3 Tips for a Happy Start to Your New Year

The parties are over, friends and relatives have gone home, and the festive holiday songs have gone back into hiding until next year. 

It’s back to reality, which can be a bit unsettling, as we’ve become rather fond of throwing out the “it’s the holidays” excuse. 

Not only is the excuse gone, we’re left with self-expectations, societal-expectations — or both — to “do better” this year. 

For some that means specific goals, while others make a weaker vow to lose weight, eat better, or earn more money in 2019.

However you approach it, we’re all looking for a fresh start in at least one area of our lives. 

And when we don’t charge out of the gate winning the race in the first few days, the temptation to give up is strong.

It’s no mystery why only 8-12% of people who make new year goals reach them, and everyone else is pretty much out by the end of January. 

The biggest reason is the pressure and expectations we put on ourselves. We think we have to jump out of bed on January 2nd, and hit the streets running a marathon.

But that’s not how life works. 

To run a marathon you’re going to get up, eat something good for you, mentally prepare yourself, put on the proper clothing and shoes, stretch and warm up, get in your car and drive to the race. 

It’s obvious that you wouldn’t skip any of these steps.

And the key to a happy, rather than stressful and disappointing, start to the new year is likewise to prepare yourself properly for the year to come by setting a solid foundation.

Today we’re going to talk about three often overlooked pieces of that foundation.

1. Focus on One Goal With a Big Why

Even if your written list isn’t long, you’ve likely got a lot of internal expectations for “doing better.” 

A key reason for failure is no one can become a new person overnight. 

Pick one goal to start focusing on today, and make sure you have it written down.

How do you know which goal to choose?

Choose one that has a big “why” behind it. 

If you want to lose weight because you know it’s what your spouse wants, that’s going to be a tough one. Goals that are someone else’s wishes for us never work out too well.

If you want to lose weight because you know it will improve your health, the energy you have to be with your kids, and your life expectancy, that’s likely a big internal “why” for you.

The bigger your “why” behind a goal, the harder it will be for you to give the goal up, even if you fail at first.

You don’t have to just put away the other goals entirely for now, but developing the new habits required for weight loss will be your top priority.

And remember, as you’re developing new habits in one area, they will transfer over to better habits in other areas too. 

So while your focus is just on one goal, you may be surprised to find yourself unconsciously making progress in the other areas too.

2. Go Easy on Yourself

It’s January 2 and you woke up and instinctively ate a cinnamon roll for breakfast?

Maybe you should just scrap that weight loss goal right here and now. It’s depressing and no one expects you to keep your new year’s resolutions anyway.

Millions of people across the world will resolve to lose weight and fail, so at least you’ll be in good company.

Instead of rationalizing your early failures and why it doesn’t matter anyway, take a breath and go easy on yourself.

Remember your breakfast habits weren’t developed in a day and they won’t change in a day. 

Resolve to be firm yet gentle with yourself, knowing that every second of every day won’t be perfect and that it’s okay.

Remember your why, and know that you can get back to it at your next meal and by planning now for tomorrow’s breakfast. 

3. Put Your Family on the Same Team

Going it alone is hard. And even if you have a friend or accountability buddy, without buy-in from your family it’s often going to feel like you’re swimming upstream.

If you haven’t done any new year planning with your family, it’s not too late.

Yes, your kids might roll their eyes at first, but they will thank you (secretly or out loud) by year’s end. 

Have everyone make goals and choose at least one to make public to the family. 

Talk about how the family can best support each person in their chosen goal. Make sure everyone understands this isn’t about harassing and belittling each other. 

Setbacks will happen, and you’ll need encouragement and accountability during those times. 

One of the biggest rules is that you’re all on the same team. When one person wins, everyone wins. When one person struggles, we all step up to help get the team back on top.

The importance of having this shared vision within your family is huge, so don’t dismiss it at something that “won’t work” with your spouse or son or daughter. Make it work.

And when it comes to your business goals, remember Kids Party Characters is always on your team. Owner Cheryl Jacobs is passionate about helping stay at home moms start their dream business, and helping moms who work outside the home become work at home moms.

Cheryl’s created a unique opportunity for membership in Kids Party Characters that gets you started with your very own business that includes an exclusive territory in which to book parties, and the right to use our 200+ costumes and all the other tools Cheryl has used to grow a six-figure business.

You’ll even get step-by-step instruction from Cheryl on how to set your business up the right way to get into profit as quickly as possible.

If this might be the right opportunity for you, schedule a chat with Cheryl right here and she’ll answer all your questions and help you figure out the right path for your life.

