I am really moving toward the brown paper bag ideas since we can’t recycle traditional wrapping paper. Is that a weird thing right there? Which one is traditional? Paper bags or wrapping paper? Thoughts to ponder. That is about all of the time I can commit to that!

If you need to keep the kids busy while you are wrapping, bust out the Christmas Charades.

If you need a little liquid pick-me-up, peruse our Christmas Cocktails. 

If you just need some creative bow tying tips (these are REALLY cool!), check out how to tie a perfect bow.

Finally, if these ideas aren’t enough for you, we have 8 more creative gift wrapping ideas just in case.

Before you head over there check out these wonderfully inspiring Christmas wrapping ideas!

Inspiring Christmas Wrapping Ideas

Randi from Dukes And Duchesses has these 3 Creative Gift Wrap Ideas ready for you. The simple stick tree and Santa packages are my favorites!

When your site is called “Mod Podge Rocks Blog” a DIY Confetti Christmas Gift Wrap is right up your alley. Isn’t this adorable? Honestly, I think this one is an easy one and it won’t end up on your Pinterest fail list.

At A Spoonful Of Sugar, they have created a fool proof was to spice up your Christmas packages with this Washi Tape Wrapping Paper.

Have a little balsa wood around? These little Christmas Tree Gift Topper by Make and Tell will make your presents stand out.

Well, it just wouldn’t be a complete Christmas wrapping round up without Christmas Unicorn Gift Bag Tutorial. Am I right? Thank you to Tikkido for helping us check this one off our list. Now to find that horn!

 I really adore this Christmas Chalkboard Packaging by Bonnie Christine. What a cute idea! I will be adding this one to my list of Christmas wrapping ideas for next year for sure. I don’t think I will be finding this paper tonight. Ya win some, ya lose some.

These Easy Gift Wrap Gift Tag Stickers by Homey Oh My are a genius idea. I really love this and it would work wonderfully with my brown bag paper idea, too! I am off to go cut some pine boughs and salal. Oh, wait. I need to tell you about the rest of these first!

Amy at The Idea Room has one of my favorite ideas with her Creative Christmas Gift Wrap . I adore that these are reusable and almost kid proof for those who want to take a peek ahead of time. 

These Cupcake Liner Ornaments Homemade Christmas Wrapping Paper by Stacey at The Soccer Mom Blog are so kid-friendly. Just buy some cute little cupcake liners and you are more than half way there. This is another great option for those paper bags!

Are your kids driving you batty and they need something to do? Have them make some of this Homemade Wrapping Paper Sponge Stamping by Confessions Of An Overworked Mom. Honestly, have them start in July and then when December comes, you won’t even have to think about it!

Pretty up your brown paper packages with this DIY Ribbon Tutorial by Hearth And Vine. Cute, right!?!?

This is so darn cool. Each one looks totally unique and this Tie Dye Wrapping Paper technique by Diana Rambles can be used year round.

Ok,Nellie Bellie. I see your How To Make A Gift Bag tutorial, but I am deathly afraid that this would turn into a disaster for me. Honestly, I think this would be a good one for my crafty daughter. I might end up with ribbon and torn paper that looks like an oven mitt.

Brittany Goldwyn is a goddess of Custom Gift Wrap DIYs. Isn’t this pretty? Again, I think I would have to work on this one when the kids aren’t around. Ya, I need some serious mama craft time for this Christmas wrapping idea.

 I am literally printing off this Printable Paper Bow Template by Thrifty Jinxy as I type this. Isn’t it genius??! Bless those who make printable for us.

Just in case one wasn’t enough for you. We have another Christmas Unicorn Gift Wrap Idea by My Heavenly Recipes here for you. Enjoy!

At first glance, I thought this was going to be a tutorial about how to make a glittery deer head. HOWEVER, check out the Free Printable Wood Grain Wrapping Paper by Tikkido! Another creative genius making our lives easier. Mwwwwah!

Anytime a package is reusable, I am a fan and now you can learn How To Paint A Snowflake Gift Pouch by The Things We’ll Make.

AAnother great idea that would transfer to our brown paper bag dreams. This Holiday Lights Gift Wrap Tutorial by Burlap And Blue is ridiculously cute and even I could do it!

This Santa Gift Bag Idea by That’s What Che Said is so cute and I put it at the end because, honestly, this is one I want to receive. Thank you super crafty people for giving us such awesome Christmas wrapping inspiration in the eleventh hour!

Pin it for next year:

The post 20 Awesome Christmas Wrapping Ideas first appeared on BonBon Break.

