Holidays Archives - Busy Moms Helper

Christmas Activity for the Whole Family

December 17, 2019 by Lyra Almoite Leave a Comment

With Christmas being just days away, all the busy moms know that it’s not only the Christmas dinner you should be planning for. There’s the gifts, the family who’s coming over and the Christmas Activity for the Whole Family. Momma, you got the whole Christmas weight on your shoulders. But we got your back, busy moms! So, we made a list of Christmas Activity that the whole fam can enjoy!

Christmas Activities for the Whole Family

Making Christmas Wreaths

We all know that Christmas decorations are not complete without hanging a beautiful and festive Christmas wreath at your door. While you can always get it ready-made from Amazon or Target, hanging a Christmas wreath that has been hand-crafted by the whole family can make it extra special.

The first thing that you want to do is to get the kids excited by taking them outside and ask them to start gathering evergreen branches and pine cones. Your kids will love this “scavenger hunt”! After gathering all the materials, attach the greens to a wire ring. If you don’t have a metal ring around, you can make one out of coat hangers. With all honesty, this can be a really great family tradition to start with. Don’t forget to take pictures and compare your Christmas wreaths year by year.

Still unsure how to do it? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a Christmas Wreath from Food52.com. Check it out here.

Play a Christmas Scavenger Hunt

With the kiddos jumping and running around the house all day long, I learned that there is nothing that will get them all more riled up than a scavenger hunt. You don’t have to buy anything special, just pick a couple of items that are commonly found in your household and hide them all around the house. You can also give a prize to the kid who gathers the most things! If you’re feeling like teasing your kiddos, you can hide their present around the house and set up clues to find them.

Want to spice up your Christmas Scavenger Hunt? Here’s some ideas.

Pick Out a Christmas Tree

Okay. So there’s only one rule in the house when it comes to Christmas decorations. That is, everyone must help in decorating the tree, but it’s better to do more than that. You can ask your kids to come on a road trip to the mall or the local store so that they can help you pick a tree. This will make them feel more involved and get more excited to get it decorated. You mommas know the light on the kiddos face when they see the tree all decorated. In fact, in our house, who puts the star on top of the tree can be a real competition.

Want some tips on picking the perfect Christmas tree? Read here.

Go Ice Skating

Even though your kiddos might have a hard time dealing with the cold or they might not like wearing too many layers of clothes, there is one thing that they are certainly going to love, Ice skating! It is a fun family adventure, and more importantly, your kids will be exhausted at the end of the day, and they will fall asleep as soon as you get home.

If you’re not sure where to go, here’s the Top US Ice Skating Rinks to Visit this Christmas.

Create a Hand-Made Christmas Cards

If you have a big family and not all of them can make it over to your home for Christmas, then I have a great idea about a family activity that your kids will have a blast with! You should craft your own Christmas cards and ask the kids to help out. If they are too young to draw, let them place colored thumbprints all over the cards. In fact, you can even create a mini-ones and use them a gift card or tags and if you’re looking for ready-to-print Christmas gift tags, you may check this one out.

These are our top 5 go-to Christmas activities with the whole fam. Whatever Christmas activity you’ll pick, be sure to have fun and spend time bonding with the whole family. After all, that is what Christmas is all about.

What Christmas activity do you plan to do with the whole family this Christmas? Share it with the other busy moms!

5 Tips for a Multi-age Family Halloween

October 18, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Thanks to shopDisney.com for sponsoring this post. All opinions are mine alone.

Even though we have 5 kiddos, they’re not too far apart in age (8 to 13). I have many friends, however, who struggle to do Halloween as a family because they have a wide spread of ages. What works best for a toddler isn’t exactly exciting for a preteen. You can still have a spooktacular holiday with the 5 Tips for a Multi-Age Family Halloween!

5 Tips for a Multi-Age Family Halloween - how to handle a big age gap during Halloween #ad #shopdisney #halloween

#1 Too Scary or Just Right?

This seems to be what parents bring up first – how do I keep it mild for my littles but ‘scary enough’ for my older kids? While this can be tricky, it’s totally doable by finding themes that ‘scream’ Halloween without the terror. For example, skeletons can be just as thrilling while still being adorable – such as these Mickey Mouse Light-up Hoodies.

Or how about these cute PJ Pals?