Want to learn more about Kids Party Characters? Join us on Facebook for daily updates on how we make children’s parties magical, as well as our best work from home strategies for busy moms.

7 Global New Year Traditions that Bring Good Luck

Looking for some ways to bring good luck upon you and your family in 2019?

At Kids Party Characters we’ve always found the best formula for luck is combining a little hard work with a positive attitude towards people and life, but hey, it can’t hurt to layer on a few of these traditions that are celebrated around the world.

At best, you may be pleasantly surprised at the things that seem to fall into your lap in 2019. And at the very least, you’ll have a little fun.  

1. Lentils 

You’ve certainly heard of the black eyed pea tradition that’s common in the southern parts of the United States, but for many who live in South American countries, it’s lentils.

According to the tradition, if you’ll eat at least a teaspoon of lentils on New Year’s Day, you’ll find increased wealth in 2019.

Who knows why, but it’s so easy to do that it’s hard to justify NOT doing it, just in case!

2. Sweeping and Cleaning

This is a common tradition in many parts of the world, including China and parts of Latin America. 

Under most traditions, you should sweep the house to clear out the metaphoric “trash” in your life, and generally clean and declutter the house to rid it of any junk, and open your life up for new and good things in the coming year.

You’ll have to decide which side of the tradition you fall on here, as there are some that advocate the decluttering of the house but will advise against sweeping so you don’t sweep the luck out of the house.

You’re probably safe to go ahead with the broom though, since most of us aren’t feeling that there’s any “luck” contained on our dirty floors.

Either way, your new year will be served well by buying a new broom for your house on January 1. Or so they say . . .

3. Burn a Life-Size Figure

In parts of Mexico and Latin America, it’s common to construct a life-size dummy and burn it at midnight. 

In some countries, the tradition involves a scarecrow stuffed with newspaper. In Mexico, the figure can be your least favorite politician, an evil cartoon or movie character, or just a generally grumpy- looking figure.

If this sounds like a little too much work for you, but you’re a fire fan, you can write down things you want to get rid of in your life in 2019 on slips of paper and simply burn them in a bowl.

Whatever you decide to burn, you’ll be closing out the old and unwanted, and starting afresh with new opportunities for good.

4. Wear White and Jump the Waves  

Unless you’re close to the ocean this one won’t work out, but it’s interesting enough to include, and may give you reason to add a holiday trip to the ocean to your bucket list.

In Brazil they wear all-white outfits on New Year’s Eve to symbolize peace and renewal.

At midnight, go where the sand meets the sea and jump seven waves so the goddess of the sea will open new paths in your life. Just be sure to face the sea with each jump, or the goddess will be angered and reverse your good fortunes. 

5. Jumping Off Chairs 

You may want to try the tradition that’s common in Denmark of jumping off a chair at midnight if you’re looking for a solid start and change of fortune in 2019.

The logic is that you want to make sure you have your feet are up in the air at midnight so you’ll land on solid ground to start the coming year, leaving any bad luck from 2018 behind.

6.  Drop a Scoop of Ice Cream 

While this sounds like a bad idea, in Switzerland tradition has it that if you’ll drop a scoop of ice cream on the floor at midnight it will bring you abundance in the new year. (Perhaps enabling you to buy lots more ice cream).

This is another one that’s harmless enough to give a try, just in case. And, if you’ll sweep the floor first, you’ll surely have no problem convincing the kids to eat that ice cream anyway!

7.  Latin America Rituals

Here’s a collection of some other traditions found in various Latin American countries that are fun and easy and worth trying because it just can’t hurt.

— Bring good luck in 2019 by eating 12 grapes at midnight — preferably between 12:00 and 12:01 — or throwing 12 pennies at your front door while you stand outside. For those who are a little more adventurous, some traditions call for throwing pots of water at the front door at midnight rather than pennies.

— Want to travel more? Roll an empty suitcase around the block to increase your 2019 travel. If you’re afraid what the neighbors might think, go with the Colombian version of this one and roll the suitcase around your house.

Who knows, maybe you'll be jumping those waves in Brazil this time next year.

— Finally, hopefully you’re reading this before the stores close because if you’ll wear new yellow underwear on New Year’s Eve it will increase your chances for success and money.  If you’re looking for love or relationships, try pink or red underwear.

Celebrate With Kids Party Characters

Happy New Year from all of us at Kids Party Characters. Thanks so much for your support this year, and we look forward to serving you even better in 2019 by continuing to add to our collection of over 200 characters and other activities your child wants to make his party a dream come true. 

