So what toys are predicted to be hot this year?  Here are just a few of the toys that these “experts” are saying your child will probably be asking Santa Claus for this year:

• Any Hannah Montana toys, like her In Concert doll collection.
• The Eyeclops, a toy for your budding scientist.
• TMX Ernie and TMX Cookie Monster (new friends of TMX Elmo).
• Toys that encourage your child’s creativity, like the Aqua Dots Super Studio or Spotz Maker.
• Barbie Girls.
• Interactive games like the American Idol Talent Challenge.
• Computer games for your older teen like Guitar Hero 3 or Halo.

I started to wonder about the idea of “hot toys” and I’m starting to cringe thinking about how just in a few short years my two year olds are going to start asking for these toys.  Right now they are blissfully unaware of what everyone else has and keeping up with the Jones means nothing to them.  I think they might be just as happy with the used wrapping paper and the boxes the presents come in.  The day will come, sooner than I think, that I’m going to be one of those panicked parents searching the Internet to find the hot Christmas toys for my children.

According to Jim Silver, the editor of Toy Wishes magazine, the answer is most likely yes.  The increased testing is going to make it slower for the toys to get out of the ports of entry of the US and to the retailers’ shelves.  He predicts that there could be a shortage of the top 100 toys come December.  This shortage could be a problem, as the months of November and December account for two thirds of US Toy sales.

I’ve found a web site where you can search a few different retailers and find the hot Christmas toys for 2007 – Santa’s Toy Finder.  They’ve got all different kinds of toys listed, including the list of the “must have” holiday toys that you can find in Toy Wishes magazine.  It’s a nice resource for the busy mom because you can see from their web site whether a toy or game is in stock and it also lists the last time the web site tracked the hot product.  You can click on the product links and you’ll be brought right to that page on the retailers’ web sites where you can purchase the item directly from the retailer.

The holiday season is busy enough, so a time saving tool like Santa’s Toy Finder can give you that extra time to spend with your family and friends.

First, go over in your head everything you need to do.  Are there any tasks you can delegate to family members?  Have your spouse and children pitch in when it comes to cleaning and preparing the house for the holidays.  Older children love to cook and bake – get them to help you out as well.  If you’re hosting the holiday meal, ask everyone to bring a dish to take the stress of cooking off of you.

Next, take a moment to remember why you are doing all these tasks.  The holidays are a joyous time for family and friends.  Take a deep breath and remember the true meaning of the holidays.  You’ll be in a better frame of mind as you tackle your holiday to do list.

Don’t forget to be nice to yourself.  As moms we are caretakers – we take care of everyone else first and maybe (if you’re lucky) you might have a tiny bit of energy to give back to yourself.  It’s important to take time out to be nice to yourself.  How can you do this?  Here are a few suggestions:

• While out doing the Christmas shopping take a few minutes and stop for a coffee or tea.  Buy a favorite magazine to read and enjoy while you take a well deserved coffee break.Read a book.  Buy the newest book from your favorite author and give yourself permission to take a few hours one day to relax and read your new book.
• Read a book.  Buy the newest book from your favorite author and give yourself permission to take a few hours one day to relax and read your new book.
• Take a bubble bath.  It’s a great way to relax and relive stress.  Try to forget about everything you need to do.  Turn off the phones, lock the door and just enjoy your bath.

It’s amazing how just a few minutes of time for yourself can help you be a better mother and wife.  Don’t forget to take time out for you this holiday season!

Try having dinner with just your spouse.  Take him to his favorite restaurant and spend some time enjoying each other’s company.  This is one time you can let him pick the restaurant – maybe one you frequented when you dated.

If you can afford it, personalized jewelry is a nice gift.  Look for a watch, bracelet or ring and have a special message engraved on it.  Every time your spouse wears the jewelry they will think of you.

Plan a special night at home for just the two of you.  Most couples are so busy they don’t have any time to just be alone together at home.  Have a friend or family member take your children overnight and plan some couple time.  Try a candlelight meal with some wine for starters, and then a nice bubble bath together is a great way to enjoy each other’s company. 

Instead of the tried and true ham or turkey dinner, try a roasted duck as your main meat dish.  Not only is it lean and healthy, it is very easy to cook.  If you can’t find a duck, try a pheasant or quail as a main dish to add some nostalgia to your dinner table.  Other things you can serve to get that old fashioned feeling include flavored teas, apple tarts, sugar and gingerbread cookies.  Your Mom, Grandmother or Aunts might even have some traditional family recipes you can use. 

Don’t trim the tree early – do it on Christmas Eve.  After your meal gather your family and friends together to decorate the tree.  Pop some popcorn and string it to adorn the tree.  Once the tree has been decorated, gather together and read aloud The Night Before Christmas or even the Christmas story directly from the Bible.  This will bring the true meaning of Christmas as your focus of your holiday celebration.

