Free and Printable Christmas Holiday Greeting Cards Crafts Puzzles

A string of holiday cards across a window makes a lovely sight! I have sent and received cards for years. It is one of my favorite holiday traditions. But the cost of everything seem to be rising, including greeting cards.

  Here's a sensible alternative to expensive cards--print your own! Home printed cards are just as beautiful and personal. And they make sense financially. Saves on shopping time too!


  I found a terrific site for free printable christmas cards with no membership fees. Best of all it has a wide selection of free printable holiday crafts. The site is Dover Publications. It  offers free samples of clipart, and printables. Dover offers a wealth of holiday crafts, sticker sheets to print, gift tags, and loads of quality books as well.


  The holiday art on the cards is generally from the lavish Victorian period. Classic cherubs adorn the corners in rich colors. Jolly old St. Nick steps straight out of Harper's Bazaar with his sack bulging with toys from times past. Gilt fruit and lush wreaths decorate the borders. Victorian children skate on fairyland ponds, dressed in red velvet and white fur. All the cards greet your loved ones with banners of holiday cheer!


  There are also some which feature the Art Nouveau and 'Art Deco' Period of the Twenties and Thirties. These feature the elegant, elongated men and women and chic block writing. You'll find Tiffany style art as well for your e-cards. The whimsical fairylike characters and enchanted woodland scenes evoke the magic of Christmas!


  There are religious and secular choices. You can choose nativity scenes, nostalgic woodland churches, candles and incense, and Coventry angels. There are cards with different peoples and cultures: Norse, Celtic, Germanic, Moorish, French, Slavic, and Oriental.


  You will be amazed at the great prices and free shipping deals! Most large coloring books sell for $3.95 to $6.95. The reprints run about $5.95 to $8.95. You can be put on an email mailing list and receive free samples and coupons each week. You can receive free catalogs through the mail with promotions galore!


  Check out Dover Publications website today and explore the choices for your holiday mailing and all your holiday gift-giving! Be sure to sign up with your email to get the freebies.

Fun Holiday Activities for Sick Kids

Wouldn't you know it--Christmas vacation is finally here and your child gets ill. Holidays can be miserable for sick kids (and parents who must care for them). No parties, curtailed activities, more work, extra worries--it kinda takes the "merry" out of "Christmas." But it doesn't have to. Here are at-home family holiday activities that sick kids can enjoy, too. Click around on this blog for free printable crafts for kids to make.  Read more 

Free Printable Christmas Decorations, Ornaments, Crafts

Finding yourself cash-strapped this holiday season? You're not alone! Many years, my Christmas budget barely covered gifts, let alone holiday decorations. I admired the lovely Christmas decor my friends and neighbors put up, but not the big bucks they shelled out. If I had any money left, I wanted to share with kids in need, not buy dust collectors or disposable decorations. Fortuneately, the internet provides a solution: free printable Christmas decorations and crafts. Print from your computer for cheap holiday decor. All you need is paper and ink and you can save on those by printing in black ink on recycled paper (be sure to set your printer to "economy" to use less ink). Then have kids color black and white images! A 25 cent box of crayons bought at back-to-school sales and you've got a child minder craft that will keep kids happily occupied all season long! And kids will love decorating with ornaments they've made themselves. You're making memories, saving money and keeping kids productively occupied all at once! Talk about multitasking--girl, you rock! read on

Free Printable Eastern Orthodox Catholic Coloring Activities

The Christian Orthodox church, whose branches include Russian, Ukrainian, Slavic, Slavonic and Greek Orthodox, is linked to the Byzantine Church. The eastern rite churches follow most of the same practices as the Christian Catholic church, such as veneration of saints, icons, holy relics and martyrs. Here are free printable coloring pages, activities and lesson plans to celebrate Orthodox Advent and Christmas. Epiphany is a specifically Orthodox holiday and the occasion on which most Orthodox families exchange gifts. Read more

Free Printable Christmas Party Puzzles and Word Games

When I think of holiday parties, I think of food, family and how richly blessed I am. I also remember past celebrations with my family at home and with students in various classrooms. I've always linked curriculum in my classroom to the current season or holiday. Need free printable holiday games and puzzles? You've found them. This was written for Thanksgiving, but there are puzzles for Christmas, Yule, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, Hanukkah and Saturnalia, too. read more

Best Personal Calendar, Planner, Organizer Apps Online

Okay, I admit it--I am an organizer-ophile. I find it therapeutic to wander the planner aisle in Barnes & Noble. When I get a new cellphone, the first thing I play with is the calendar function. But I am also a tightwad--I will not pay for organizers apps or software. And I don't have to, nor do you, when there are so free utilities available online. Just in time for holiday shopping. To snag the best deals, Christmas shopping requires organization, planning and budgeting. Here are the best organizer apps on the net. read more

Advent Recipes, Christmas Cookie Recipes

Advent was our favorite season when we homeschooled. We did holiday math, advent writing, Christmas social studies, winter science. Everything about Christmas is a teachable moment. Here are Christmas cookie recipes with a holiday object lesson. Our family is into its third decade making these holiday treats. read more

DIY Advent Calendar Craft for Christmas Countdown

 Advent is the four week period before Christmas. Advent calendars make a great way to countdown the days until Christmas. You can purchase an advent calendar, print of of the many free Advent calendars or make your own using this easy pattern. Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, so the length of time Advent lasts will change each year. To make your Advent calendar reusable from year to year, you can simply number the windows from 1-30. That will ensure that you always have enough windows to countdown for each day before Christmas. On the years with shorter Advent seasons, simply continue on after Christmas. read more