We’ll also be adding new franchises in 2019, so look out for a Kids Party Characters coming to your area, and if you don’t see one, get on the phone with owner Cheryl Jacobs to learn more about starting your own Kids Party Characters in your city.

Cheryl’s made this a fun and easy business to start, so don’t worry if you have zero experience.

If you’re already near a Kids Party Characters, be sure to take this final opportunity to put a deposit down on your party by visiting KidsPartyCharacters.com today so that you can lock in either a 15% discount or free upgrade to the next package when it comes time for you to book the party.

Also be sure to join us on Facebook for daily updates about all the happenings at Kids Party Characters, as well as our best tips and strategies for working at home and raising happy and healthy kids.

10 Family-Friendly Ways to Ring in the New Year

Whether you’re “stuck” with the kids, or making a conscious choice to stay at home and off the streets this new year’s eve, the long wait for midnight to roll around can make for a pretty anti-climactic drop of the ball when the kids’ excitement turned to tired crankiness hours earlier.

Today we’re going to share 10 activities that can cure the boredom kids can feel while waiting for the clock to strike midnight.

One good option, especially for younger kids, is to push the time ahead and make your midnight happen at 7:00 or 8:00. The kids won’t even notice, the celebration may be more fun for everyone involved, and it will give you a chance to also celebrate in a more adult way, if you’re so inclined, when the clock really does strike 12.

Whatever time you choose to celebrate, you’ll find a good idea or two here to keep the whole family filled with the new year spirit.

1. Sparkling Cider and Ice Cream Bar

Kids love to mimic adults, and using sparkling cider in fancy glasses (which of course can be plastic) is a great way to let the kids in on the traditional champagne celebration adults partake in.

Have different flavors on hand for them to sample, and make sure to use “special” glasses.

Pair their drinks with an ice cream bar that they construct, and you can skip making dinner if you choose.

Let the kids pick out toppings, sprinkles, candies, and of course whipped cream, and keep the bar open for as long as you want.

Use small cups and allow the kids to have a little bit of ice cream each time so they can make several trips to the bar, taking advantage of different toppings with each trip.

2. Confetti Balloon Drop or Piñata 

Kids of all ages love balloons, which means you won’t have to talk anyone into helping you with this project.

Make your own ball drop by filling balloons with confetti and letting the kids pop them at midnight. 

You can also help them construct a piñata that resembles a ball and let them strike it at midnight.

3. Family Vision Board

What better time to solidify your goals for 2019 than new year’s eve?

Buy a large poster board from the dollar store, gather up some old magazines, have the computer nearby to find picture online, and make sure you have a set of markers on hand for drawing pictures and words.

Let each person contribute ideas to the vision board, focusing on things you want to be/have/do as a family in 2019.

You can glue the pictures on, and also draw pictures and words, there are no rules.

Give the kids the option of creating their own individual vision boards at the same time if they want.

4. Time Capsule

Create a time capsule to open next new year’s eve, or when the kids go off to college, or any time that holds some significance for your family.

Each person gets to choose what they want to put in the time capsule. It can be a favorite item, something they want to save or remember, a prediction for the future. 

The only rule is there’s no judging what others include.

5. Staycation

Renting a hotel room in town for the night can be a fun change of pace for the kids and a little break for mom, who can escape the dirty dishes and unfolded laundry for a night.

Many hotels have some kind of small dinner or appetizer bar you can snack on in the evening, and of course you’ll want to choose one with a nice hot breakfast you can enjoy before checking out and heading home on January 1.

You can take advantage of the indoor pool during the early evening hours, and then head to the room with snacks and chill out in the bed while watching your preferred new year’s eve programing. 

6.  All Day Countdown

This is a good one to cure the boredom kids can feel while waiting for the big moment.

Make up six bags (or the number of your choice) and let the kids open one bag each hour from 7:00 till midnight.

The bags of course can contain anything you want from small gifts and food treats, to things to do that you've gathered around the house such as books to read or card games to play.

The time will pass surprisingly quickly when you only have to wait an hour for something exciting to happen rather than six hours!

7. Scavenger Hunt

Choose a holiday theme or hide little treats around the house and give the kids a card containing a picture of each item on it for the most fun.

 If that’s more time than you have, you can of course just give them a list and have them check each item off as they find it,  or take a picture of each item if they’re old enough.

Offer a prize for each child once she completes the hunt. If you’re using treats, once she provides proof she's completed the hunt, she can indulge in the treats.

