Christmas Dreaming

My preference would be for the girls to each get only a few things this year, which should help to make them really special. But it is hard for me because I have saved up all these craft supplies and I just want to create all I can... I want to give them each the world! Plus this is the time of year when I keep my eyes open for craft kits, new books, dolls, silks, toys and things on the waldorfcurriculum-supplies list.

But here's a tentative plan to help me exercise some restraint.

1) for everyone (for the dollhouse) - a basket of magic wool in different colors to make little beds and things - Willow Tree

and I'd like to make the Magic Wool picture of Rumplestiltskin to hang on the wall

I'd also like to give each girl a Christmas ornament in her stocking, so that will probably mean a little needle felted animal for each one

2) Natalie - Rose Child Doll (her middle name is Rose) - Quartett Game: Trees

3) Leah - two pulleys so we can arrange to carry baskets of things up from the living room to the loft - Large White Playsilk which we can dye together

4) Rebecca - felted play mat with a little gnome - some new knitted and felted play kitchen foods (the play store and play kitchen are still a big hit)

Done. That is $9.00 + $50.95. Under $60.00 -- not bad for the biggest shopping holiday of the year and three children!!! And now I've ordered the things I'm buying and I can concentrate on the handmade stuff. I already have the pulleys so Leah is in luck. That girl absolutely has to have action toys. She is always jonesing to figure out how things work, it's quite funny. I think it hurts her sometimes to not know how something is made or how something is done. And she asks such specific questions too! If I actually answered all of them, I think she'd try sneaking out one day and driving our car. At the age of FOUR. I keep it vague, of course. But she is asking really specific questions about how to read the traffic light signals and rules for right of way and things like that...

That girl is going to keep me on my toes when she's a teenager, there's no doubt.

Back to the question of Christmas, it is likely they will also get some books. It's hard for me to keep from book shopping (especially if I go to Colorado in October for Rahima's conference, they have lovely book tables there). Perhaps I can ask my mom to take care of that want/need. I always forget that they'll also get things from other people! I'd love to get the Flicka Ricka Dicka and Snipp Snapp Snurr series. Especially as Natalie becomes a reader. The print is so nice and clear in those books.