Now don’t overdo it because that doesn’t help anyone and the headache – oh, the headache. Nobody has the time or energy for that! Which of these sweet treats are you  going to choose first?

Our Favorite Christmas Cocktails

Apple Cider Champagne Cocktail by Well Plated

Dirty Chai Eggnog by The Little Epicurean

Peppermint Infused Gin Cocktail by A Side Of Sweet

Pomegranate Rosemary Spritzer by A House In The Hills

Christmas Pear Champagne Cocktail by Salt And Lavender

Eggnog Mudslide by Lemon Tree Dwelling

Sparkling Vodka Cranberry with Lime by Eating Bird Food

Creamy Nutella Martini by Averie Cooks

Jack Frost Cocktail by Homemade Hooplah

Slow Cooker Spiced Wine (Mulled Wine) by Well Plated

Brown Sugar Fig Cocktail by How Sweet Eats

Gingerbread White Russian by Running To The Kitchen

Pomegranate Apple Cider Spritzer by Healthy Nibbles And Bits

Boozy Maple Ice Cream Root Beer Float by The Little Epicurean

Tequila Christmas Sunrise by How Sweet Eats

Caramel Apple Martini by Lexi’s Clean Kitchen

Grapefruit Ginger Spritzer by Lauren Caris Cooks

Kahlua Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate by Home Cooking Memories

Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour by Cookie And Kate

Holiday Peppermint White Russian by The Forked Spoon

Also, a friendly reminder, because we love you.

Always have a designated, sober driver.

Happy Holidays!

Check out our entire collection of cocktails on BonBon Break

More holiday spirit from BonBon Break…

150+ Christmas Cookie Recipes

Christmas Book Countdown: A Family Tradition Advent Calendar Idea

Nutella Bonbons

The post 20 Christmas Cocktails first appeared on BonBon Break.

There are many charade word ideas for Christmas that can get your game started over the holidays.

Items You Need for Christmas Charades for Kids

• Players
• Paper
• Pencil
• Timer
• Bowl
• Christmas charade words

Christmas Charades for Kids – How to Play

To get your game of Christmas charades underway this year, you will want to construct a list of the best charade words. Using individual pieces of paper, take the time to write down each word, placing them all in bowls. Mix up the words inside the bowl and allow the youngest in the family to take the first turn, choosing a word from the bowl. Set a timer, having the player act it out without saying anything. The other players guess what the word is. The first person to guess the word correctly before the timer goes off is the winner. The winner takes the next turn with a different topic. The game can be as long or as short as everyone wishes or can continue until all the charade words have been used.

Christmas Charades – Word Ideas

DOWNLOAD THE  CHRISTMAS CHARADES FOR KIDS PRINTABLE

• Santa
• Christmas
• Christmas Tree
• Presents
• Bows
• Wrapping Paper
• Holly
• Pointsettia
• Garland
• Elves
• Ornaments
• Snowglobe
• Joy
• Lights
• Mistletoe
• Wreath
• Christmas Cards
• Eggnog
• Hot chocolate
• Cookies
• Gingerbread
• Angel
• Star
• Bells
• Snow
• Tinsel
• Rudolph
• Donner
• Prancer
• Dancer
• Dasher
• Vixen
• Comet
• Cupid
• Blitzen
• Mrs. Claus
• Frosty the Snowman
• Scrooge
• Reindeer
• Advent
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day
• December
• Ho Ho Ho!
• Nutcracker
• Christmas Dinner
• Sleigh
• North Pole
• Chimney
• Silver Bells
• Jingle Bells
• Silent Night
• Winter Wonderland
• Snow
• Snowstorm
• Magic
• White Christmas
• Deck the Halls
• Jack Frost
• Stockings
• Baking
• Carols
• Parade

Christmas is the perfect time to create new traditions and enjoy the familiar ones. Make Christmas Charades a new tradition for every holiday season. Make sure to gather some amazing charade word lists for Christmas and get started on your game!

SEE OUR CHARADE PRINTABLES COLLECTION:

• Everyday Charades
• Halloween Charades
• Thanksgiving Charades
• New Year’s Eve Charades
• … and Restaurant Games, too!

The post Christmas Charades for Kids first appeared on BonBon Break.

The trick is that I follow people like the AMAZING John Kanell from Preppy Kitchen (OMG his Instagram feed!) and that  I am surrounded by incredibly talented bakers like my friend, Suzanne from Flour Arrangements whose prowess with flour and fondant have lured me into thinking ANYTHING is possible in the kitchen if you just try.

My dear, sweet friends, that is simply not true. I can crank out snickerdoodles and chocolate chip cookies galore, but that is the limit to my baking abilities. Savory I can do, sweet, well, I leave that to the talented people around me. So to honor all of your this holiday season, we have gathered Christmas Cookie recipes for both ends of the spectrum, from simple to extremely talented bakers.