8. Wishing Wall

At Times Square in New York there’s a Wishing Wall where you can pin your wish and have it released with the confetti that floats down on all the revelers gathered there at midnight on new year’s eve.

You can develop your own Wishing Wall by simply dedicating a space in your house and having sticky notes available for everyone to write their wishes throughout the day and place them on the wall. 

At midnight you can gather them up and do what you want with them. Maybe put them in your time capsule for next year, incorporate some into your vision board, or throw them in the fire as a way of releasing them into the universe and seeking their fulfillment.

9. Conversation Starters

Use index cards to make a deck of conversation starters that will get the family talking about what they loved/hated about this year and what they want more/less of next year.

There are no rules about what should be on the cards, but some suggestions are: 

What was your favorite memory of this year? 

State your biggest accomplishment of 2018.

Tell a story about something funny that happened to you. 

What’s one new habit you’d like to have next year?

What’s your favorite TV show and why?

Think of things that would be fun and interesting for your family to talk about. 

Each person can draw a card and others can chime in with their answers too when they feel like it. 

This can be done as an organized activity, or just randomly in lulls throughout the day and evening.

10. Marshmallow Shooters

Here’s a fun one that will keep the kids (and you!) entertained as you make the shooters and play with them throughout the evening.

What You’ll Need

- small solo cups (Dollar Store), cake pop containers (Michael’s) or toilet paper rolls

- balloons

- rubber bands, glue, or duct tape

- mini marshmallows

Directions

- If you’re using cups, cut the bottom off. With the cake pop holders, the small hole in the bottom of the tube should be big enough.

- Tie a knot in the end of the balloons and then cut the large part of the balloon off, leaving about 3-4 inches of balloon to create the shooter.

- Stretch the balloon over the cup and use a rubber band, glue, or duct tape to secure the balloon to the end of the cup.

- Add a mini marshmallow or two and pull the knotted end of the balloon back and let ‘em fly. (Kids will want to pack their shooters with marshmallows, but they’ll go farther if they just shoot a few at a time.)

Happy New Year From Kids Party Characters

Hopefully we’ve given you a few good ideas on how to make your family’s new year festivities even more fun without creating a lot of extra work for you.

From owner Cheryl Jacobs and all the team here at Kids Party Characters, we want to wish you a happy and healthy 2019, and thank you for being a Kids Party Characters’ supporter and friend.

There are still a few days left to take advantage of our special “thank you for your loyalty” offer and receive either 15% off your next party, or an upgrade to the next level party package.

Simply put down a deposit by December 31st, and when it comes time to book your party, you’ll receive your discount or upgrade. So, whether the party’s in January or June, you can lock in your special discount by putting  your deposit down today.

Head over to KidsPartyCharacters.com to get your deposit in and make sure to mention this special offer to reserve your discount. 

5 Questions to Answer in Your Business Before 2019

Whether you’re a believer in some type of new year resolutions, or have completely sworn them off after years of dismal failures, there are some things that you need to do once a year in your business to make sure you’re on the right track.

And since the beginning of a new year is a natural reset point, you might as well tackle them now so 2019 really can be “your year.”

We’re going to be answering five questions that will reveal any changes you need to make in your business, and ways that will help your business grow bigger without requiring more work on your end. 

The goal in fact is to work less!

You’ll need at least an hour to effectively think this through in your mind and get it all on paper. But read the questions now so your subconscious can get to work on them, and then set aside an hour or two this week with a pencil and paper and take your first step to a successful 2019.

By the way, if don’t have a business yet but want one in 2019, still answer these questions and you’ll be ahead of most beginning entrepreneurs. 

1. Who’s Your Ideal Client?

Before you roll your eyes and think, “I’ve done this already, I know my audience,” give it a chance.

Fact is, you can never know your audience too well. 

Your business should be evolving, which means your ideal client may have changed in some small but important ways.

Your audience is evolving too. Maybe you’re still reaching women between the ages of 25 and 40, but maybe their needs that you service have changed in some small — or big — ways.

Whether you find drastic changes or little tweaks, nailing who your ideal client is is one of the cornerstones to a successful business.

Getting this one just right is also essential to your productivity because it allows you to focus your marketing and not waste time with the wrong people.

Exactly how to do this is a topic for another day, but Google is your friend here. You’ll get all kinds of solid advice by just searching for “how to define your ideal client,” or “creating the perfect customer avatar,” or something along those lines.

Your ideal client probably isn’t just Jane who’s 26 years old with two young kids and a corporate job. 

So while it’s helpful to actually create and name a specific person who’s a specific age and comes with other very specific demographics, don’t hesitate to create 2 or 3 people who fit the mold as your “ideal client.”

