My favourite movie is the Muppet Christmas Carol, and there is no excuse not to watch it over and over again now it is nearly Christmas. As Christmas approaches it really makes you think about the joy in your life and yes about the past.

Christmas Past
These days, Christmas is a wonderful time for me; children making too much noise, adults drinking too much wine, friends and family popping in for a chat and a mince pie. Things used to be different though. Christmas has been a very lonely time for me, and a time that I just wanted to speed past and I really couldn’t understand what the fuss was about.

Failed relationships, which always seemed to end in the stressful chaotic time leading up to Christmas have dwelled on me and Hubby the most. Past regrets and love gone wrong can make Christmas such a sad time. Christmas really should be a time of forgiveness and peace, resentment shouldn’t play a part – but it so often does. It’s hard to let go of the past, but when I did it was so liberating. I came to realise that this quote from Eric Butterworth was so right:

“You can’t have a harmonious relationship and hold onto your resentment too. You can’t hold onto your anger and bitterness and still have a healthy heart and a settled stomach.”

You really can’t move on and start living until you have dealt with the past, Budda put it in other words;

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else — you are the one who gets burned.”

I love that quote and it is one that I have said to myself so many times.

Christmas Present
My son has re-awakened the Christmas spirit in me. He has reminded me about the joy and magic of Father Christmas travelling the whole world in an instant to deliver presents to every boy and girl. His wide eyed excitement of Christmas drawing nearer with every day that passes is just an amazing sight.

It makes me very grateful for the people in my life and makes me want to reach out to the people I have half-forgotten, half-neglected, who may surprise me and be happy if I call them.

Christmas Future

So I think that is what I will do. I have made a list of the people that I have been afraid to call. Though I have let go of my anger and forgiven sins of the past, I really don’t want THEIR anger or bitterness. I don’t want to rekindle old grudges. What I want is to lay the past down and offer olive branches. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone did this? Life is too short to harbour anger. And just maybe, me or Hubby might get that Christmas card or phone call from an old friend who has olive branches of their own.

My son and his friends have the right idea. If someone upsets him one day, he is hugging them and calling them his best friend the next. We should look at things with the eyes of a child more often.

John Lennon put it so well;

“So this is Christmas and what have you done
Another year over and a new one just begun.”

I don’t want the past to stop me enjoying the future. Wrongs can be righted. Me and Hubby have been looking back at Christmas’ Past. Some have been full of regrets and some full of joy. Christmas is the perfect time of the year to hold on to the good things in life and let go and put right the bad things.

Happy Christmas and a VERY peaceful 2012 to everyone.

This is a really quick and easy craft idea. 3yo loves making this crown. It is really versatile as it can be made for a special occasion like Christmas, or just for fun with any odd bits of paper or card. Cutting out pictures from magazines looks good. As does painting the crown all different colours.

Here is a step by step guide to making the paper plate crown – which we made here as a festive Christmas Crown.   You will need:

1. Paper plate
2. Scissors

Then for decoration, either paint, or coloured paper/card and glue.

Glitter, tinsel, feathers, or leaves, could be used as well.

First start off by making your crown…

Now you are ready to start decorating!

1. Take a normal paper plate
2. Fold it in half
3. Cut from the middle of the folded part towards the edge, like pizza pieces.
4. Fold the pieces back to make a crown
5. Try it on for size!
6. Start sticking coloured paper, leaves, glitter, anything – onto the triangles
7. Add as much or a little onto your crown
8. You should now have a colourful crown

All it needs…  is little more bling – as it is Christmas we added some tinsel.

I am already imagining everyone sitting down to Christmas dinner, wearing these hats!  I like making this crown, as the variations are almost endless. Toddlers love making things and they can do almost all of this themselves. Cutting the paper plate with scissors, is the only bit I take total control of!

Great crafty idea from Ang at www.amumssurvivalguide.co.uk Thanks Ang!

If you enjoy art and craft ideas for kids try:

Great gifts and a fantastic way to keep the children occupied in the holidays!