No, they’re not cooking or balancing budgets, but the busy holiday season can be exhausting for children, too. Here’s some advice from pediatricians: Emphasize the simple. Focus on the importance of time with family and friends, spirituality and special rituals at home — not on gifts, shopping, parades and parties.
Keep them up on plans. Talk [...]

…but many are turning to e-greetings.
Season’s greetings are still flowing through the mail at a pace that will keep Denver near the top of the list of the most prolific holiday-card-sending cities. But local businesses and just plain folks appear to be migrating toward new forms of conveying warm winter wishes.
The proof is in the [...]

Dear Mama Drama:
Christmas day is a nightmare at my house. My children run downstairs, dump their stockings, tear open all the gifts and then fight over who got what.
(photo credit.)

When the rest of the family comes over, it’s the same thing. They greet their grandparents with, “What’d you bring me? What’d you bring [...]

Santa may be in the North Pole but a group of local volunteers are bringing him closer to home.
For the fourth year, residents, staff and volunteers from the Colorado Lutheran Home in Arvada are answering phone calls from children hoping to talk with Mr. or Mrs. Santa Claus. Kids can call (303) 403-3150 for [...]

Poison Control Operator: Poison Control, how may I help you?
Me: Uh, yes…my son just ate part of an old and rather stale gingerbread house…
PCO: How old, ma’am?
Me: Three years…
PCO: The gingerbread house is three years old?
Me: Oh, no. My son is three years old.
PCO: What is the weight?
Me: Just eyeballing it, I’d say [...]

Warning to men everywhere: this post’s contents will make you extremely uncomfortable. Proceed with caution.
My husband Jamie underwent the “snip-snip” on Friday. We have two beautiful kids and had always planned to have three so did not take this decision lightly. But after a couple of failed attempts at getting pregnant and much prayer, [...]

It’s about time to start thinking about what’s for Holiday Dinner this year.  I know for my family, we always have a ham for Christmas.  It is easy to make and tastes delicious.  Of course, I just found out recently what a truly amazing Ham tastes like.   Sadly to say, it was not one that [...]

Santa, or St. Nick, visits our house early each year. It is a tradition in my family to celebrate St. Nicholas day on December 6th. Jolly Old St. Nick visits overnight and fills our stockings. Santa comes and just leaves a present under the tree on Christmas Eve. It’s a nice way to split up [...]

All I wanted for Christmas that year was the fashion show stage on which to perch my Dawn doll.
And I got it. And a ton of other stuff, too. Christmas at my childhood home was always a little out of control, and these days, it’s a veritable orgy.
Which is not necessarily a good thing.
Here’s what [...]

Recently, I admitted that I only pretend to like Holiday Decorations. While this is a true statement, there is an exception: Holiday Lights. When it comes to Holiday Lights, my enthusiasm is genuine. I love Holiday Lights. There is something so magical about the glow against the blackened sky. The [...]