In a nutshell, define their age, gender, relationship status, whether they have kids, employment, hobbies, what keeps them up at night with worry, what their fears are, and what the biggest problem you can solve for them is.

The more experience you have in your business, the more you’ll be able to refine what’s most important in your ideal client.

2. How Will You Reach Your Target Income?

If you don’t know your target income, this exercise will take a little longer. 

But it’s much better to actually figure out how much money it will take to cover all your needs and wants, than it is to toss out the standard “$10,000 a month,” or “I want a six-figure business” we so often hear in the online business world.

Once you know your target income, figure out what you’ll provide in exchange for that income. 

If you need $6,000 a month and you’re an event planner who’s top package is $2,000, you’ll need to sell three of those a month.

Maybe your $500 package is more popular, so realistically you want to aim for one $2,000 package a month and eight of your $500 packages.

Do the math so you’ll know whether you’re on target rather than looking back at the end of the month, quarter, or year, and saying, “I failed.” 

This exercise will allow you to make weekly and daily adjustments so you’re much more likely to reach your financial goals.

3. What Else Can You Bring to Your Current Customers?

You may have heard that it’s easier to sell to an existing customer than to acquire a new customer, and it’s very true.

Most people completely overlook this aspect of their business, and leave a lot of money on the table as a result. 

Now’s the time to think about how you can better serve your existing customers. 

Can you create another product or service that will help them take the next step beyond what you’ve already done for them?

Or can you help them in a related area?

If you have a Kids Party Characters business, you may mistakenly believe you only have one chance per year to help your clients, or slightly more if they have more than one child.

But what else does a mom with young kids need? The possibilities here are endless.

We find our clients are very focused on raising happy and healthy kids, which opens up a virtually endless list of other products and services you could market to them.

And no, it doesn’t have to be something you create. Instead, you simply become an affiliate for already existing products and earn a commission whenever you sell someone else’s product you’re promoting.

4. What One Thing Can Someone Else Do Better?

Until you are at the point in your business when you’re doing nothing but the things you love, the things that directly make you money, the things only you can do, you need to be looking at what’s the next thing you can outsource.

And yes this applies even if you’re just starting your business.

What’s the first thing you can pay someone else to do so you can use your time actually bringing in more money?

The faster you outsource things others can do better and/or cheaper, the faster your net income will rise.

This doesn’t mean committing to hiring a 40 hour a week employee. 

It can mean something as small as paying someone $25 to design and set up a landing page so you can start building an email list.

Start where you can and you’ll be surprised how quickly you’re at a point where you’re paying others more than you thought your own annual income would be. 

5. What One Thing Can You Do Better?

One of the traps many of us get stuck in, especially at the new year, is getting all motivated and planning a hundred ways we’re going to work to make our business more successful.

Starting tomorrow we’re going to post twice a day on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and even on our Snapchat story. We’ll even commit to posting a weekly video.

If you’re struggling to crank out one Facebook post a day right now, that’s just not a realistic plan.

Nor is it a necessary one.

Pick one thing.

Whether it’s focusing on growing an audience on one social media channel, on building your email list, or on creating more offers to promote, pick one thing and focus your entire business around doing that one thing better.

Then you can move on to the next.

If you’re just starting your business, do the same. Pick one thing to focus on getting your business in profits.

Trying to do a little bit of everything is why most people fail.

And if you need help knowing what your next step should be, whether you’re new or just not where you want to be as an entrepreneur, Kids Party Characters owner Cheryl Jacobs can help.

Cheryl started out as a single mom looking for a way to feed her kids and has now had a hand in starting 10 different businesses. She has a passion for helping other moms find the success she’s had, without have to endure the steep learning curve she went through.

Cheryl’s created a unique membership opportunity with Kids Party Characters that allows you to have your very own business with an exclusive territory in which to book parties, access to all the tools Cheryl’s used to grow Kids Party Characters to a six-figure business, and step-by-step training from Cheryl on how to best get started in your business.

Schedule a free, no-pressure chat with Cheryl right here to learn more and get all your questions answered.

Want to learn more about Kids Party Characters? Join us on Facebook for daily updates on the magic we bring to children’s parties, as well as our best strategies for working at home while raising happy and healthy kids.

Merry Christmas From Kids Party Characters

From Cheryl Jacobs and the entire team here at Kids Party Characters, today we want to take a moment to wish you all a very merry Christmas and happy holidays, however and whatever it is you celebrate.

