Stress Free Christmas

The Northern Lights, the Aurora Borealis, have been seen further south than usual recently. They are magical lights when viewed in the sky; and creating Northern Lights-inspired Christmas decorations can bring a magical and ethereal atmosphere to your holiday decor. Here are some ideas to help you achieve this look.

Northern Lights Ornaments:

Purchase or make ornaments that resemble the colors and patterns of the Northern Lights. Use iridescent or holographic materials to mimic the shimmering effect.
Paint clear or glass ornaments with swirling patterns of green, blue, and purple to represent the Northern Lights.

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String Lights

Hang string lights with a mix of blue, green, and purple LEDs to simulate the Northern Lights’ colors. You can also find pre-made Northern Lights-themed string lights.

Table Settings and Centerpiece

Choose tablecloths, placemats, and napkins in Northern Lights colors. Add some sparkle with metallic or glitter accents. Create a centerpiece for your dining table or mantel using battery-operated LED candles and translucent vases filled with blue and green marbles or colored water.

Northern Lights Tree Topper

Replace your traditional tree topper with a starburst-style topper made from iridescent or metallic paper. Add LED lights to give it a glowing effect.

Wreaths Garlands and Decals

Make or buy wreaths with blue and green ornaments, pinecones, and faux snow to represent the Northern Lights’ colors and a wintery feel. Craft garlands from ribbons or fabrics in shades of blue, green, and purple. Hang them along the stair railing or mantel. Apply peel-and-stick Northern Lights wall decals to create an instant atmospheric effect in any room. Create luminaries by cutting intricate patterns into paper bags and placing LED candles inside. The cutouts can depict Northern Lights scenes. Make paper snowflakes in the shape of Northern Lights patterns and hang them around your home.

Window Displays

Hang sheer curtains in blue, green, or purple to give the illusion of the Northern Lights shimmering in your windows.

Holiday Cards

Design or choose holiday cards with Northern Lights imagery or colors to send to friends and family.

Northern Lights Paintings:

Paint your own Northern Lights-themed artwork or purchase paintings to display on your walls.

Sound Effects:

Create a playlist with soothing sounds of winter and the Northern Lights. Play it softly in the background to enhance the ambiance.

Remember that the Northern Lights are characterized by their beautiful colors and swirling patterns, so incorporating these elements into your Christmas decorations will help you capture the essence of this natural wonder during the holiday season.

 

Wish Lists

Kids’ Christmas wish lists can vary widely depending on their age, interests, and current trends. It’s important to consider the child’s age, interests, and preferences when selecting a Christmas gift. You can also ask their parents or guardians for suggestions to ensure you choose a gift that will be both exciting and suitable for the child. Here are some popular toy categories and specific toy ideas that many kids might want for Christmas.

Action Figures

Popular action figures from movies, TV shows, or video games like superheroes, Star Wars characters, or Fortnite figures.

Dolls

Dolls are always a popular choice, from baby dolls, dolls that feed and cry or pocket sized dolls with many outfit changes. There also Barbie dolls, American Girl dolls, or other popular doll lines.

LEGO Sets

LEGO sets come in a wide range of themes, from Star Wars to Harry Potter, and can be appealing to kids of all ages, right up to and beyond retirement age. Many a middle aged person still proudly clings onto Lego sets they built as a child or teen.

Board Games

Classic board games like Monopoly, Scrabble, or newer games like Settlers of Catan or Ticket to Ride. For younger children, snakes & ladders or ludo are still popular and teach a number of useful skills like number recognition, taking turns and losing or winning with grace.

Video Games and Consoles

The latest video game consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch, along with popular games are always popular.

Arts and Crafts Supplies

Art kits, craft supplies, and DIY projects can inspire creativity, if you can stand the mess. Why not join in? Crafts and art for adults are becoming more popular, including coloring books. High-quality markers, colored pencils, or sketchbooks for budding artists are always enjoyed.

Outdoor Toys

Bicycles, scooters, skateboards, or sports equipment like soccer balls or basketballs all contribute to healthy outdoor activity. Remember the safety equipment too, to protect those precious heads and save knees and elbows from nasty grazes. Outdoor Adventure Gear like tents, binoculars, or compasses for outdoor exploration may be wanted for older kids. Gardening Kits with tools and seeds for kids to start their own gardens can also be included in this category.

Remote-Controlled Vehicles

RC cars, drones, and helicopters are good fun and require a lot of concentration, focus and fine motor control. Adults also enjoy these and can use drones for photographing wildlife in areas inaccessible on foot. Remote-Controlled Robots that can be programmed and controlled are also enjoyed.

Educational Toys

STEM kits, science experiment sets, and educational games that make learning fun are still well-liked and have started many an aspiring schoolchild on the road to becoming a scientist. Science Kits, including chemistry sets, crystal-growing kits, astronomy tools or that allow kids to conduct various science experiments, such as volcano kits, robotics kits, or microscopes are all good choices.

Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles or brain-teaser puzzles are perennial favorites. Make sure the number of pieces in any jigsaw are age appropriate, neither too hard nor too easy for the child’s ability.

Puzzles can include easy sudoku, easy crossword puzzles and all those age-old puzzles that have kept kids occupied for years. You can include dominoes and joke or riddle books in this group.

Plush Toys

Stuffed animals are always popular for smaller children and characters from favorite movies or TV shows are often wanted by older kids and even teens!

Building Blocks and Construction Sets

Besides LEGO, other building block sets like Mega Bloks, Knex, or Playmobil are popular. Meccano is a classic construction toy, with moving parts. You can also include large construction vehicles in this category, ones that small children can ride on or the tough steel toys that can used to move bricks and toys around. Older kids may enjoy Model Kits to build scale models of cars, airplanes, ships, or buildings.

