What are Your 5 Favorite Holiday Activities to do with Your Kids?

I'm sure you have a favorite activity you like to do with your kids or perhaps you have many.  When TwitterMoms and Nickelodeon introduced this new blogging question as part of the Dora Christmas Carol Contest, I had to stop and think of all the activities we do each year.  There are some that are major and some not, but all are memorable.

I love the holidays and am trying to instill this great love with my girls as I hope some of the traditions will be passed on to their own families.

My top five favorites are as follows:

1. We go on our annual Christmas picture taking trip to the local mall.  This has turned into not so much of a fun event for my 21 year old as I still make her partake in it.  In fact, today, we went and completed the holiday deed!
2. Another holiday activity are the pictures with Santa.  Chalk one more year with no picture of Danielle.  She was afraid of Santa for her second year in a row and she's only two!  I couldn't force the 21 year old for this although I wanted to!
3. A great activity that I thoroughly enjoy is decorating the house!  I already started rolling out the Santas and was busted by my husband. I can't help it as it really is The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!
4. We watch the Christmas classics such as Rudolph.  It's a painful experience for my oldest once again but it's nostalgic for my husband and I and the two smaller ones really love it.  This contest is wonderful as Danielle loves Dora.
5. We can't have a holiday without baking cookies, brownies, fudge and all the other great tasting, addicting and sinful treats!  Besides, Santa gets his share so it's all fair in love and Christmas.  I think this year, I'm going to try these great looking Chocolate-Caramel Cookie Bars that I found by Martha Stewart (see recipe below if interested).

I have many more but those are my favorites.  What are yours?  Join in the fun and enter HERE at TwitterMoms.

Thanks to Nickelodeon, we have been able to watch Dora's Christmas Carol Adventures many times!  My youngest especially loves Dora and it's fun hearing a two year old blurt out Spanish words.  We had fun going to NickJr.com to make some of the great holiday cookies not to mention making Swiper cards!  I think we might have some new holiday traditions.

Watch Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure Dec. 6 on Nickelodeon 

Favorite Holiday Activities with Kids

 

Dora's Caramel Holiday Cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 roll sugar cooking dough
20 caramel candies
1 tablespoon water

Non-stick cookie tray

Your child will enjoy counting out the caramels and dropping them into the bowl. Be careful when removing the bowl from the microwave--it might be very hot!

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 F. Knead the flour into the cookie dough until it's smooth.

Step 2

Pinch off pieces of cookie dough and roll it into small (half-inch) balls. Place them on a non-stick cookie sheet. Press down on the dough balls to flatten them slightly and bake for about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the trays for a few minutes. When they're cool, move them to a cooling rack or a large plate.

Step 3

Unwrap the candies and place in a microwave-safe bowl with the water. Heat for 30 seconds, stir, and heat again just until smooth. Be careful when removing the bowl from the microwave--it may be hot!

Step 4

With a small spoon, add a drop of the caramel mixture to the back of each cookie and place another cookie on top. Makes 25 sandwich cookies.

These cookies can be made in two steps. Make the cookie portion the night before. Make and spread the caramel filling--or have the kids do so--the next day.