#2 Pick Their Favorites

Little ones may be all about Buzz Lightyear or Tinkerbelle, while older kids probably prefer Descendants characters or Black Panther. Whatever they’re into, you can get each child their own favorite costumes, accessories and more! This also helps them feel unique and have more fun with ‘their’ Halloween.

#3 Costumes for Everyone

Help your kids feel more ‘together’ despite the age differences by joining them in dressing up! Yes, I’m encouraging grown adults to have some fun *gasp* – but seriously, it shouldn’t just be the kids choosing their favorites and participating in the activities, the parents should be included to make it really feel like a family event. This is particularly helpful for the ‘older’ kids who may be worried it’s childish to dress up. If they see you in costume, they’ll feel like it’s just fine to enjoy it!

And yes, include the more furry family members, too!

#4 Share in Decorating

Get input from everyone – big or little, young or old – on your family’s theme for decorating this year. Maybe the younger ones can help with plush characters or yard signs. The older kids may be trusted with things that require a bit more care and responsibility – such as garlands or glass figures. This way everyone feels a part of the process, but still have tasks geared to their level.

#5 Matchy?

What better way to bring the entire family – regardless of age – together than with fun matching Halloween outfits? I know some people are very much in the ‘each person needs something different’ group for their family Halloween clothing, and I agree with that sometimes. I’m a huge lover of awesome matching pjs for my crew, though! Or go for something more basic, like these cool and CUSTOMIZABLE tshirts.

Another option, for those that want to mix it up a bit, is to pick a matching THEME then each person gets their own character. I’d love to go as Jack & Sally, maybe with a little Oogey Boogey or Zero!

There’s also picking the same movie – like Toy Story – or go with a ‘universe’ such as Marvel or Star Wars! There’s so many options to choose from, you’re bound to find something that works for every family.

Final Tip

Overall, the important thing is to consider each of your child’s interests (no matter the age) and include that in some way for our family’s Halloween activities. Age gaps can be difficult, and you may end up putting some kids to bed earlier than the teens – but that just means some extra time you can do more ‘older kid’ things with them, after doing some things the little ones would enjoy.

Hope everyone has a spooktacular family Halloween this year!

Disney World Halloween Celebrations

August 28, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

As the fall season approaches, it’s hard to believe, but it’s already time to start celebrating Halloween. That is if you are visiting Disney World any time between August 16th and November 1st! Halloween Season at Walt Disney World now stretches well past the two months that Christmas gets at the end of the year. The one big way you can celebrate Halloween during your visit to the Magic Kingdom is by participating in Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. However, we have some other ideas for you as well that won’t require an extra park ticket. Here’s how you can celebrate a Disney World Halloween!

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Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

If Halloween Horror Nights are too intense for you (definitely are for me!), Mickey’s Not So Scary after-hours event is the answer. This fun family-friendly party features live shows, a parade, new fireworks, rare character meet and greets and trick or treat trails around the park. On select nights, the Magic Kingdom will close early for a nighttime event full of costumed fun. Some attractions will feature seasonal overlays, and because of the limited attendance, wait times will be super low. We rode Big Thunder Mountain over and over, with only the time it took to get back into the ride! It’s one of the best special events of the year at Walt Disney World.

Dress Up

If you can’t be there for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, but you still want to get into the spirit of Halloween, it’s easy! There are so many great ways you and your kids can dress up. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique offers princess makeovers for kids, while the Pirates League is another fun costume opportunity. Soon Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge will offer costumes at the Black Spire Trading Post (yay!). If you’re an adult, don’t be afraid to show your Disney side, too! Disney has fully embraced Disneybounding and even sells some helpful merchandise to get you started.

Candy

Nothing says Halloween quite like candy, and for the price of admission to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, you can afford a lot of it. Candy stores are all over the Walt Disney World property. Goofy’s Candy Co and Candy Cauldron at Disney Springs are just a starting point for your sweet tooth. Every Disney theme park features a candy store full of tantalizing treats.

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Villains

Keep on the lookout for Disney villains roaming the parks and character restaurants. You might see Cruella, Gaston, Lady Tremaine, Darth Vader, or the Evil Queen. Try to track down as many villains as you can while you park and resort hop around Walt Disney World.

