for personalized photo Christmas cards. The most common place that I know of is Costco- Easy and Affordable. And, don’t get me wrong- I LOVE COSTCO! Unfortunately, many other people do, too, which means that you run the risk of using the same template that 50 of your closest friends may choose! Today, I am going to give you a list of some other options to try this year if you feel like branching out!
**Click on the names in the list to go directly to their Christmas card sections!**
1. Costco
Range: $34.50 for a set of 50 cads making each the cost $0.69 per card
Additional sets of 25 cards is $17.25 (still $0.69 per card)
PROs: Great templates, You can create your card online and pick them up at the store which cuts down on Shipping Costs
CONs: Many people use Costco for their Christmas cards
Check the in-mail coupons for potential discounts and deals on Christmas Cards
2. Shutterfly
Range: $0.89 for 12 to $0.40 for 225+ (Cheapest option) to $3.99 for 1 to $1.98 for 201+
PROs: Numerous templates, Site is easy to use, There is ALWAYS a discount!, 100% satisfaction guarantee, Free and unlimited storage of your photos, Offers mailing services and envelope upgrades
CONs: Large logo on your card
Current discount:
Save 50% on orders of $149 or more.
Save 40% on orders of $49 – $148.
Save 30% on orders less than $49
Enter code: CYBERSAVE (Ends Tomorrow! Check later this week or next for new discounts!)
Free economy shipping on orders of …
Read MorePumpkin Harvest Hummus
I hope and pray that each one of you felt the peace and joy that comes with stopping to be grateful for all the blessings we have in our lives. Our Thanksgiving celebration was an amazing experience as we reflected on our year and shared about all that we are thankful for. As we head into the Christmas season, we will all be invited to many potlucks, hors d’oeurve parties and probably have many friends stop over for a spontaneous visit. This Pumpkin Harvest Hummus is absolutely the perfect snack to have on hand to take to a holiday party or to whip out and serve with carrots, cucumber slices and pita chips when friends come by. I made some for a party last week and it received rave reviews so I thought I would share it with you.
Ingredients
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
2 Tablespoons Tahini
2-3 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅓ teaspoon cayenne (ground red pepper)
1 ½ teaspoon cumin
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 Tablespoons water (if needed to thin as you blend)
Put all ingredients into a Vitamix or blender and mix until pureed to the consistency of hummus. Use a bit of water to thin it out if you think it is too thick. Pour into an airtight container and chill until ready to use. Serve with carrots, cucumbers, pita chips or pita bread. It also makes a great spread for your turkey sandwich (with a bit of cranberry sauce, lettuce and tomato).
Thankful Hearts
“I am thankful for my faith and the freedom we have in our country to worship and share our world view with others. I am grateful for God who gives me life and breath and purpose. I am thankful for my precious husband who is faithful and devoted to our family and fills my life with fun and adventure. I am grateful for having wonderful relationships with each one of my daughters and am blessed by how they follow Jesus in their lives. They have all married excellent men and all choose to honor God and serve Him together and I LOVE being a Gammie to 7 almost 8 grandchildren. They keep me young and bring me joy! I am thankful for the gift of good healthy and the opportunity to gain “wellness wisdom”. I am thankful for my incredible girl friends, hiking buddies, prayer partners. And I am extremely thankful for the opportunities that I have in my life to love and serve the women in my community and the women and orphans in Malawi, Africa.”
Have Fun With Your Significant Other!
Do you have someone special to share your life with?! If you do, you know how important it is to carve out time together regularly.
A great way to spend time together is to do an activity. Pick something you have in common and join a group, club, gym, etc. to schedule that regular time doing something together.
My husband and I love fitness, so we bought a Groupon to take kettlebell classes together. The fun part about this is he has experience and I don’t–so he gets to be the “expert” of sorts, sharing something he enjoys as I learn the ropes (or should I say “swings” since we are talking about kettlebells).
It is fun to break out of the normal date routine of movies and dinner and share an experience together. I am getting to learn more about one of my husband’s passions, while also doing something I love–fitness!!
What do you and your husband do together? What activity would you choose?
…
Blessing in Disguise
Sometimes we receive blessings in disguises, other times we give them. But it is so cool when we realize how God orchestrates and plans out things. I wrote this story down in my journal from a few years ago, and I wanted to share it with you. ” [Unnamed friend] was going through a hard week last week. A week ago she decided to skip something she is a part of and go to a mid week church service to take a breath from the chaos of life and refresh her soul. I had the night free so I chose to go with her. The service was great, but it was what happened this past week that really showed us how AMAZING God is. After the service we connected with a friend that she hadn’t seen in awhile. It was real quick… didn’t think much of it. But that friend texted her the beginning of the week and asked if we were doing a women’s Bible study. He had a friend that was looking for something to get involved in. Perfect opportunity. We just started our group a couple weeks ago. She texted with the friend’s friend. And that new friend came Tuesday night and shared in our fellowship and community with one another. And not only was she blessed, but she blessed all of us by her spirit and eagerness and willingness to open up a little.” A blessing in disguise…
We all know what it is like to be new in situations. We all know how it feels to go into a situation with a little uneasiness and fear. But what we don’t always recognize, is God is just waiting to blow our minds and provide for us in ways we can’t even imagine. Too often we let …
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