Whoops! The kids are home unexpectedly, and let’s face it, there’s no way you’re taking them outside. Instead, it’s the perfect excuse to make the holidays come a little earlier. Craft, cooking, and movies are great ways to keep little ones busy, create memories, and bring the family together. We’ve had some fantastic winter themed posts on the blog and in the magazine over the years. We dipped into our archives to bring you our best so you can keep your kids cheerfully entertained as long as the red-alert, school-closing pollution lasts. This is a two-part blog post. You can find part two here.
Music
Nothing gets me in the holiday mood faster than classic Christmas music. Create a family playlist for the holidays or find a track list online. As well as all the traditional songs and hymns you’ll find every genre of Christmas music, from jazz to Latin to reggae.
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
If you haven’t already done so, today might be just the day to put the tree-up. Find inspiration for your decorations here. We’ve got a gingerbread tree, a woolly warmer tree, a Beijing-themed tree, and more. If you haven’t bought your tree, you don’t even have to leave the house! You could try buying your tree on taobao, but perhaps tried-and-tested family favorite Liangma Flower Market (south of the Kempinski hotel) is a better bet.
Tree-Decorations
Adorn that tree with these super easy crepe-paper garlands, gingerbread men paper chains, painted dough ornaments, or felt decorations.
If you do venture out to buy your tree at Liangma Flower Market, you’ll find a tremendous amount of decorations for sale. The market can do deliveries by flatbed bicycle or mianbaoche for RMB 10-100, depending on the quantity, distance, and your haggling skills. Ask for pointsettias (yīpǐnhóng, 一品红), mistletoe (hújìshēng, 槲寄生), holly (dōngqīng, 冬青) or Christmas wreaths (shèngdàn huāhuán, 圣诞花环).
Liangma Flower Market亮马花卉市场
Daily 8.30am-6.30pm. South bank of Liangma River, 758 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District (6504 2446) 朝阳区东三环北路758号, 燕莎商城南, 亮马河南岸
Other Decorative Projects
A door wreath is a cozy welcome home and reminder that Christmas time is here. Our step-by-step paper wreaths can be made from old books, and discarded plastic bags and cardboard, so there’s no need to leave the house for supplies.
Pomanders are clove studded oranges which you can hang around the house, on your tree, or display as a table centerpiece. This is an easy craft for kids, and again, you may already have the ingredients lying around at home.
A cluster of these tea-light lanterns would make a pretty entryway focal point. Or try your hand at a snow-globe or Christmas crackers.
Wrap it Up!
Make your own paper, decorate it with vegetable stamps, and add some custom gift tags.
Photos: beijingkids, and courtesy of christmasstockimages.com, deviantart.com,
www.markmerrill.com, petitshoot (flickr), The Bloom Family Photography,