Spooky Fun

You can get your thrills with spooky attractions like the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Haunted Mansion. Then shop for souvenirs from Memento Mori or take home a Tower of Terror Lenticular photo. Continue the fun with a Halloween themed in-room celebration featuring themed candy and other treats from Disney Floral and Gifts. The Halloween themed arrangements are a new addition to in-room celebrations that offer various kids and romantic themes.

Whether you go to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or not, you don’t have to wait till October to celebrate Halloween with your family and friends at Walt Disney World. When is your favorite time to celebrate a Disney World Halloween?

Birthday Invitations the Way YOU Want Them!

June 24, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

This post about totally customizable birthday invitations is sponsored by Basic Invite. Photos courtesy of Basic Invite. All opinions are mine alone.

Is it just me, or is one of the most frustrating parts about planning a party the invitations? I mean, I don’t have much time anymore to design exactly what we want, yet most sites you’re stuck with the one option – maybe a couple variations – but that’s it. Luckily I found out about Basic Invite, where you can completely customize your invitations – colors, designs, envelopes and more! Now you can get Birthday Invitations the Way YOU Want Them with hardly any hassle!

Because I know the first thing many of you will wonder is what type of invites they have – there’s tons! Not just awesome birthday ones, but also for weddings, baby, holidays and more. Being busy moms, though, I think the birthday ones are probably are biggest focus year-round. They have plenty of simple party invitations, but also awesome ones your kiddos will go crazy for – such as space themed, circus, candy land, sports, monsters, watermelon, and so many others!

So how can you customize your invite? After you’ve selected which awesome one you want – perhaps like these cute mustache birthday invitations – the real fun begins. Change the color – and not just from a handful of choices. You have over 180 different color options, so you can make the card exactly the way you want it – and since you can change colors on each element on your card, even the littlest detail is your choice!

Another great thing – especially for us moms who really want to see EXACTLY how things will print out, and how they feel (paper quality is hard to tell without having it in your hands, right?) – is that Basic Invite gives customers the ability or order an actual printed sample of the invitation before placing their final order. That means you get to see and feel YOUR invitation, that you customize – so you have no doubt it’s the way you want it.

Once you have your incredible invitation – whether it’s a fun shark themed one or one of their more classy birthday invitations – you also get to customize it even more by choosing from over 40 different colors of envelopes. That’s right, Basic Invite is as colorful with their envelopes as with their invitations! With this, you can set your card to stand apart even before it’s opened! Plus, an extra bonus for us parents, all of the envelopes are peel and seal, making it quick to close them securely.

I don’t typically invite a ton of kids because – well, sanity – but I still appreciate their address capturing service. With this, you can simply share a link on social media to request friends and family’s addresses. It’ll then store them in your account, and you can select which ones to include during the design process. Basic Invite even offers recipient address printing at no cost on all Christmas card orders, which can save a bundle during the holidays!

If you like to get fancy or make your invitation stand out even more, foil cards are an option in gold, silver and rose gold. Plus, all of their foil designs have the choice of flat or raised foil!

Since we parents LOVE saving money (and parties are expensive, anyway) you can save an extra 15% on Basic Invite with Coupon Code: 15FF51

Be sure to ceck out Basic Invite on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or Twitter for more invitation ideas and fun!

25 Frugal Mothers Day Gifts to Make

April 12, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Mothers Day is coming up next month and I’ve been looking for ways to make sure the amazing moms and grandmothers in my life are recognized in a special way. If you’re also doing the research, here’s this round up of 25 Frugal Mothers Day Gifts to Make. Honestly, there were so many amazing ideas it took may take awhile to pick which DIY Mother’s Day Gift you want to do!

I think the ones that tug at my heartstrings the most are the ones made out of tiny handprints, and itty bitty fingerprints! What mama wouldn’t want something with little hands on it?

There’s a little something for everyone on your list here. Happy crafting!

