Long Distance Grandma to the Rescue

The month is December and my book Long Distance Grandma (available online and in bookstores) makes the perfect Christmas gift for those grandparents who live a long distance from our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. If you already have a copy, it's time to look inside and take note.

Even though there are tons of new children's books on the market, don't forget the classics such at Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore, and The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. You can order books online and have them shipped to your grandchildren, that way you don't have to pay the postage twice. If you are on Amazon Prime, shipping is free.

If you have a 1st grader through 3rd grader, I recommend The Big Red Book of Beginning Books by P.D. Eastman and Al Perkins. These books are easily found online as well as in bookstores. There are several different colors of these books and each one contains five or more children's books within. Being a retired teacher, I have worked with children and they all love them. There are also many sets of phonics books to encourage beginning readers. My book has a list of special Christmas books that your grandchild will enjoy.

Stay connected with your entire long distance family via Facetime or Skype. It's the next best thing to being there. Prior to finals, send snacks or gift cards to your college grandchildren. These can be gas cards, restaurant cards, or Visa cards, and by all means pray for their success as they face those tests.

It's always fun to make Christmas ornaments with your grandchildren. You can take the easy way out and buy the pre-cut Christmas ornaments craft kits to do with the family, or you can take on a challenge. Seriously, it's not that difficult. Here are the directions for Cinnamon Ornaments.

You will need: 4 ozs. of ground cinnamon, 3/4 cup applesauce, 2 tablespoons white school glue.

Mix the ingredients thoroughly, then roll out the dough. Cut out the shapes with cookie cutter. Poke a hole in the top of the shape before it totally dries with a drinking straw. Allow the ornaments to dry thoroughly (this may take several hours). Not only do these ornaments make your home smell heavenly, they can be given as gifts to school teachers, Sunday school teachers, neighbors, and shut-ins. So take some time to be crafty with your near-by grandchildren or neighborhood kids, while sending the recipe and directions to your long-distance grandchildren. Christmas isn't all about the gifts, sometimes it's about the doing, and sharing the Christmas story from the Bible with your grandchildren.

I truly believe that if we keep telling the Christmas story, singing the Christmas songs, and living the Christmas spirit, we can bring joy and happiness and peace to this world. --Norman Vincent Peale

I agree. Don't you?