31 | durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, December 15, 2023 | Make it a December to remember Oshawa/Courtice 1414 King Street East, Townline 905-438-8466 • www.winexpert.com not to be used with LE21 wines off per batch WINEXPERT COURTICE EXPIRES JAN 15TH $20 COUPONCheers To A Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year! Millions of people across the globe feel that the holiday season is a magical time of year. Though those people come from all walks of life, it's likely that no group is as taken by the unique spirit of the holiday season as much as children. Whether they're looking forward to Santa's arrival or preparing for a school holiday pageant, kids have much to be excited about come December. Parents can channel that enthusiasm by involving kids when decorating around the house this holiday season. • Make homemade ornaments. The options are limitless when making holiday ornaments with children. From simple ornaments made from pine cones picked up outside to more complex projects designed for children nearing adolescence, parents can look to the internet to fi nd design ideas and directions for hundreds of ornaments. • Let kids lead the way when decorating the tree. Families that celebrate Christmas can let kids lead the way when decorating their Christmas tree. Kids are likely to spend the weeks leading up to Santa's arrival gazing in awe at the tree, and knowing they decided where to place the various ornaments on it might make the season even more special for youngsters. • Include kids in culinary decor. Many celebrants cannot imagine a holiday season without gingerbread houses and cookies. These traditions provide another great opportunity to involve children in holiday decorating. Set aside some time to make homemade gingerbread houses, which can be used as decorations before they're ultimately eaten. Cookies may not have the shelf life of a typical gingerbread house, but kids can pitch in and decorate cookies prior to a holiday party or family meal. The spirit of the holiday season can be seen on the faces of children each December. Inviting kids to pitch in when decorating for the holidays can make the season even more special for its youngest celebrants. (Metro Creative) SIMPLE WAYS TO INVOLVE KIDS IN HOLIDAY DECORATING How many diff erences can you spot between the snowmen? Answer: 6