25 Frugal Mothers Day Gifts to Make

1. Mothers Day Craft Butterfly DIY Jewellery Box
2. Mothers Day Foot Soaks
3. Handmade Mothers Day Craft
4. Mamas Day Handprint Apron
5. Mothers Day Flower Garden
6. Mothers Day Mason Jar Spring Vases
7. Heart Thumbprint Platter
8. Make A Huggy Mothers Day Craft Card
9. Mother Day Popsicle Stick Flowers
10. Mothers Day Button Letter Craft
11. Mothers Day Craft Crepe Paper Flower
12. Mothers Day Craft Dry Wall Tape Decoupaged Pot
13. Mothers Day Button Chalkboard Craft
14. DIY Super Cute Fingerprint Bird Mothers Day Card
15. DIY Yarn Bowls
16. Mothers Day Photo Lid Keepsakes
17. Mothers Day Clay Finger Print Crafts
18. Floral Handmade Mothers Day Card
19. Adorable DIY Flower Pens
20. Flower Cupcakes
21. DIY Tile Coasters
22. DIY Stationary Set
23. Homemade Mothers Day Gift Idea DIY Floral Picture Frame
24. DIY Watering Can Flower Arrangement
25. DIY Nail Polished Marbeled Mug

Are you making something special for mom this year?

Mint Hot Chocolate Brownies

January 4, 2019 by Danielle

Y’all know my love for chocolate, right? With all of the holiday parties the kids (and us adults, as well) had over the holidays that involved bringing a treat to share, I just knew I wanted to whip up something good. I wanted them to be a little festive, but not JUST a holiday-themed dessert. These Mint Hot Chocolate Brownies were just the ticket, with that amazing chocolaty flavor mixed with the perfect hint of mint, topped off with some marshmallowy goodness. We had to make extra just to enjoy here by ourselves!

Instead of making these brownies in a regular pan, I thought it’d be more fun (and cute) to bake them in a muffin tin so they’re more like individual little brownie bites. So fun! Plus, it’s easier to know where to place the marshmallow – and I’m all for easy recipes 🙂

You can switch up the sprinkles on top (or leave them off entirely, totally up to you) to match whatever theme or event you have, which makes them really flexible and fun. I wanted a bit more simple on this batch, but still ‘winter holiday’, so added some white pearl sprinkles. Another batch that the girls will take to their church youth party have red crystal ones on top. I love mixing things up!

Makes: 24 Muffin-sized Brownies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Sugar
1 1/3 cup Butter, very soft
1 cup Brown Sugar, loosely packed
2 tsp. Vanilla
4 Large Eggs
1 cup Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)
3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 cup Chocolate Chips
6 Large Marshmallows
1/2-1 cup Andes Mint pieces
Sprinkles, as desired

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Spray or line two muffin tins, set aside.
In a large bowl (or mixer) mix the butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and eggs until creamy.
Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda and mix until well combined.
Mix in the chocolate chips, then divide into the muffin tins.
Bake for 8-9 minutes. While baking, cut the marshmallows in half.
Remove the brownies (should not be done yet) and place a half marshmallow (with sticky cut side down)into the middle of each brownie bite and press it down.
Bake for another 2-4 minutes or until the marshmallows are puffy and the brownies are fully baked (insert a toothpick next to the marshmallow to see if the center is done). Allow to cool, then remove from muffin tin.
Melt the Andes mint pieces in the microwave at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until they’re all melted and smooth. Drizzle over the brownies, topping with sprinkles while still melted so they stick better.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-6 days. Enjoy!

See, they’re super easy to whip up – and the taste is amazing! It’s like a nice, chewy cup of hot chocolate with just the right amount of mint to really add to the flavor. I warmed up my brownie for about 5 seconds in the microwave to give it that bit of warmth, really making the perfect afternoon treat.

These were a HUGE hit at our holiday events, and I had quite a few friends ask me for the recipe. I love being able to share tasty treats (especially chocolate ones) and knowing people truly enjoyed them.

I think next time I’ll do a white chocolate drizzle, add a bit of mint extract and a little green food coloring, for more coloring to these little desserts. Heck, red or blue would be great for holiday time, too! Really, just have fun with it and enjoy your delicious hot chocolate brownies with mint topping!

What’s your favorite holiday recipe?

Happy New Year 2019

December 31, 2018 by Danielle

I can’t believe how fast 2018 went by! As we’re wrapping up this crazy-yet-fantastic year, I can’t help but look back at all the memories – some sad, some hilarious. Some moments were frustrating, others were full of love. For all those moments, I can’t begin to say how grateful I am for this past year, and how excited I am for the one ahead of us. Here’s us wishing you a very Happy New Year 2019!