We love all of our clients, friends, and supporters, and are truly grateful to have you as part of the Kids Party Characters family.

Before you get deep into the upcoming celebrations, we have three quick things for you to keep in mind that will help put joy in your holidays, and for all those whose paths you cross this season.

1. Enjoy the Moments

Something we don't do enough of is live in the moment. So whether you're enjoying time with family, friends, or some needed "me" time, make a conscious decision to put aside any worries and to just live in the moment.

Don't worry if the dinner is late, the house could still use some cleaning, or the kids rejected those matching outfits. Just enjoy the opportunity to be together and be grateful for those you can gather with this season.

And if the gifts aren't exactly what everyone wanted, or as plentiful as you would've liked, remember that life is really about the experiences.

In five years, no one will remember what you got them for Christmas this year, but they will all remember the feelings of love and happiness they experience over the holidays when you share a conversation, a few laughs, a good meal.

2. Honor Our Differences

Over the holidays, many of us get together with people we don't regularly see. Especially when these people are family, they can have different expectations than we do.

And for some people, it's very important that everyone falls in line to make the holiday experience what they envision it to be.

We can't change other people, but we can control our own actions and emotions.

Start by being aware of your own expectations and how they may not line up with others' desires.

Be mindful of honoring different ideas and opinions and always aim for solutions that make everyone happy.

That's not to say you should give up your own joy to satisfy others.

You can be the leader in compromise though, and if conflict arises, remember to always act from a place of love and kindness.

You'll be surprised how you can deflate a potentially unpleasant situation by refusing to argue or get angry,  and by simply staying kind.

3. Remember Holidays Can be Difficult

Hopefully the holidays are a relatively positive experience for you, but always remember that some people really struggle during this season.

Depression increases due to family issues, financial pressures, increased expectations, and feelings of loneliness, to name a few reasons.

Some people struggle with experiencing the holidays for the first time without a loved one who has died over the past year, others mourn broken relationships or barriers that keep them from sharing the time with their loved ones.

Before you go forcing your Christmas cheer on everyone, be conscious of the fact that this is the opposite of a joyous time for many.

Respect boundaries and requests to be left alone.

Reach out to those who seem to be down, or who you actively know are suffering.

Sometimes all you can give is a hug or a few kind words.

Other times you can do more, such as inviting someone out for a "holiday-free" dinner or to your home to watch a non-holiday movie and share a drink.

Just be sensitive and tuned in to others, and know that a small gesture can be life-changing to someone who's struggling.

Still Time for Your Special Offer from Kids Party Characters

As our way of saying "Thank You" for your support of Kids Party Characters, we have a special offer for you that expires December 31.

Put down a deposit on your party now and you'll receive a 15% discount or a free upgrade to the next party package when you book your party with KidsPartyCharacters.com.

Whether your party is next month or next summer, simply put your deposit down now and you'll lock in your 15% discount or free upgrade when the time comes to book your party.

And be sure to keep up with all the magic we bring to children's parties by connecting with us on Facebook for daily updates throughout the year.

5 Quick Holiday Treats for the Last Minute Mom

One of the popular traditions this time of the year that many of us feel the need — or desire — to participate in is holiday baking. 

On the one hand there are a lot of really fun-looking and delicious-tasting treats out there designed specifically for the holidays, including many we only give ourselves permission to eat on this special occasion. 

On the other hand, holiday baking can be time consuming, and getting those Santa cookies to look the way they do on Pinterest can be down right hard.

If you think about it, it takes a lot of effort just to make a batch of cookies to take to a party. Yet around the holidays, it’s easy to find five, six, or ten recipes we want not only to taste good, but to look good too.

If you haven’t finished, or even started, your holiday baking this season, the clock is definitely ticking for you. So today we’ve chosen five of our favorite yummy but easy recipes that can still make you look like you could hold your own as a contestant on Dessert Games.

Yes, you can scour the internet and come up with 25+ easy recipes, but we’ve specially chosen these because not only are they truly easy, but they require few ingredients, and your kids — who are likely already “bored” on their break — can easily pitch in or even make it themselves.

1. Christmas Kisses

What You’ll Need:

- A bag of round pretzels

- A bag of plain M&Ms, red and green

- 2-3 bags of Hershey’s Kisses, hugs variety

Directions:

- On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat mat, spread out the pretzels, fitting as many as you can on the sheet.

- Place a Hershey’s kiss into each pretzel.

- Bake on the lowest heat setting your oven has, with the door cracked open, for 5-6 minutes, or until the kiss begins to soften.