Christmas Cookie Recipes for Every Baker

Peppermint Mocha Cookies by Sally’s Baking Addiction

Glazed Cinnamon Spice Cookies by Crazy Little Projects

Chocolate Kiss Cookies by Two Peas and Their Pod

Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles by Yellow Bliss Road

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies by Life Love and Sugar

Matcha Green Tea Sugar Cookies by Sweet and Savoury Pursuits

Soft And Chewy M and M Chocolate Chip Cookies by Averie Cooks

Reindeer Cookies by Like Mother Like Daughter

Toffee Pecan Shortbread Cookies by House of Nash Eats

Cherry Almond Date Cookies by Fresh April Flours

Chocolate Dipped Snowball Cookies by Crazy for Crust

Orange Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies by Recipes From a Pantry

Gingerbread Cookies With Eggnog Icing by Life Love and Sugar

Chocolate Peppermint Ganache Cookies by Two Peas and Their Pod

Best Ginger Cookies by Baked Bree

Soft Batch Frosted Sugar Cookies by Just So Tasty

Super Simple Santa Cookies by Crazy Little Projects

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies by The Soccer Mom Blog

Lemon Crinkle Cookies by Fresh April Flours

Hot Chocolate Cookies by Averie Cooks

Brownie Roll Out Cookies by Foodal

Raspberry Bow Tie Cookies by Beyond the Chicken Coop

Melting Snowmen Cookies by Little Broken

Best Gingerbread Men Cookies by Sally’s Baking Addiction

Triple Chocolate Turtle Cookies by Carlsbad Cravings

Meyer Lemon Pistachio Sandwich Cookies by Coley Cooks

Peppermint Pattie Cookies by How Sweet Eats

White Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie by Life Love And Sugar

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies by Yellow Bliss Road

Homemade Thin Mints by Bake Eat Repeat

Grinch Heart Cookies by The Girl Who Ate Everything

Vanilla Almond Spritz Cookies by Love and Olive Oil

Fig And Walnut Stuffed Cookies by Little Broken

Dutch Apple Pie Cookies by Lovely Little Kitchen

Chocolate Kiss Powder Puff Cookies by Averie Cooks

Iced Chocolate Peppermint Cookies by Baking a Moment

Mulled Cranberry Macarons by Cookie Named Desire

Chocolate Peppermint Meringue Christmas Trees by Baking a Moment

Snowmen Vegan Meringue Cookies by Vegan Huggs

Spiral Sugar Cookies by Pip and Ebby

Stained Glass Cookies by Dinner at The Zoo

Finnish Christmas Cookies by Lavender and Macarons

Peppermint Macarons by House of Nash Eats

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie by Tikkido

Red and Green Striped Christmas Meringue Cookies by Salt and Lavender

Christmas Mitten Sugar Cookies by The Soccer Mom Blog

Royal Iced Sugar Cookies by Spoonful of Flavor

Christmas Pinwheel Sugar Cookies by Baked by Rachel

Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cut Out Cookies by The Creative Bite

Best Ever Sugar Cookies by Pip And Ebby

 More Christmas Cookie Recipes Gathered for You on Pinterest

A few more recipes…

The post 50+ Christmas Cookie Recipes for Every Baker first appeared on BonBon Break.

My littlest came running in showing the tiny little tooth that came out. It was her first – and my last ‘first tooth’ experience. There is something about these little moments that make you savor them. She was jumping up and down with excitement and the fact that the Tooth Fairy was coming her way. The Tooth Fairy!! I gave her a big hug and sent her off to write THE letter with a little tear in my eye.

That’s when my oldest turned to me and said, “The Tooth Fairy, hmmm.”

“What do you mean?” I asked in a gentle inquisitive tone.

He looked me square in the eyes and said, “Mama, I don’t think she’s real. She isn’t a real fairy, right?” I felt the air leave my lungs in a massive sigh.

I’ve promised myself that I wouldn’t lie on the big things just to keep them going for my sake. Now was that moment. Would I keep it going or would I fess up?

“No, Bub. She’s isn’t real.”

His head hung low and while his chin pointed down, his eyes looked up.

“Is Santa real? What about the Easter Bunny, Leprechauns and the elves – they are all fake. They are all lies,” he said with a whisper and the tears welled along the edge his dark bottom lashes.

“Not lies,” I said. That was all I could muster and I knew I had to think quickly and yet, be truthful and comforting all at once. I remembered this story  I read from a mom in the same situation and I knew where to go.