Thank you to all of our readers, friends and family for your support and love over the years. We appreciate, more than words, you joining us on this little site of ours as we share our adventures as a family, as a couple, and just as a busy mom making her way through this wild ride called life. It sure is a mess, but it’s a beautiful mess – thank you for sharing it with me!

Love to you all, and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas 2018

December 24, 2018 by Danielle

As we enjoy this magical season with those we love, we want to take a moment and wish a very Merry Christmas 2018 to all of you out there who have joined us this past year on this site! Enjoy some tasty food, take your time opening gifts, savor the sweet moments that seem to go by so quickly.

We hope your holidays are full of love, laughter and many more memories with those most important to you – whether they be calm or crazy, serious or silly, quiet or loud….

…..they’re what makes life worth living every single day!

Merry Christmas to all!

Love, The Reeves Family

20 DIY Gift Card Holders

December 17, 2018 by Danielle

Not sure what to give someone because they’re super picky, change their mind, or always just get themselves what they want? Or maybe they live far away, so shipping something large isn’t exactly easy – or affordable. Doing gift cards is an excellent choice, and these 20 DIY Gift Card Holders are the perfect, creative way to give them!

I just love the variety of beautiful and FUN gift card holders you can make yourself! I have a few people I’ll be giving gift cards to, now I just have to choose which of these great ideas I’ll use to ‘wrap’ it in 🙂

I Heart Naptime – Santa Gift Card Holder

Design Eat Repeat – DIY Ugly Sweater Gift Card Holder

Bliss Bloom – Felt Gift Card Holders

Damask Love – Christmas Cocoa Gift Card Holder

Pink and Dotty – Snowman Gift Card Holder

That’s What Che Said – Washi Tape Christmas Tree Gift Card Holders

A Girl and a Gun – Stocking Gift Card Holder

Made to Be Momma – Ruffled Gift Card Holder

Tried and True Blog – Rudolph Gift Card Holder

DIY Candy – Felt Christmas Gift Card Holder

Positively Splendid – Sliding Door Gift Card Holder

Lovely Indeed – DIY Wood and Gold Leaf Gift Card Holder

My Red Wellies – Crochet Fox Gift Card Holder

Hip 2 Save – DIY Gift Card Snowglobe

Lemon Jitters – Paper Gift Card Holder

I Heart Naptime – Gift Card Holder Printable

Crafty Steals – Snowman Gift Card Holder Tutorial

Damask Love – Easy Paper Bag Gift Card Holder

1 Dog Woof – Crochet Gift Card Holder

That’s What Che Said – Santa Sack Gift Card Holder

Which was YOUR favorite?

Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts – with free printable!

December 11, 2018 by Danielle

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PoweringTheHolidays #CollectiveBias

How many times have you been super excited about a gift, but once it’s opened realize it needs batteries – then the search begins! That hassle and waiting to be able to actually ENJOY the gift can cause so much unneeded holiday stress. Especially with kids, you don’t want to deal with the pressure (aka nagging) that’s sure to ensue while you hunt through cabinets and drawers. Don’t worry, because I’ve learned a Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts (plus giving a free printable so it’s even easier). No searching or stress THIS year!

While you’re doing your holiday shopping, make a note of which items need batteries – including what type and how many. Then stock up on however many Energizer® Ultimate Lithium™ batteries you need during your next visit to Walmart (because Energizer® Ultimate Lithium™ is the #1 Longest-Lasting Battery). It’s probably a smart idea to nab a few extra packs, just in case! To help with the holiday budget, click here to receive a $5 Walmart eGift card with your $15 Energizer® battery or lights purchase.**

Make sure you have everything ready – your gifts, wrapping paper, scissors, tape, ribbon, hole punch and your Energizer® Ultimate Lithium™ Batteries. As a mom, I rely on these for all our toys and electronics because nothing outlasts their long-lasting power – I want to be switching the batteries as infrequently as possible, because heaven knows I have plenty other things to handle each day. I also really appreciate each battery’s safety-conscious and leak-proof design, helping me feel confident that the most-loved toys and devices are protected against leaks and corrosion! They’re the clear choice to power the essential devices in your life dependably! Gather everything together, then you’re ready to start making your fun ‘battery holder’ gift box!

