Out With The Old

now that our kids have so much "bright new shiny" with which to play, what better time to clean out the "dark old dull" ?

it is SO hard for most kids (mine especially) to part with even the smallest bit of broken lego. now, with all the new holiday loot, finding an organized place is a real chore. help them clean out the toys, books and even winter clothes that they barely notice hanging around.

make piles of (or use colored post-its) for; 

MAYBE KEEP, GIVE AWAY and TRASH.

it will be hard to get them excited about the "give away" pile, but once you put on some music, eat some leftover xmas cookies or channukah gelt, they might get into the groove. 

OR

you can tell them that for every new item they got, they need to give one away.

the lesson: abundance is the road to ungratefulness ? (ok, i think i just made that up, but it seems right, doesn't it?). plus, talk to your families about how lucky we are to get new things while explaining that not all families have the same luxuries or something like that, only more eloquent. then go back to the MAYBE KEEP pile and start again.

***added bonus: more organization means less likely chance of stepping on an errant action figure with bare feet - youch!

*find a children's hospital for donating books and puzzles.

*stuffed animals can go to SAFE or project night night.

*bigger toys and warm clothes are great for local homeless shelters.

now you can thank your kids for, not only appreciating the things they have and keeping their toys organized, BUT MOSTLY for making a difference in another child's day.

Acme Holiday - Farewell Christmas Tree

with so much festive hoopla in the air, it's hard to believe it's almost time to deconstruct it all. once you have un-trimmed the tree, think about how you will dispose of it. here is a list from worst to best:

a.) if you put it in a large plastic bag, you can almost insure it will be thrown in a landfill and practically never decompose. 

b.) if you saw it up yourself, (my husband loves this part of the holiday, the one time a year he uses his electric saw) you can put it in your garden rubbish bin to give it a slightly better chance at being composted.

c.) the best option is to go to earth 911 to find out if there is a green pick up or drop off for recycle made especially for the post holiday clean up.

the lesson: our kids should know that since the tree brought so much happiness and light to our holiday (if only for less than a month), the least we can do is NOT trash the earth with the dried and needle dropping remains.

***added bonus: having a pretty responsible answer for your hard-core friends who 1.) drive 4 hours to chop down their own tree from a sustainable farm 2.) buy a seedling in a pot and then plant it in the yard or 3.) use the artificial tree year after year bragging about the carbon they have saved from the lack of transport. *all of which i always think we'll implement NEXT year.

Acme Holiday - Chanukah

so at our house, we celebrate everything (almost) and in order to keep it orderly, we get pretty rigid, cuz if you are anything like me, the thought of so many new toys makes you cringe.

here is how we do it:

nite 1.) a toy from us to our children.

nite 2.) pjs for everyone 

    and another set sent to the pajama program.

nite 3.) siblings exchange gifts. 

nite 4.) a book 

    with another copy of the same sent to milk and bookies.

nite 5.) present from aunt and uncle.

nite 6.) we write letters to each other and read them in turn.

nite 7.) just plain giving - the kids choose what and where.

(usually baking cookies and bringing them to the fire house)

nite 8.) a toy from grandparents - go out with a bang!

this gives them plenty to play with and enough about giving back so as not to shove it down their throats (i can do that all year). hope this helps as you lay out the holidays at your home.

ACME world gift guide

not done yet??? help the world wherever you'd like:

since the acme sharing company is all about sharing, giving and DOING as a family, please note that i am only giving you these "just send money" lists for the holidays. 

global giving

find a project by country and topic and find those who need a little help for as low as $10.

alternative gifts

send money for food, water or medicine around the world.

habitat for humanity

be a part of giving the gift of a home (without having to be oprah). starting at $10.

malaria no more

every 30 seconds a child dies of malaria! that is the most heart-breaking statistic. help protect them with bed nets, $10.

changing the present

browse for a cause that speaks to you; global human rights, disaster relief or microfinance.

i had to stop somewhere, but there are countless amazing organizations that can use your help. there are a few ways to incorporate your kids into the donation process:

 

1.) ask them what they feel strongly about, then surf the web.

2.) ask if they would like to contribute with money they have received.

3.) or perhaps they would like to give to a cause in lieu of a gift for themselves.

4.) youthgive and markmakers are places where you can give your kids an account and they can find the cause, a great idea for grandparents living out of town.