- Remove from oven and press an M&M (blank side up) into each kiss.

- Cool in the refrigerator or outside, and they pop right off the pan once chilled.

As these have become quite a popular treat, you may have trouble finding circle pretzels at this late date, as they do appear to be seasonal. You can also use the square pretzels that are available year round. They don’t look quite as pretty, but they still taste great.

Just get a couple bags of round pretzels on your Black Friday shopping list for  next year!

2. Holiday Pretzel Rods

What You’ll Need:

- A container of pretzel rods

- Milk, dark, and/or white dipping chocolate

- Holiday sprinkles and/or frosting

Directions:

- Melt the chocolates over low heat and pour them into drinking cups.

- Dip half of the pretzel rod in the chocolate and lay it on a pan covered with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.

- Shake sprinkles over the chocolate while it’s still warm, or put the icing in a pastry bag and drizzle it over the chocolate.

- Cool in the refrigerator or outside, and the festive pretzels will pop right off the pan once chilled.

It truly doesn’t get easier than this one, and they look great and are a big hit among kids and adults.

3. Puppy Chow

What You’ll Need:

- A 12 oz box of rice Chex cereal

- 12 oz of chocolate chips

- 3/4 cup of peanut butter

- 1 stick unsalted butter

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1 bag powdered sugar

Directions:

- Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter over low heat, stirring constantly.

- Stir in vanilla extract.

- Place cereal in a large bowl and pour mixture over it, stir slowly with a spatula until cereal is covered.

- Pour the powdered sugar over the mixture and stir slowly. Add as much powdered sugar as you want, you can use the whole bag or less according to your taste.

To add a holiday flare to this recipe, you can also stir in some red and green plain M&Ms.

4. Christmas Crackers

What You’ll Need:

- About 2 sleeves of saltine crackers

- 1 cup of butter

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 12 oz bag of chocolate chips

- About a cup of M&Ms

Directions:

- Line a large jelly roll pan with a Slipat mat or aluminum foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

- Place the saltines in a single layer in the pan, side by side.

- Heat the butter and brown sugar over medium-low heat, stirring until the butter is melted.

- When the butter has melted, bring the mixture to a boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture is a caramel color.

- Pour the mixture over the saltine crackers and spread with a spatula to even it out. Work quickly so the mixture doesn’t harden.

- Bake at 325 degrees for 8-9 minutes.

- While the toffee bakes, melt the chocolate chips until smooth.

- Remove pan from oven and pour chocolate chips over the toffee crackers, spreading with a spatula to even it out.

- Place M&Ms on top and freeze for 15 minutes, then break the hardened pieces off the pan and store in a container. 

The key to making this recipe easy is letting go of any perfectionism you may suffer from. Don’t worry about spreading the toffee mixture evenly, it will even out as it bakes. The chocolate mixture doesn’t have to be perfectly distributed either.

And, part of the beauty of this recipe is the homemade look you’ll get when you break it apart after its hardened. (In addition to the fact that it’s sooo good no one will notice if it’s not exactly even!)

5. Oreo Truffles

What You’ll Need:

- A package of Oreo cookies

- 8 oz of cream cheese, softened

- melting chocolate of any flavor

Instructions:

- Finely crush the Oreos in a food processor or blender.

- Combine the Oreos crumbs with the cream cheese using a spoon, or your hands actually work best.

- Shape the cookie mixture into small balls and refrigerate them for 15-30 minutes.

- Melt the chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.

- Dip the chilled cookie balls into the chocolate of your choice and lay them on a surface covered with parchment, wax paper, or a Silpat mat.

- Refrigerate to harden the chocolate and store in a container.

Tip for Oreo truffles: Give yourself permission to live a little and try these, even if the ingredients would usually be on your “off limits” list. You deserve something that tastes this great to celebrate the holidays!

Special Holiday Offer From Kids Party Characters

Hopefully we’ve relieved any stress you may have been having about your holiday baking, and maybe even given you some ideas for treats you could turn the older kids loose with on their own in the kitchen.

One of our main goals here at Kids Party Characters is to make life more fun for your kids, and for you.

When it comes to parties, our full-service packages allow you to unload most of the work on us while you sit back and enjoy with your child and her guests.

Visit us at KidsPartyCharacters.com to see our selection of over 200 characters, as well as all the kid favorites like cotton candy, face painting, balloon twisting, and — our newest addition — bouncy castles.

Because you’re a Kids Party Characters supporter, if you put a deposit down on your party in December, you’ll receive 15% off or a free upgrade to the next level package when it’s time to book the party.