Click on the photo below to easily shop for all your batteries!

You need to print off this template – I highly recommend printing onto colored cardstock type paper. This is more sturdy so works best, and printing onto the color you want the box to be saves you from having to trace it. Don’t worry if you can’t print directly onto the paper you’ll use for your ‘box’, because you can print on normal paper, cut it out, then trace it onto what you’d like. It prints onto 8.5×11 size, and has 2 per page. Once you have the template, here are the steps for creating your awesome ‘battery holder’ to attach to your wrapped gift!

Print out the template
Cut out each box on the outside lines
Hole punch slightly into each of the triangle tips
Fold inward on the inside lines
Add your Energizer® Ultimate Lithium™ batteries and use ribbon or string to loop inside, then carefully tighten and secure in a bow!

Now, because of the flaps on two of the ends (this provides more support for the pyramid shape), threading the ribbon the wrong way can cause weird lumps or issues. Here’s how I found works best for the smoothest closure…

There you have it – a super fun, festive gift box allowing you to safely include batteries WITH a gift by just taping the bottom of the paper box on top of your wrapped present. That means no more hunting around to power your kiddos new toy! If you don’t want to tape it on top, just wrap it inside the box with the present so it’s right there handy – or you can hang a bunch of these battery boxes (carefully) from your tree – high up where young ones can’t reach, of course – to easily grab when a ‘batteries required’ gift is opened. So fun!

Want to know another perk of hitting up the Energizer® battery displays during your Walmart shopping trip? You can nab these amazingly useful Energizer® Brand Headlights for a great stocking stuffer! I couldn’t resist getting another for hubby, because he uses his All. The. Time!

If you’re in a hurry so don’t have time to do this fun battery gift box, just use festive ribbon and tape to secure the needed batteries to their corresponding gift – easy!

Now go enjoy your holidays knowing that you’ll have a lot less stress when present-opening time comes, because any needed batteries will be right there with the gift, not only making it easy to grab but also look fabulous!

**See Offer Terms & Conditions for complete details

How often have YOU forgotten batteries during the holidays? Me….well, way too many 😉

5 Tips to Save More on Christmas

December 7, 2018 by Danielle

As we’re now a week into December, it’s time to really get into the holiday planning (if you haven’t already) – especially with the budget! Do you find yourself spending more money for Christmas than you plan to every year? If so, you’re not alone – many people go into debt during the Christmas season, despite best intentions, and spend the next year paying off credit cards and other bills. However, it doesn’t have to be that way, as long as you do some planning and stick to it. If you struggle with this (I certainly do), maybe try some of these 5 Tips to Save More on Christmas this year.

I’m totally guilty of spending too much at Christmas – using excuses like ‘oh, but this one more gift is just perfect for so-and-so’ or that ‘we have to buy something for this group, they may feel bad if we don’t’. It can be hard to draw a line, but for your family’s financial sense we all really need to. To help, here’s five ways you can save more money for Christmas this year:

Even though the Christmas Day may seem like a long time away, it’s never too early to start planning for it – we all know how fast time goes, especially this part of the year! Creating a plan now can save you money later partly because you won’t have to run out at the last minute to buy gifts, decorations and supplies (batteries, tape and wrapping paper are what I run out of most). You can take your time and shop around, finding the right gifts for the best deals.
Shop for deals online – you can often find some great deals that you won’t find in stores. Some retailers may offer more variety online as well, so you may also have better selections to choose from. Maybe you can find that watch in your kid’s favorite color, making it all the more exciting to receive. Check out our Holiday Gift Guides for great options!
Don’t try to buy gifts for EVERYONE in your family – it can get really expensive and put your bank account in the red very quickly. Instead, only buy gifts for your closest family members and friends. Then get together as a group with your extended family and co-workers to draw names instead of trying to buy for everyone. Be sure to set a limit on the amount to spend for the gifts. If the budget is really tight, try DIY gifts – or simply explain that you’re very sorry, but you’re limiting gift spending this year to very immediate members and such. Almost everyone has had a time when they’re crunched for pennies, so most people will understand.
Keep your decorations simple. Instead of buying a six foot tree, consider a two or three foot tree and use homemade ornaments to decorate. Cut back on the number of lights you use when decorating your home to reduce cost and to help save on the electric bill. Shop thrift stores for awesome-though-used items to add to your display.
Keep your Christmas dinner to a minimum – you don’t have to include FIVE different types of vegetable sides or several desserts. If you do plan to host a large family gathering, ask everyone to bring their specialty dish to help out. It will cut back on how much you have to spend and most everyone will be happy to contribute!