Handmade gifts are a reminder of the Christmas celebrations of our youth.  How about hand knitted hats and scarves?  If you enjoy baking make some cookies, breads and candies to give to family and friends. 

Bringing a bit of the past into your Christmas celebration this year will help to create beautiful memories for your children for years to come.

Planning the menu is probably the most important step in your preparation for the holiday meal.  Does your family have a traditional meal they serve on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?  Are there any religious restrictions (for example, do you need to serve a meatless meal on Christmas Eve)?  Does your family like to stick with the tried and true, or are they willing to try some new dishes in their holiday meal? 

If you’re not tied to a traditional meal, decide what the main meat will be (turkey, chicken, lobster, etc.).  After that you’ll need to decide what side dishes and vegetables you’ll serve.  Do your children have any favorites?  Try to plan a variety of side dishes so there will be a nice selection for your guests.  Also consider what type of bread (rolls) you’ll serve and the desserts you want to have. 

After you plan your menu, it’s ok to ask for help.  If you’re having a lot of family and friends over for dinner, ask each person to bring a dish for the meal.  It’s also all right to specify what type of dish you’d like for them to bring – especially if you want to make sure you have potatoes and vegetables and not six desserts!  Asking everyone to pitch in will also take a lot of stress off of you this Christmas.

You’ll need to decide how you are going to serve the meal.  Are you going to do it buffet style?  Will you put the serving dishes on the table family style?  Depending on how you plan to serve your meal you’ll want to make sure you have enough serving utensils, bowls, or chafing dishes.

And finally my personal opinion that it is ok to use paper plates and disposable utensils.  You can find a lot of nice plates at your local discount store or party supply store.  It will also make your clean up a breeze!

Write it all down on a calendar.  This is probably the single most important thing you can do to keep your schedule organized.  Keep a large, write on / wipe off calendar in your kitchen where everyone can see what is on the schedule for the day.  This will help to prevent over-scheduling or double booking a day this year.

Keep a running list on your refrigerator of what you need to buy as far as groceries go.  You know your children will be asked to bring refreshments of some sort for their class holiday party.  If you keep a running list going you won’t forget anything on your trips to the grocery store, and can even keep an eye out for sales on items you’re going to need to buy.

Start early teaching your children about budgeting.  Give your children a set amount of money they have to buy gifts for family and friends.  Talk to them about setting spending limits for themselves on each gift they purchase, and that it is the thought that is most important, not the price of the gift.

While helping your child with a shopping budget, encourage them to make a shopping list as well.  Have them list the names of the people they want to buy gifts for and what they think they might get each person.  It will make your life so much easier when you take them to the mall or Target to do their shopping if they have it all written down.

Layered Cookie and Drink Mixes

First, purchase a box of Mason jar and lids at your local grocery store or discount store.  Buy the dry ingredients for your favorite cookie or drink recipe and layer the dry ingredients inside the jar.  You can decorate the lids with a small amount of fabric, or tie a bow of ribbon or raffia for decoration.  Print out the recipe on a small card and tie to the jar with a piece of ribbon. 

Inspiration Jar

This gift is good for children as well as adults.  Write inspirational and motivational messages on small slips of paper.  Fold them in half and place in a bowl or jar with a lid.  Attach a message to the container explaining the purpose of this gift – the next time she is down or sad she can take a message from her Inspiration Jar to help cheer her up. 

Homemade Goodies

Everyone loves homemade baked goods but most women don’t have the time to bake themselves.  Plan a day when you can bake your favorite treats like homemade bread, cookies and fruit cake.  You can make trays of your treats for everyone you know.  If you bake sweet breads like banana bread or pumpkin bread, buy a mini-loaf pan from a store like WalMart and make up individual loaves for all your family and friends. 

A simple way to teach your children about giving is to donate items to a local homeless shelter or battered women’s shelter.  Have your children go through their toys and clothes and ask them to pick out one or two items they don’t really need or play with anymore.  Be sure that they pick out something nice (not a piece of junk).  You can use this exercise to explain to your children that there are many people who don’t have a place to live and that their generosity will help to make their lives a bit happier. 

Another way your children can learn about the gift of giving is to donate canned goods to a local food pantry or charity that distributes food to families in need.  You can explain to your children that many families don’t have enough money to buy the food for a holiday meal.  You can bring your children with you to the grocery store to select some canned goods and non-perishable items to donate to these families.  

You can also “adopt” a family or person in need.  Many churches and community organizations do what we call an “angel tree”.  Ornaments on the tree have the clothing sizes or toy requests for children.  You can have your children select a few ornaments from the tree and get them involved in picking out the gifts for these people.  They can even help you wrap the presents before your return them to the appropriate location.