So even if your child’s birthday doesn’t come around until next summer, simply place your deposit now at KidsPartyCharacters.com and you’ll lock in your 15% discount or free upgrade as our way of saying thanks for being a valued member of the community.

Also make sure we’re connected on Facebook, where we share daily updates about the magic we create at children’s parties, as well as our best tips for raising happy and healthy kids while successfully working from home.

Why Your Child Never HAS to Hug Grandma

The holidays are often filled with visits from relatives your family doesn’t see on a regular basis. For some of us, these visits are wonderful opportunities to create lasting memories.

Others see these visits as obligations we simply tolerate and try to get through.

Whatever the relationship is between you and your extended family, one thing we rarely think about is how these visits effect our kids.

When grandma walks through the door, she may expect a hug. But your child may not even be sure who this person is. 

And we don’t hug strangers, right?

Then Aunt Sally’s really cool gift to your child certainly deserves a kiss of appreciation, doesn’t it?

And when your child shies away from the hug or refuses the kiss, we often feel embarrassment at our child being “rude” or “unappreciative.”

But we shouldn’t, and in fact, we should be actively protecting our child’s right to choose when and how she shows affection to us, and to everyone else she encounters, even if it happens to be your favorite relative.

The Danger of Forcing Affection

Your first reaction may be that expecting your child to make an occasional show of affection towards a trusted relative is harmless, and in fact teaches good manners and helps establish loving relationships.

But stop and think for a moment about the message it sends to your child. 

When an adult tells you that you have to give a hug or kiss, you have to do it. Even if you don’t want to do it.

And that’s a dangerous message to instill in our children, who don’t have the capacity to always understand good touch versus bad touch, and when it’s okay to just say “no” to what an adult or other person of authority is asking of you.

Dr. Andrea Bastiani Archibald, a developmental psychologist with the Girl Scouts, puts it like this:

“The lessons girls learn when they’re young about setting physical boundaries and expecting them to be respected last a lifetime, and can influence how she feels about herself and her body as she gets older. Plus, sadly, we know that some adults prey on children, and teaching your daughter about consent early on can help her understand her rights, know when lines are being crossed, and when to go to you for help.”

Dr. Jack Levine, an executive committee member on developmental and behavior pediatrics at the American Academy of Pediatrics, agrees, noting that forced affection takes from the child his say in the decision on who to show his affection to. This leads to the child believing his feelings and thoughts on the issue don’t really matter.

Dr. Levine agrees that the effect can last a lifetime:

“They feel that external forces are more or equally as important as their own feelings and who they should be kissing and hugging, and then later on in life, who they should be intimate with.”

Another consideration is how forced affection may influence your child’s trust in you if she is ever touched in a way that makes her feel uncomfortable.

It’s certainly not something we want to ever imagine, but it’s an unfortunate reality. And if your child is made to feel uncomfortable by another’s touch, you don’t want her to hesitate to tell you, wrongly assuming that “Mommy thinks it’s okay for other adults to force a kiss or touch.”

How to Handle Those Awkward Situations

This is an issue a lot of people have never considered, so don’t expect grandma and Aunt Sally to embrace your child’s right to choose his comfort level of affection. 

Some relatives can be downright pushy, especially if you have an overly affectionate family.

If you anticipate this may be an issue, talk to your child beforehand about her right to do what’s comfortable for her. 

To keep your child from coming across as rude or uncaring, she may want to make something for certain relatives beforehand, or simply practice expressing gratitude and affection with words so they’ll come more naturally when the situation arises.

If you see your child being put in an uncomfortable situation, whether you’ve talked about it beforehand or not, step in and support him with a, “Oh you don’t feel like giving hugs right now? That’s okay.”

Hopefully this will be a subtle yet effective message to the offending party. If they persist, kindly explain we always choose when and how to show affection in our family because it empowers the kids to make those choices for themselves in the future.

The bottom line is, protecting your kids here is more important than your extended family’s hurt feelings. 

Such feelings should be healed by your child’s other kind gestures and words. If not, what can you do?

Connect With Kids Party Characters

If you’ve found today’s post valuable, be sure to connect with Kids Party Characters on Facebook, where we share daily our best tips and strategies for raising happy and healthy kids.

As a supporter of Kids Party Characters, you also still have time to save 15%, or receive a free party package upgrade, when you put your party deposit down in December.

Whether your party is next month or next summer, simply put down your deposit now at KidsPartyCharacters.com, and when you’re ready to book your party you’ll receive your choice of a 15% discount or a free upgrade to the next level party package.