Electronic Gadgets

Gadgets like tablets, kid-friendly smartwatches, or educational electronic devices are often on kids’ wish lists. Virtual Reality (VR) Headsets and games are also popular with kids and adults. Coding and Programming Toys that introduce kids to coding and programming concepts may also be enjoyed.

Books

Age-appropriate books and book series are popular with some kids, especially those based on films or mini series.

Musical Instruments

Keyboards, guitars, drums, or other instruments make great gifts if you want to encourage a musical talent. Other musical instruments like xylophones, triangles, percussion instruments or karaoke machines may also be enjoyed.

Character Clothing Accessories and Dressing up Costumes

Dressing up as a favorite character is not restricted to Hallowe’en. Dressing up activities can happen at any time of the year and encourage the use of imagination. Clothing, backpacks, and accessories featuring their favorite characters can all be good choices.

Collectibles

Collectible cards, mini figures, or trading cards from popular franchises still attract many kids, who enjoy swapping or playing with these cards.

Subscription Boxes

Subscription services that deliver age-appropriate toys and activities every month provide a long lasting Christmas gift. Educational Subscription Boxes can include science, gardening and art experiences.

Pets and Pet Accessories

Only if you have checked with  the parents or caregivers that an animal is acceptable and there are no allergies or other worries, then small pets like fish, hamsters, or reptiles, along with their habitats and accessories may well be greeted with delight. With such gifts being given at Christmas, you will need to ensure that everything needed for the animal’s welfare, including food and feeding dishes or a suitable cage or tank are available and will last until the shops are open for replacement food, etc.

Cooking and Baking Sets

Cooking kits, baking equipment, or easy-to-use kitchen gadgets for young chefs are always useful and keep kids occupied happily for some time.

Character-themed Playsets

Playsets featuring characters from movies or TV shows, like a Paw Patrol playset or a Frozen castle are always aceptable for kids who enjoy the various films and mini series.

Magic Kits

Magic sets that teach kids simple magic tricks and illusions are as popular now as they were years ago.

Sensory Toys

Toys that provide sensory stimulation, like fidget toys or stress balls are enjoyed by many children and some kids need special sensory toys that are helpful for their development.

Experience Gifts

Tickets to theme parks, zoos, museums, or other family-friendly experiences can make a gift that is different from the usual toys.

Remember to consider the child’s age and interests when choosing a gift to make it as personalized and meaningful as possible. Additionally, consider any safety precautions, such as age-appropriate toys and accessories, especially for younger children.

 

Yard Lights

Color-changing solar yard lights are outdoor lighting fixtures that use solar panels to charge built-in batteries during the day and then use that stored energy to power LED lights during the night. These lights are designed to cycle through different colors, creating an attractive and dynamic lighting display in your yard or garden.

Solar Panel

These lights have a small solar panel on top that collects sunlight during the day. The solar panel converts the sunlight into electrical energy, which is stored in rechargeable batteries within the light.

Batteries

The rechargeable batteries (usually NiMH or Li-ion) store the energy generated by the solar panel and ensure that the lights can function during the night when there’s no sunlight.

LED Lights

Inside the housing there may be multiple LED bulbs or sometimes a single RGB (red, green, blue) LED. These LEDs are designed to change colors by cycling through the RGB spectrum. The lights are programmed to cycle through a sequence of colors, creating a dynamic and visually pleasing lighting effect. Some models may allow you to select a specific color or to pause the cycling if you prefer one color over others.

Many products have sensors that automatically turn the lights on when it gets dark and off when it gets light. This ensures that the lights illuminate your yard at night without the need for manual operation.

Weatherproof Design

These lights are typically designed to withstand outdoor conditions, including rain and UV exposure. They are often made with weather-resistant materials to ensure longevity.

and often come with stakes or mounting options to place them in the ground, on a deck, or any desired location in your yard.

Outdoor Christmas Lights

Solar yard lights can be used in winter, including during the Christmas season, but their performance may be affected by the reduced sunlight and colder temperatures typical of the winter months. If you live in the more Northerly regions, you should think about the following:

Reduced Sunlight

During the winter, the days are shorter, and the sun is often lower in the sky, which means that solar yard lights may receive less sunlight to charge their batteries. This can result in reduced illumination time or less vibrant colors at night.  When using color-changing solar yard lights during the winter, make sure to place them in locations that receive as much sunlight as possible during the day. Clear any obstructions that could block the solar panels.

Battery Performance

Cold temperatures can affect the performance of rechargeable batteries in solar lights. In very cold conditions, the batteries may not hold their charge as effectively, which can lead to shorter illumination periods. Some solar lights allow you to replace the rechargeable batteries. If you find that the batteries are not holding a charge well in the cold, consider replacing them with fresh batteries designed for cold weather use.

Snow and Ice

If your area experiences snow and ice during the winter, it’s important to keep the solar panels on the lights clear of snow and ice. Covered solar panels won’t be able to generate energy from the sun. You may need to periodically remove snow or ice to ensure the lights continue to work.

Consider Alternatives

For Christmas holiday decorating needs, you might also consider solar lights that have a separate solar panel connected by a cable. This allows you to position the solar panel in a sunny spot while placing the lights in the desired decorative location.

In summary, while color-changing solar yard lights can be used during the Christmas season, you may need to manage their placement and monitor their performance more closely, especially in areas with limited sunlight and cold temperatures. You may want to have alternative lighting options available in case the solar lights don’t perform as expected.