KidRated’s Christmas Life Hacks

Here at KidRated we have plenty of suggestions of where to go with kids during the holidays. But there will always be those days around Christmas when the weather is awful, you have so much to do, or even you have eaten too much that even the idea of leaving the house would never cross your mind.

So, because at KidRated we really do like to help our brilliant readers and viewers, we have come up with our top ten Christmas life hacks to help you through the holidays. Kids will love doing them so much that you might as well put your feet up and enjoy the few minutes of peace and quiet. It won’t last long.

Use Family Pictures For Gift Tags

Add a personal touch (and some festive cheer) to your gifts by using family snapshots instead of the more traditional name tags.

1. Print digital photos onto white card
2. Cut into decorative shapes
3. Attach to your presents
4. Send out presents to your loved ones

Make Your Own Advent Calendar

You can make your own advent calendar using a muffin tin with 24 cups.

1. Get an adhesive magnet sheet
2. Cut and number circles for each cup
3. Fill each one with a surprise, note, gift or chocolate
4. Hang from the wall with ribbon

Use Green Tinsel On Your Tree

Can’t afford a bushy, full Christmas tree? Or just don’t want the trouble of dragging in a large tree?

1. Simply buy green tinsel
2. Use it to pad out your plastic tree

In no time at all it will look fuller and more Christmassy, and it won’t cost a fortune!

Make Hot Chocolate Hearts

Want a fun treat you can make (and then enjoy) with the kids?

1. Grab a baking sheet and cover it in whipped cream
2. Freeze the whipped cream over night
3. Cut the frozen cream into a heart shape
4. Add to a nice cup of hot chocolate

 Make Christmas Candy Sleighs

You can make great gifts for your kids’ friends and teachers using candy canes and other treats.

1. Place two candy canes with the loops facing up
2. Layer the other treats on top
3. Tie together with a ribbon

Make Elf Donuts From Cheerios

You can use Cheerios to make adorable elf donuts that your kids will both love making and eating!

1. Grab some Cheerios
2. Decorate each one using chocolate, icing, sprinkles and any other treat you or the kids want to use

Use Candy Canes For Place Cards

Having family around for Christmas dinner? Want to keep the kids busy while you’re preparing?

1. Grab a bag of candy canes
2. Use edible glue to stick three together at right angles to each other

Get place your festive place card holders!

Use Condiment Bottles For Icing

Apart from opening their presents, there’s nothing children love more than Christmassy food.

1. Grab some old school condiment bottles (like the kind served in US diners)
2. Fill them with icing
3. Decorate some Christmas treats!

Make Festive Rice Krispie Treats

A festive twist on the classic Rice Krispie treat that your kids will love.

1. Make Rice Krispie treats using green food colouring to give it that festive colour
2. Stack in a Christmas tree shape
3. Decorate liberally with chocolate M&Ms
4. Enjoy!

Make Your Own Christmas Bin

Grab a cardboard box and wrap it in festive wrapping paper. A five-minute process that gives you your very own Christmas bin – not only the kids get involved in making it, but it will encourage them to tidy away their own used wrapping paper and will look much better in family photos than a bin bag.