“Not really lies, just stories to teach you about different lessons when you are young. Santa? He teaches us about the joy of giving. It is so hard to teach a baby or toddler about that joy because they are too young to understand. We teach them how much fun it is to receive a surprise. Once you are old enough, you get to experience the truly special part – giving.”

He looked at me with a quizzical look and I could see his wheels turning.

“Just to get you in the spirit this year, I want you to listen to the stories of those around you. Find someone who really needs something and cannot get it for themselves. You have a budget of $30. When you figure out who and what, we will go get the gift and then you can secretly leave it for them.”

Now his eyes lit up. “Anyone?”

“Yes, anyone!” I cheered.

“Ok. What about my sister? Can I help keep the secret for her until she is ready?”

“Absolutely! You will see how much fun it is to be part of the surprise!”

With that, his energy changed and mine did, too.

These milestones come along – sometimes you get 5 in a day – and we figure out how to navigate them on the fly. There is no right way, just our way and that is the beauty we pass along to our kids. Since that day, he and I have planned for the Easter Bunny, Santa, our Elf on the Shelf and we’ve placed little wrapped packages on friend’s doorsteps, delivering something he just knew they needed or wanted.

I’ve come to realize that celebrating on this side of the bridge is a lot of fun as well. Watching your child appreciate the Spirit of Giving is the greatest gift of all. Yes, Santa is real and his spirit lives in us all.

Happy Holidays!

MORE CHRISTMAS INSPIRATION

Redefining Elf on the Shelf

Sorry Kids, No Christmas Wish Lists This Year {Printable}

Christmas Book Countdown: A Family Tradition Advent Calendar Idea

The post Mama, Is Santa Real? first appeared on BonBon Break.

You’ll find classic pie recipes, like apple, pumpkin, and pecan, often with a twist — an unlikely spice, a miniaturized version, or a unique fruit or nut pairing.  In addition, you’ll find plenty of unconventional holiday pie ideas to keep things interesting, as well as a number of delectable gluten-free pie recipes sure to satisfy guests with or without wheat sensitivities.

And if pie crust makes you nervous, you’ll find tips and tricks for working with pastry dough, including ideas for embellishing pies for showstopping presentation.

Get ready to sweeten the season with these…

Perfect Holiday Pie Recipes

APPLE PIES

PUMPKIN PIES

PECAN PIES

NUTTY PIES

CITRUS PIES

CHOCOLATE PIES

PEAR PIES

GLUTEN-FREE PIES

UNCONVENTIONAL HOLIDAY PIES

PIE TRICKS & TIPS

Pin this for later:

Here are some of our FAVORITE pie accessories from Amazon (Click to buy now using our affiliate links. No extra charge to you and a little perk for us.):

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The post 50 + Perfect Holiday Pie Recipes first appeared on BonBon Break.

Some of these are for those of you who are cookie experts and there are others in there that are perfect for the baking-challenged folks out there (like me!).

We would LOVE to see and hear about your favorite cookies as well! Leave a link in the comments or tag your Instagram photos with #bonbonbreak.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Share YOUR favorite Christmas cookie recipes with us! You must log in to join. Recipes show up in random order.

The post 150+ Christmas Cookie Recipes first appeared on BonBon Break.

Print

Christmas Chocolate Cherry Mice

These are the perfect holiday treat to bring as a gift or for a classroom party.

Course Dessert

Keyword gluten free, kid-friendly cooking

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Calories 130kcal

Ingredients

• 18 maraschino cherries drained and dried
• 1-1 1/2 cups milk chocolate melted
• 36 sliced almonds
• 18 Hershey kisses
• White chocolate small amount melted for eyes

Instructions

• Dip the maraschino cherries into the chocolate and let the excess drip off. Place a Hershey's kiss at the bottom of the cherry and lay both on wax paper lined cookie sheet. Let the chocolate harden slightly and add two almond sliced for ears. Repeat for all eighteen mice. Place the cookie sheet in the fridge to set the chocolate. When set melt the white chocolate and using a toothpick dipped in the chocolate create eyes. Let set again in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.6mg

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Check out BonBon Break Reader Recipes Submissions.

The post Christmas Chocolate Cherry Mice first appeared on BonBon Break.

Interestingly enough, soon after the emails began flowing in, my kids started up with a mean case of the “I wants.” “I want a doll.” “I want more Pokemon cards.” “I want a new bike.” “I want that dress in the window.” “I want all the Lego sets!” I want! I want! I want! We want it on our Christmas Wish Lists!

In the meantime, I was reading about life after the Nepal earthquake and about Syrian refugees. 

