Choosing the Perfect Secret Santa Theme

Many years ago our family decided to begin to use a “Secret Santa” style sibling gift exchange to accommodate our ever growing family.  Our system gradually took on “themes” to make the gift giving process more entertaining (and arguably more challenging).  Themes were determined by intermittent discussion throughout the year with the most eccentric theme frequently taking the cake (the most infamous being a Teddy Roosevelt Christmas). 

After some thought, our family trialed a new system for secret Santa theme picking this past year using Apples to Apples!  We simply drew four random cards from a shuffled deck and enjoyed the ensuing debate over the best theme. We voted between four noun cards (oral surgery, used car lot, Jackie Chan, biogenetic engineering), but card selection can be modified to fit your needs. Consider alternating noun and verb cards each year, consider eliminating the voting system and just drawing one card a year, whatever suits you best! Themes can sometimes be too adult for young children, but we involved younger family members by letting them draw the cards.  Consider utilizing Cards Against Humanity cards if you want to step up the humor or x-rating a bit!

We our system helps you chose some fun (and absurd!) Christmas or gift giving themes!  We had a great Used Car Lot Christmas, already looking forward to next year!  

You can get Apples to Apples here!

Post-Christmas Pretty

So, we're still working on logistics here at 5 Birds of a Feather. Here's a post that Poor Little Robin composed about her January mantle!

We finally took down the last of Christmas after the Baptism of the Lord was over on Monday, January 8. Everything looks so stark, especially with the gray sky background that is a perpetual part of a Louisville winter.

Although my Burpee planters clock indicates a full moon as I write, the heavy wind and rain indicates another month of no full moon sighting. With no sky watching tonight, I ended up staring at my blank mantel. It is too early to decorate for St. Valentine’s Day…

I got into my stash of objects and found a winter picture one of the girls had left here. Funny, they all have their own houses, but I still have an assortment of wedding dresses, art, and stuffed animals. Anyway, I dug out my snow-globes collected from my travels, two hot chocolate bowls from France, and some snowball shaped candle holders borrowed from my mother. For some extra zing, I added a couple of cute snowmen stashed in the cabinets and some snowflake ornaments I found for a nickel each at a post-Christmas sale several years ago.

Here is the January mantel that I threw together:

And a close up:

Don’t mind the woman in the mirror.
The best thing is that it cost nothing, a very good thing after a Christmas season of spending.

Mini Minnie Wreath

I stumbled upon this adorable Minnie Mouse metal sign at Hobby Lobby this week! I could not resist matching some ribbon it to make a chic little wreath!  We have some Disney fanatics in our family that I think this would be perfect for!  

Mix and match ribbons and wreath bases to suit your needs (tartan print would work great too!)  If you find ribbon that doesn't have wire edges you can cheat and give ribbon a little more structure with floral wire (see below)!

Supplies and Tools: (all can be found @ Hobby Lobby*)

10’’ Christmas Wreath Base

Minnie Mouse Metal Sign

3 inch, 2 inch, 1.5 inch assorted ribbon 

Green Floral Wire

Scissors

*Utilize weekly sales and the 40% off coupons!

Step-by-Step:
1. Fan out sprays around metal sign as desired and secure to wreath base using floral wire

2. Bunch 3 inch ribbon sporadically and attach to back of wreath using floral wire
3. For ribbon that does not have wire edges, utilize floral wire to bunch and support (see pictures, notice I exposed very little wire on the ribbon's patterned side which can later be covered by bunching)
4. Secure smaller ribbon bunches to wreath
5. Fashion a hanger from floral wire
6. Hang it!

The pre-made mini wreaths will save you assembly time and they are relatively cheap. This wreath ended up costing less than 25 dollars and just an hour of my time to pull together! 

-CC

October Monogram Wreath

Wreath Parts: (all can be found @ Michael's*)

24’’ Twig Wreath @ 13.49 

Pumpkin Floral Accents x4 @ 1.99

9’’ Wood Letter @ 3.99

Medium Crow x2 @ 4.99

“Curiosities” scrapbooking assortment @ 2.99

Supplies:

Green Floral Wire

Matte Modge Podge

Foam Brush

Black Acrylic Paint

Tools:

Exacto Knife

Staple Gun

Wire Cutters (or Scissors!)

¼’’ 6mm staples


*Utilize weekly sales and the 40-50% off coupons!

Step-by-Step:

1. Paint wood letter with black paint, be sure to cover sides!

2. Assemble wreath, secure crows and floral accents with floral wire and fan out wings, twigs, leaves and pumpkins as desired (I used three sprays on the right and one spray on the left)
3. Decoupage scrapbook pieces to wood letter (I used 3 layers of modge podge with 1 hr dry in between coats)
4. Use knife to cut excess paper edges from back
5. Using floral wire and a stapler**, secure wood letter to wreath
6. Fashion a hanger from floral wire
7. Hang it!

**can alternatively hot glue floral wire to back of letter

Total assembly time about an hour, plus or minus diaper changes... looks like it's time for a pumpkin spice latte!

-CC