Parents Benefit from Giving, Receiving Operation Christmas Child Shoe Boxes

When back-to-school shopping, don't forget Operation Christmas Child's holiday shoeboxes. Now's a perfect time to stock up school supplies, crayons, pencils, scissors, markers, glue sticks and paper to fill your boxes. For Catholic and Christian families, packing an OCC box is a great Advent almsgiving activity. Advent is a lesser penitential season, like Lent and almsgiving is one the acts. Most others faiths practice some kind of charitable giving (such as Muslim zakat) and OCC provides a good avenue to do that. Giving to those in need is also relieves holiday stress and teaches kids that Christmas isn't just about getting. Here's how to do that read more

Free Printable Winter Season Lessons, Activities

The winter season is a popular theme in preschool and early elementary. In science, the winter season makes an ideal focus for chemistry, physics, earth and life science topics. In social studies, students might explore winter-specific holidays and religious celebrations, like Yule, Saturnalia and the December solstice. Concepts are adaptable across different curricula: writing, math, reading, literature, art and crafts. Here are free printable winter season activities. Most are interactive, hands-on project-type activities. Perfect for many ages and grade levels. Great for special needs learners, too. Read more

Free Printable Folded Paper Christmas Ornaments and Decorations

Need some educational Christmas crafts? How about free printable cut-and-paste and folded-paper holiday decorations? Kids can practice math, measurement and fine motor skills while creating lovely, festive decor. These activities are perfect for elementary and middle school math classes, homeschool and winter vacation fun. With some assistance, these crafts will work with disabled students and preschoolers. Senior citizens will love them, too. Read more 

Cyber Monday: Make Online Shopping Work for You

Cyber Monday: the biggest online shopping event of the holiday season. After the post-Thanksgiving Black Friday shopping spree, we can enjoy the safer and more peaceful online shopping of Cyber Monday. But even online shopping can be challenging. Every store and merchandiser is vying for your shopping dollar. They ply you with coupons, free shipping and "great deals." How do you navigate the ocean of internet commerce? Here's your shopper's guide to Cyber Monday deals. Read more

Free Barbie Doll and Tawny Horse Set with $15 Purchase

Check your local retail store toy department for "Free Barbie Doll & Tawny Horse" offer. So far, I've seen it at Meijer (in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois) and Big Lots. It may be at Walmart, Target, Costco and Toys R Us, too. Here's how to get it:

* Spend $15 on Barbie products (from the toy department only) and you'll get a coupon for a free doll and horse set ($19.99 value) like the one shown at the left. Products can be clearance and sale items.

* Mail: The original sales receipt (s) with products purchased between 10/1/11-12/31/11 (look for receipts on Barbie products you've already bought). Be sure to get a gift receipt.

* The coupon, available at purchase.

* The UPC codes on the product (if giving as a gift, just cut the code away from the package.)

* $3 check for S/H

Mail to the address on the coupon. Mine says Meijer Free Barbie Doll and Tawny Horse Promotion, P.O. Box 1229, Aurora N.Y. 14052. (Different stores may have different addresses). Must be postmarked by 1/15/12.

Free Printable Coloring Page Manger Scene Nativity Set

Are you looking for great Bible, religious and Christmas crafts for little ones? Here is a free printable nativity scene with cut and paste coloring pages to make a complete manger scene using paper towel tubes. Catholic Icing is a nifty mom-made website for young and old. Lacy designs some beautiful coloring pages for children. She's really outdone herself on this advent nativity scene craft. She created eight coloring pages that you can click and print directly from her blog. Each page features different characters from the nativity scene. Read more

Free Printable Catholic Saints Coloring Pages for Christmas

I've just found a lovely blog today, called Waltzing Matilda, that features a whole collection of free printable Catholic saints organized in order of the Catholic liturgical and saints feast day calendar. Print these free coloring pages for All Saints' Day, Advent and Christmas. Many saints' feast days occur near Christmas: Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Bl. Juan Diego, St. Lucia, Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Nicholas, St. Stephen, Feast of the Holy Innocents and others. This blog features beautiful hand drawn images. Read more

Free Printable Christmas Holiday Crafts, Decorations, Cards, Activities

Many schools will begin Christmas holiday vacation soon. Students rejoice, but parents worry: I've got so much work to do? Here is my 'bored kid first aid kit' with free printable coloring cards, ornaments,  decorations, gift tags and crafts. Read more

Free Printable Advent Countdown to Christmas Calendars

Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas. During Advent we focus on prayer, fasting and almsgiving in preparation for the Feast of Christmas. Many people use an Advent calendar to countdown to Christmas. Here are free printable advent calendars. Read more

Free Printable Manger Scene and Nativity Set

Each Christmas season, I enjoy hunting up new and exciting crafts projects. Here are free printable Christian and Catholic nativity and manger scenes. Print these manger scenes for children to color, cut and paste. Use to teach Christmas Bible stories. Little ones can enjoy playing with homemade nativity figures without fear of breaking expensive sets. A great way to teach the Biblical story. read more

Free Printable Holiday and Craft Stencils

Stenciling is a heritage craft that had it's zenith in Victorian times with prairie and revival architecture styles. There are dozens of craft projects that employ stenciling. Here are free printable stencils and patterns for stenciling. read more

Free Printable Christmas Cards, Ornaments, Decorations, Crafts

Free Printable Christmas Coloring Cards, Ornaments and Craft Activities for Children Many schools will begin Christmas holiday vacation soon. Students rejoice, but parents worry: I've got so much work to do? Here is my 'bored kid first aid kit' with free printable coloring cards, ornaments, decorations, gift tags and crafts. read more