This was followed by a trip to Costa Rica. During our travels, we visited children in an orphanage, which has been created an ongoing dialog in our home during birthdays, early morning cuddles, and…yes, wish lists.

It was all just too much, and the vortex of neediness broke me down. We weren’t going to do Christmas the same way this year. We cannot WANT this year; we need to give.

I sat the kids down, and we had a little chat. For my son’s birthday, his sister chose to get him a mini Foosball table, and it was his favorite gift. He didn’t ask for it, she just KNEW it was something he would really like because they had played on one at a friend’s house, and she was right. Last Christmas, my son chose a Little Mermaid Lego set for his sister, and he was so excited to give it to her because he just KNEW she would love it, and he wanted to teach her to build Legos, and he was right. 

Their favorite gifts were the ones that weren’t on their lists; they were the gifts that were chosen for them. A lot of thought went into what the other person liked and  what would be fun for them to engage in together. 

My proposal to them for this holiday season was to create “Giving Lists” instead of wish lists. This week, we are sitting down and writing a list of all of the people we want to give gifts to, and they are allowed to pick one, low-priced item to request from Santa. We discussed that it wouldn’t be fair to all the kids of the world if we asked for something really expensive. Santa has a budget, you know. 

Click here to print

Believe it or not, my kids went for it immediately, and there have been unexpected results. The “I wants” have reduced tremendously. We are exchanging lots of sideways glances with each other and knowing smiles when we hear a family member talking enthusiastically about something. We are really having fun with this. My littlest even brought up the fact that we don’t have to buy something for everyone, “We could make them something special that they would like.” BINGO!

Christmas morning gift opening will be less about which items were received from personal wish lists and more about the excitement of seeing our gifts being opened by our family members. Swoon. 

With the state of the world as it is, we are also going to decide, as a family, on a non-profit to sponsor this holiday season. This is going to be a research project for the kids. I have already introduced them to WaterAid and the incredibly important work they are doing around the world. Bring us your suggestions. It’s time to bring the focus away from our wants and needs and to learn how to acknowledge the needs of others during the Season of Giving.

I would love to hear your thoughts. Do you think you could swing this with your family? What changes would you make?

READ MORE FROM VAL:

• You’re Grounded and Now It’s Going to Sting {Printable}
• Why Your Kid Doesn’t Deserve an “A”
• 20 Apps You Can Play With Your Kids

READ MORE CHRISTMAS POSTS:

• ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas: Parent Version
• 10 Reasons Why NOT to Do Elf on the Shelf
• Redefining Elf on the Shelf 

READ our theme posts from SIMPLIFY , INSPIRE and CONNECT

PIN IT FOR LATER:

The post Sorry Kids, No Christmas Wish Lists This Year {Printable} first appeared on BonBon Break.

Homemade holiday food gifts capture the best of the holiday season.  Not only does the effort of creating these treats imbue them with love and thoughtfulness, their very nature makes them extra considerate:  since they’re consumable, your good cheer won’t overstay its welcome by cluttering up anyone’s home or office.

Make this holiday season a delicious one for friends, neighbors, or colleagues by infusing some booze, mixing up a batch of sweet or savory munchables, or putting together DIY food kits.  Our collection of edible gift ideas includes recipes sure to delight even the most impossible-to-shop-for individuals on your list.

Get ready to serve up some holiday cheer with these…

Homemade Holiday Food Gift Ideas

DIY BOOZY GIFTS

BEVERAGES

SAVORY SNACKS

SWEET TREATS

MUNCHABLES

PRESERVES

SAUCES

SEASONINGS

DIY FOOD KITS

Find all of these delicious gift ideas and MANY, MANY MORE on our Homemade Holiday Food Gift Ideas Pinterest Board:

Follow Bonbon Break’s board Homemade Holiday Food Gift Ideas on Pinterest.

Pin it for later:

Here are some of our FAVORITE supplies for wrapping up homemade food gifts (click to buy now using our affiliate links to Amazon  —  no extra charge to you and a little perk for us):

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READ MORE FROM THE GIVING POSTS

The post 50+ Homemade Holiday Food Gift Ideas first appeared on BonBon Break.

PLEASE FIND MORE FUN CHRISTMAS INSPIRATION HERE

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The post Gingerbread Men first appeared on BonBon Break.

Continue Reading

ABOUT DAISY: Daisy is an avid cook, baker, and self-taught photographer. Through her blog, Daisy’s World, she hope’s to inspire her readers to make delicious gourmet recipes that are simple and easy

to make. Follow Daisy on Twitter and Pinterest.

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The post Santa Hat Brownies first appeared on BonBon Break.