Use these tips to save money so that you can focus on the real meaning of the season – enjoying loved ones and being grateful – instead of stressing about the financial side of it. Not going in debt for the holiday season can be your gift to yourself!

How to you save money during Christmas?

Christmas Holidays at Walt Disney World

December 5, 2018 by Danielle

Remember how I said I was thrilled to make a visit to Orlando to experience all four Disney parks last week? Well, it may have been a super-rushed trip, but I was determined to fit in as much as I could – and today I’m sharing all the fun, festive happenings (and treat-enings – get it?) that occur during the Christmas Holidays at Walt Disney World!

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I’ll divide it up by park, so you can see what each one has to offer in terms of the special ‘extras’ for this time of year. Let’s start with the one most people think of first…

Magic Kingdom

When people look to visit Disney World during Christmastime, they often only think about Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (you can read my recap of that HERE). It’s very similar in idea as the Not-So-Scary Halloween party, with complimentary treats (cookies, chocolates, pretzels) and drinks (eggnog, cider, cocoa, sno-cones) instead of trick-or-treating, and of course more holiday themed. While I admit this is a HUGE draw for guests, and definitely worth going to if you can swing the price tag, it’s not the only reason you should experience the Christmas holidays at Walt Disney World.

Outside of the party, there’s tons of decorations everywhere – from the garlands, bows and lights that adorn most entries and poles, to the red and white poinsettias adorning gardens and baskets. There’s even lights, wreaths and bells adding to the atmosphere, and even many of the snack carts are feeling that holiday cheer.

Once you get through the ticket entrance, the area right before the train station is a giant red poinsettia Mickey ornament – perfect for a holiday family photo! Go to the right or left and through the entry archways, and you’ll emerge to see a GINORMOUS Christmas tree, surrounded by large gifts and toy soldiers!

At night, Cinderella’s Castle is light up with sparkly, twinkling lights that take it to a whole new level of magical. It was my favorite thing, and I admit I took ‘more than a few’ photos of this delightful sight 😉

Many of the cast members wear holiday-themed outfits and/or Santa hats, and you can even see some of your favorite characters dressed up with a little more Christmas/winter to their outfits, which makes for some extra special meet-and-greet photos.

There’s also an area for Santa – check out the schedule for times when you’re there!

Don’t forget to make a stop by the ‘Jingle Cruise’ as well – even the boats are fun holiday-themed names, the skippers wear Santa hats, and the whole que & ride are dressed up for the occasion!

Some snack locations have seasonal treats that are definitely worth a try, so either check your program or – even better – ask a cast member and they can lead you the right direction! Be sure to contact Michael’s VIPs for their wonderful tour guide services, especially as the holidays can be extra crowded & you want the best trip possible!

Hollywood Studios

With the exception of a few spots (near Star Tours), Hollywood Studios was decorated as much as – or perhaps a little more – than Magic Kingdom. Bright stars from Christmas lights that changed color, wreaths, bells and classic-looking signs featuring Santa, reindeer and more, plus Echo Lake had HUGE ornaments floating in it! The dinosaur even had on a fun Santa hat, and some displays of statue deer and such helped add to the whole feel.

In the evening, there’s the Seasons Greetings show (that may repeat a couple of times, I wasn’t quite sure exactly) over by the Tower of Terror. Along the street leading up to that area are two screens that show a mini video clip, then a great display is projected onto the Tower of Terror with music to match the little clip you just saw. They had the Muppet Chef Guy (I know, I should remember his name, but I can’t) that built a Gingerbread house on the movie clip, then the Tower showed a huge creation out of gingerbread to playful music.

Olaf’s clip was finding a holiday tradition, then the song played along with images of traditions and such.

Even Toy Story got in on the fun, making it the Hollywood Toyland Hotel! I thought this show was INCREDIBLE, and would’ve loved to show my kids! The lights along that street switch around depending on which clip is playing, and ‘snow’ is pumped out, so it’s like a magical snowfall all down the street. That snow continued almost the entire evening it seemed!

