Here are some festive activities and recipes for December 2024 to help you and your children celebrate the holiday season. There are inks to crafts and recipes you can create with your children during December to bring out the inner chef, adventurer, and artist in your child
12/1-National Peppermint Bark Day– This holiday has been around since the 1970s and is a great way to bring in the winter season. It’s also an exciting time for those who love peppermint bark, as it is made from chocolate and crushed candy canes combined to create a sweet and minty flavor that will excite your taste buds!
12/4-National Cookie Day is a wonderful time to begin thinking about your holiday baking. Cookies first came to America in the 17th century, with macaroons and gingerbread being the most popular. Gingerbread is still a favorite Christmas cookie today. Here is an easy recipe to try with your little ones. Super Easy Gingerbread Cookies. https://www.loveandlemons.com/gingerbread-cookies-recipe/
Fun fact: The Cookie Monster proclaimed his own National Cookie Day in The Sesame Street Dictionary in 1980.
12/7 If National Cookie Day isn’t enough to satisfy your sweet tooth this month, Cotton Candy Day on December 7 definitely will. Believe it or not, a dentist created the sugary treat in 1897 and like popcorn, is a favorite treat at carnivals and circuses today. Here’s a way to enjoy both together while you watch the countdown to the New Year.
To make cotton candy popcorn, you will need 2 bags of popped microwavable popcorn, 1/4 cup butter, 1 large bag of miniature marshmallows, 2 packages of Duncan Hines Cotton Candy Frosting Creations. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Pop popcorn according to package directions and pour onto prepared cookie sheet. Pick out all un-popped corn kernels. In a large saucepan, melt butter on medium low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until all marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat and stir in the packages of Duncan Hines Cotton Candy Frosting Creations. Pour mixture over popcorn and stir to coat. Mixture will be very sticky so you might want to butter the back of your spoon to help spread it around. Once popcorn is well coated, place cookie sheet in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove pan and let cool. Store leftovers in an airtight container after enjoying.
12/7 National Slime Day– celebrates the slimy, slippery, and squishy pop culture goo that has been engaging kids (and adults) in play since the 1970s. Slime has several benefits for kids and adults. There seems to be something satisfying about grabbing a glob of slime and squeezing it.
12/8 Brownies! Their yummy chocolatey goodness with or without nuts (my favorite). Nearly everyone loves a warm brownie. Ever make brownie cookies? Me neither, but something tells me this easy recipe is delicious! In the United States, the chocolate brownie is a favorite, with the blonde brownie running a close second. A blonde brownie is made with brown sugar and no chocolate and is often called a blondie. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/9599/quick-and-easy-brownies/ And if you want a healthy brownie try your hand at this recipe. https://thebigmansworld.com/healthy-flourless-fudge-brownies/
Kangaroo Kids Winter Wonderland
12/13- Please join Kangaroo Kids at 5:00-6:30pm for our “Winter Wonderland”. Come take a picture with Santa and bring in your Gingerbread House for our Gingerbread House competition and take photos with our Winter Wonderland Displays.
Making gingerbread houses is a Christmas tradition in many families. They are typically made before Christmas using pieces of baked gingerbread dough assembled with melted sugar. The roof ’tiles’ can consist of frosting or candy. The gingerbread house yard is usually decorated with icing to represent snow. Check out how to make your very own gingerbread house recipe
12/20 Ugly Holiday Sweater Day is an excuse to dig into the back of the closet for that shirt, sweater, or other ugly holiday clothing item you would never wear any other day of the year. Just like eggnog and fruitcake, the ugly holiday sweater has become an annual staple that is here to stay whether we like it or not. Why not make the most of it by making an ugly sweater with your children this holiday season? Use the link to get a free sweater template and then decorate how you want. The uglier the better! You will need: the template printed out from the link above, red or green card stock paper, things to decorate the sweater with such as pompoms, stickers, glitter, sequins or buttons, glue, scissors and of course, your imagination! Simply print and cut the sweater from the cardstock paper and decorate! Ugly Sweater Template: https://www.cassiesmallwood.com/the-best-ugly-sweater-templates/
12/21 What is Winter Solstice-first day-winter? What Happens on the Winter Solstice? On the day of the winter solstice, we are tilted as far away from the Sun as possible, which means that the Sun’s path across the sky is as low in the sky as it can be. Think about the daily path of the Sun: It rises in the east and sets in the west, arcing across the sky overhead. What can kids do on the winter solstice? Gather ’round your own backyard bonfire or fire pit with friends and family. Spend the day living by candlelight (or at least dine by it)Craft recycled tin can lantern, paper lanterns, or ice lanterns with your kids to take along on an evening solstice stroll. Here are some more fun activities you can do with your children for winter-solstice. https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/winter-solstice-activities-kids/
12/25 Christmas means something different to everyone. If there is joy in your heart, have the spirit of giving and sharing, come together with friends and family to enjoy your time together, you are spreading Christmas love everywhere you go. Enjoy the day! Merry Christmas! https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/december
12/25 When the hustle and bustle of Christmas begins to overwhelm your little ones, find a quiet spot and help them create this I Spy Bottle(Remember to glue the lid shut!)
12/25-Jan 2- Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights and lasts eight days. Candles are placed in a Menorah and one candle is lit each day to commemorate “The Miracle of the Oil”. Do you celebrate Hanukkah? Would you like to share your favorite Hanukkah traditions with your child’s class? Speak to your teachers about when you can come in, we’d love to have you share your traditions with us! Have fun at home with your child and make some Hanukkah Crafts. Enjoy some delicious recipes for Hanukkah! An easy Hanukkah treat, even the youngest can create Marshmallow Dreidels. Bring some in to share with your child’s class and maybe instruct them how to create them while you teach them a song about the Dreidel! https://www.hwtm.com/2012/12/diy-tutorial-marshmallow-dreidels-free-happy-hanukkah-printable/
12/26 National Candy Cane Day: For 350 years, candy canes have been a special part of Christmas celebrations. Originally available only in white, the classic stripes were added around 1900. Today, candy canes are available in a wide range of colors and flavors. Here are some fun facts about Candy Canes
12/26 – Kwanzaa starts the day after Christmas (Dec. 26) and ends on New Year’s Day. It is a weeklong celebration honoring African beliefs and traditions. Dr. Maulana Karenga introduced the festival in 1966 to the United States as a ritual to welcome the first harvests to the home. Here are some fun activities for children https://bit.ly/49gbgRf.
12/31 The Merriam Webster dictionary defines New Year’s Eve as: The last day of the year. Pretty dull definition although accurate. However, your family celebrates New Year’s Eve, the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne will be heard somewhere in the background! Happy New Year! https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/New%20Year%27s%20Eve
12/31 Do your kids try and stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve? Create some different, New Year’s Eve traditions by creating these activities together!
Things to do:
These are great websites that details fun many times FREE things to do in New Jersey every month! Call ahead and make sure the activities are happening before you head out for your day!
https://hulafrog.com/bridgewater-nj