ACME Animal Gift Guide

still more shopping to do?  help animals.

wwf

not the wrestling federation, the world wildlife fund. adopt animals and help save endangered species. the polar bears are a popular gift.

gorilla fund

help the beautiful mountain gorillas in africa. see above photo and insert "Awww".

oxfam and heifer

both get animals to families in need. animals bring in alternate sources of income. *helping people and animals, bonus points.

lange foundation

save the life of a cat or dog with $75.

the gentle barn

saving horses and cows while teaching at risk youth about kindness and responsibility. *helping people and animals, more bonus points.

ACME Green Gift Guide

more shopping to do? help stop global warming.

adopt an acre

choose where in the world you would like to nurture nature.

green dimes

stop junk mail and thousands of trees from the touch of a chainsaw.

terrapass

for about the price of a tank of gas, you can offset the carbon emissions from your car for a year. next best thing to getting a hybrid.

plant trees

great gift for the person who has everything. little kids can get excited by this idea.

Buy One, Give Back One

here are a few gift ideas for giving to 1.) those who want and then giving to 2.) those who need. true, you most likely already know about these products, but just in case:

at TOMS SHOES when you buy a pair of shoes (that are super cute, btw) for children or adults, another pair will be sent to a child in need. between $34 to $48.

www.tomsshoes.com

the gift of light. BOGO solar powered flashlights at $39.00 gives one to you and sends one to the destination of your choice (developing country, military, etc.).

www.bogolight.com

and at a higher price point, ONE LAPTOP PER CHILD is the coolest organization. they are bringing computers to children in the third world while you get one too. $399.

www.laptop.org

***added bonus: last minute online shopping and helping the world all in a few keystrokes without even getting off your butt. no mall parking to deal with, no guilt that you only spent on your kids who didn't really need new stuff. win/win.

Acme Library - 3 holiday books

firstly, DRUMMER BOY, the best looking toy i have ever seen. i LOVE the illustrations from loren long. the story is an exercise in gratitude and love. very touching and with the happiest ending imaginable.

the next one, WHEN SANTA TURNED GREEN, is all about global warming at the north pole - melty, as you can imagine. cute and not scary. problem solving and christmasy.

and lastly, GREAT JOY, one that addresses homelessness in a very vague but powerful way (i know that sounds like it doesn't make sense, but when you read it with your kids, it does), this gorgeously rich book touches on it lightly enough so that you can give your own explanation. it opens the door for more conversation if you want to discuss it further.

*hope you will forgive this unbalanced representation of the holidays, but i couldn't find "acme sharing" worthy books on the subjects of hanukkah and kwanzaa, feel free to let me know if you've got some!

to buy these books, see ACME LIBRARY on the right

(this only works if you are on the acme sharing website)

Dear Santa...

this is amazing.

when your child writes a letter to santa claus and drops it in a BELIEVE MAILBOX in any MACY'S store, a dollar will be donated to the make a wish foundation!!!!

letters must be in envelopes stamped and addressed to:

SANTA - AT THE NORTH POLE.

letters should include your children writing about WHY they believe in santa.

the lesson:  including the wonder and magic of the holiday season into your traditions. and, of course, giving back - for free!

***added bonus: they were most likely going to write to him anyway, this is a great excuse to make it a special project and when they see his big red mailbox it keeps the hope alive and adds to the mystery and mythology all tied up with the spirit of christmas.

Chain of Command

starting to decorate for the holidays?  how about a KINDNESS CHAIN. great for wrapping around a tree or hanging from the dining room ceiling.

1.) cut strips of paper into 2" x 8.5" (basically a piece of construction paper sliced into 2" strips). use at least 2 different colors. depending on the holidays you celebrate, you can color coordinate (channukah = blue and white, xmas = green and red).

2.) grab your stapler and have a seat with your kids. 

3.) ask them to write on each strip an act of kindness they have performed, you can write it for them if they aren't yet literate. 

4.) bend the strip into a circle and secure with a staple. loop the following ones through the last one and keep going. see how long you can make it - you can even hold a length competition between siblings.

5.) when they are all out of loops, send them out into the world to do some more good deeds.

the lesson: showing them what the holiday spirit is really all about.

***added bonus: the money you can save on twinkle lights.

EXTRA CREDIT - if you use left over scraps of wrapping paper!!!