Christmas Questionnaire- Holiday fun!

I am linking up with Michelle over at Fabulous in First for a Christmas Questionnaire.  It is no secret to anyone how much I love Christmas and the holidays.  Last year we spent Christmas in Disney and if you have never done that....I highly recommend it.  Although I was disappointed because the weather was not as warm as we had hoped but who cares when you are having this much fun. Right?  Here are a few off the thousands shots we took.... 

Seeing Cinderella's castle lit up like this on Christmas Day night was just purely magical.  As well as seeing all of the Christmas trees.  Oh man seeing all of these pictures makes me wish we were there this year.  :)

So this is what I like to do for Christmas when we are usually home.
 
 Hot Chocolate or Eggnog?
 Definitely Hot Chocolate.  With either lots of marshmallows or whip cream.  YUM!!!
Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them underneath the tree? 
When I was younger Santa did some wrapping and left some things unwrapped.  I would have to say now with my own we wrap some and we do leave some unwrapped so the tradition continues. 
Colored lights or white? 
If my hubby had it his way they would all be colored and I am not talking about the little colored bulbs it would be the old fashioned colored huge bulbs.  But since I do all of the decorating...I win so they are white and accented with color.  :) 
When do you decorate?
We have 3 December birthdays in our family so I feel like I can not decorate until we celebrate them.  So usually around the first of the month or if I get it all together then right after Thanksgiving. 
Real or Fake Tree?
Fake...Although we have had both.  I prefer fake...less mess.  :) 
Favorite Christmas Memories or Traditions?
My favorite tradition and I am sad we can't share it now with our own kiddos is a local nursery who used to set up for Christmas with all kinds of holiday displays and old time working snowmen, characters, and other holiday things.  We loved to walk through the display and see penguins playing on the ice and moving, holiday bakers baking Christmas cookies, and other fun things to look at from these animated puppets.  Some was lost to a fire and what was saved after they closed is on display now but it still isn't the same. 
Do you remember your favorite gift as a child?
My favorite gift as a child was receiving the Barbie townhouse...yes I played with Barbie dolls and loved every minute of it.  I was so excited to get that one year because I knew my parents had really splurged to get that for us and didn't really have the money to do so. 
Candy Canes. Yuck or Yum?
I like Candy Canes but I could do alright with or without one. 
Favorite Christmas Movie?
White Christmas with Bing Crosby, and Christmas Vacation
Do you shop online or at stores?
If I can avoid the stores I do...I don't like shopping in all of the crowds.  I prefer shopping online right now. 
Photo Cards, Letter or Store Bought Card? 
Photo Cards.  I love seeing everyone's family and neat ideas they come up with.  I just wish I had a creative way to display them.  I already have an idea for ours next year I can't wait to do it.  

This was fun ! 
Julie

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The Teaching Bug

Tacky the Penguin-Winter Holiday Craft

Looking for a fun craft to do with your students right before the holiday????  Well if you are a kindergarten, first, or second grade teacher I am sure you have read the books by Helen Lester about Tacky the Penguin.  After spotting this book at the library an idea popped into my head to do something fun with the book and adapt a craft after it.  It was such a cute story about how the penguins celebrated Christmas and how they decorated Tacky.  And guess what????  You can pick it up free in my store.  Just a little holiday gift for all of my fabulous followers.  :)  I appreciate you all!  Inside this freebie you will get all the parts you need to create a cute display in your classroom and a graphing activity .  Want to create and igloo on your bulletin board I say go for it and add these adorable penguins around the igloo.  Hmmmm I might just do that myself too!  :)  

 

This is how we did our Tacky penguins.  Before the students arrived I made a cup of really hot water and added it to a bowl.  Then I took a good amount...use a lot if necessary of Epsom salt (available anywhere or even dollar store) and dissolved it in the hot water.  I let it cool and when the kids came in they were given paint brushes , construction paper (I chose blue), and a small amount of dissolved Epsom salt and water that was cooled.  The kids were asked to cover the whole paper with the mixture....at first they said "Nothing happened!"  You have to remind them they are not going to see anything right away and if they wait a while they might see some ice crystals.  If it doesn't turn out right they can add more after it dries.  Layering is fine.   

 

 

 

Then I printed out the penguin for the kids to color and follow the directions to the glyph .  Each of them were given a small bag of skittles or M&M's all graciously donated by parents and then a small twizzler pull and peel in the color of black or red. 

Or you could purchase two large bags and distribute...can't  find them or want to use them then draw lines in red or black crayon. Have your sweet kiddos cut it all out and glue the candy on Tacky.  Whatever left over candy was theirs to enjoy.  They loved that!   

 

 

 And here is how it turned out.  It was a lot of fun.

 

 

 

 

If you want to download this freebie.  Go check it out at my store. 

 

 

Enjoy! 

Julie

 

 

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The Teaching Bug