Growing Up With Kaylee- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Christmas

I wanted to share some holiday fun we had as a family this year. Everyone always says the favorite thing babies get for Christmas are the boxes the gifts come in. I saw this project in Family Fun magazine and knew instantly this would be a hit, http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/cardbo.... It certainly was! Here are some pictures of a Recycled Kitchen we made from boxes that presents were delivered in.




My daughter Kaylee, Maxwell, and Alyssa love it. They have played with it every day they have been to Nana’s house. It was so worth the time and effort. The supplies to make it cost about $15 and it took a few evenings to construct. Many of the items we already had at home. The smile on the kids’ faces priceless! Take a look at how wide Kaylee’s smile is! It has been about a month with three babies playing with it on a regular basis and it has held up quite well. It just goes to show you that you don’t have to spend tons of money for your children to have a happy Christmas.


For the past couple years, on Christmas Eve, we play a super fun game we call “Recycled Christmas”. Everyone has something at their house in great or maybe even in new condition that they have never opened but it continues to sit at your home taking up space. The object of the game is very simple you bring a gift perhaps even 2 that someone else could use. (You will go home with the same amount of gifts you brought.) Some suggestions for wrapping your gift: in newspaper, recycled wrapping paper, or your children’s drawings. Have everyone draw a number to see who goes first. You could use a deck of cards to avoid wasting paper. (If you brought 2 gifts you take 2 numbers) The first person chooses a gift and opens it to show everyone, the next person has the choice to take that gift or choose a new gift. The play goes on until everyone has had a turn. A present can only be stolen 3 times until it is out of play. When the last person goes, anyone who agrees to trade a gift with another person can.

A few other suggestions for making your Christmas a little more green (both earth friendly and pocket friendly):

~Shop at secondhand stores or consignment shops-I picked up a cash register that just needed a little elbow grease and my sister didn't believe it was the same one when I was done with it. My daughter loves it! Books are great to buy there as well. Many look brand new.

~Reuse gift tags and bows

~If you buy wrapping paper, wait for the after Christmas sales and look for 100% recycled paper.

~Give someone a book you have already read with a special note inside about why you are giving it to them now.