On the Chinese Theater was the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! show that I’ve heard several people rave about – but personally, I was a little disappointed by it. Yes, it’s fun with the Elves and rescuing Santa, and it does have fun montages and music. But overall, there was too much to look at with all the different screens it was playing on, plus fireworks, plus laser light show. I even saw several people watch a bit, then decide to leave before it was done. It wasn’t bad by any means, and there were plenty of folks who loved it – it just wasn’t my cup of tea, I suppose. If you’ve seen it – let us know what you thought in the comments!

One thing I really loved was this fun window display, full of dancing ornaments!

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Loved these dancing Minnie ornaments in a shop window at Hollywood Studios at #waltdisneyworld #bmhtravel #hollywoodstudios #Disney #Christmas #holidays

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I believe that at the Hollywood & Vine, they have a special Minnie Mouse Holiday buffet meal, but I didn’t personally go check this out. That’s one drawback to a solo trip – less excuse to take time for real dining!

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Epcot

I was most excited to see Epcot during the holidays (other than Magic Kingdom, of course) because I’d heard of the amazing ‘holidays around the world’ displays and such. Perhaps it was just that I was there earlier in the day, but it seemed a big let-down. There was a lot of decor – ginormous tree, plenty of garlands and lights and fun garden characters for the holidays. There was a stage where one of the shows would be (again, I was there earlier in the day – since this was a quick trip I couldn’t fit in everything unfortunately – so I missed the shows).

I did see several kiosks that were ‘holiday kitchen’ – featuring some seasonal snacks and drinks. Most of them weren’t open when I was there, though, despite being there until about 2pm. I did enjoy the displays in the various areas, telling a bit about that country’s traditions.

Keep in mind that I was there EARLIER in the day, only until early afternoon, so perhaps all the main holiday happenings occur after that – so don’t write off Epcot just yet. And if YOU have experienced some of the festivities at Epcot, please share in the comments!

Animal Kingdom

Guys, this is my favorite park (because it has TWO of my FOUR favorite rides – Flights of Passage & Everest)! That being said, it was very limited in the holiday-theming department. And maybe that was intentional, so they could keep the different lands more accurate and true to themselves. There was some decor around, but not much at all compared to the other parks, and just normal (yet still good) music playing. Again, this could be in keeping with the different ‘continents’ and areas, so this isn’t a complaint at all – just giving you a heads up that there’s not a lot of holiday-ness at Animal Kingdom. The main exception seemed to be the entrance, where they had the wreaths, garlands, and large Christmas tree up for plenty of photo opps. It was still great and lots of fun!

In ALL FOUR of the parks, you can find special holiday-themed merchandise in the stores – from ornaments and decor, to seasonal snacks and clothing, and much more. They even had a stuffed Stitch with a Santa hat that I wanted so badly to get for hubby, but stuck to my budget. I *did* get two candy apples though to bring home for the family to share – one decorated as a Mickey Mouse Santa. They also had a holiday Jack Skellington (Sandy Claws), Blue Snowflake and others to choose from. The lady at the counter asked if I was planning to take them on a plane, and when I said yes she popped out a sturdy box and packed them extra carefully – so grateful, and they made it home perfectly!

Most of the parks were also playing fun Christmas/Holiday music, which really helped put everyone in the spirit of the season! Overall, I absolutely LOVED experiencing the holidays at Walt Disney World, and can’t wait to take my kids there during this season sometime in the future! We’ll, of course, be using Michael’s VIPs for our guides since they’re absolutely AMAZING!

Making Christmas Wreaths

Play a Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Pick Out a Christmas Tree

Go Ice Skating

Create a Hand-Made Christmas Cards

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#2 Pick Their Favorites

#3 Costumes for Everyone

#4 Share in Decorating

#5 Matchy?

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Love to you all, and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas to all!

Which was YOUR favorite?

How often have YOU forgotten batteries during the holidays? Me….well, way too many 😉

How to you save money during Christmas?

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Magic Kingdom

Hollywood Studios

Don’t forget to check out Get Away Today to book your hotel & nab your tickets – use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for extra savings!

Epcot

Animal Kingdom

What’s YOUR favorite holiday thing at Disney World?