Yesterday was my 44th birthday. And like every year, I skipped out of work for the day, opting instead to spend a quiet, lazy day at home with my family. There was nettle to forage and bed sheet forts to build; homemade gifts to unwrap and baby animals to cuddle. And so much knitting in my lap (sometimes in the hands of my young knitting partner)! Lupine even made me a birthday crown, with dandelion and dock leaves and the first magnolia blossom of the season. 

It was slow, simple, and just what I needed. I think the older I get the more comfortable I become in my life and my skin. And the less I really need to make me feel complete. No fancy dinner or big party plans, just my three favorite people, the sun on the hills, and some yarn in my hands.

Oh, yes. That was just the way to turn a new page on my calendar.

 

We celebrated spring last weekend with a visit from the spring bunny and the wish bunny. As always, an egg hunt was involved, despite the cold drizzly rain. And our favorite eggs, as always, were the wool eggs.

My tutorial from 2011 is below. These eggs can be as simple or complex as your skills and interests allow.

Enjoy!

 

When Sage was small I thrifted a big bag of plastic easter eggs. I was happy to have something to hide treats in during our spring celebration (and happy to have not purchased them new) but always felt a slight disconnect when I pulled them out each year. They were a little hiccup in our sweet, natural holiday – a bright plastic spot in our woolen and wooden and otherwise earthy spring baskets.

Five springs later I started wondering: could I make a natural replacement for plastic eggs? They would need to be outdoor-friendly and made to contain a tiny treat. I thought about these for weeks last spring until I had an aha! moment and realized how to make them.

Felt Easter Eggs are quick, cute, and infinately reusable. As a bonus the wool felt will stick to tree trunks so you can hide your treats in some unconventional locations! (Cudos to my sister, Titi for this brilliant discovery.) And if you sew with cotton thread and use 100% wool felt any you miss will biodegrade. What more can you ask for?

Felt Easter Egg Tutorial

Materials:

• Small scraps of wool felt
• Contrasting thread
• Hand sewing needle or sewing machine
• Buttons, gems, or other embellishments (optional)

Step 1: Cut out two egg shapes for each woolen egg. Mine are just larger than a chicken egg, approximately 2 1/2" x 3". Cut with a pinking shears or straight shears. The choice is yours. Trim the egg you would like on top to be 1/8" smaller than the bottom egg.

Step 2: Cut an opening 1/3 of the way down from the point of the egg. (Cut the top egg only.) I love the look of a "cracked egg" with a zig-zagging line, but a round hole, an "H" shape, or curvy line works as well. (Do not cut simply a straight line as it can be difficult to get a treat inside without tearing the felt.)

Step 3: Choose yoru embellishments. Mine are wool but we love buttons and any thing sparkly. Especially the sparkly.

Step 4: Set aside the bottom egg. Sew embellishments to the top egg by hand or machine. (My blue flower hides a curvey opening in the yellow egg.)

Step 5: Carefully place the top egg over the bottom egg. Using a contrasting thread, zig-zag or decorative stitch the entire perimiter. Backstitch at the end of your seam.

Your egg is done! You can easily make enough for a backyard egg hunt in an evening. With practice mine took less than five mintues each.

Last spring we kept our felt eggs a secret until our egg hunt was on and the kids were amazed at the woolen eggs that they found. Gentle spring magic, indeed. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

For more spring celebration inspiration, have a peek here!

Handmade paper-mâché easter egg tutorial  

Ideas for simple, natural gifts for your spring baskets

and this – for those of you who include a magical element in your celebrations – on Answering the Question. 

Love,
Rachel

 

Originally published in 2011.

Remember in Little House on the Prairie when Laura and Mary open their stockings on Christmas morning?

They get a single peppermint and a pair of red mittens. And they are over the moon with joy.

The first time I read that all that I could think was, "If my kids got a peppermint and red mittens for Christmas they would be crushed." Yet the further along in my parenting journey I travel, the more I realize how little it takes to bring joy and magic into my children's lives. No, I'm not talking about single peppermint simplicity, but still reigning it in considerably from what is normal in our society.

When Sage and Lupine were small I made and gave much more than I do today.

But I noticed along the way that few things hold meaning for long, and the less "stuff" I gave them more they appreciated, treasured, and loved what they had. 

So for the past few years we've kept our Spring baskets (along with all other celebrations) very simple.

And indeed, my kids have enjoyed our holidays more – not less – than they did before.

What follows are a few ideas I think you will enjoy if you're on a path toward more simplicity as well, yet worry that a simple celebration might fall flat with your children.

Five tips for a joyful, simple spring celebration

1. Less is more

You don't have to go overboard to have a wonderful holiday! Excess is overwhelming to children and adults alike. Cut back a little (or cut back a lot!) and see how it goes. 

The photo below was from the first year I simplified spring baskets. The two of them received the items pictured above plus a few treats like dried fruit and organic jelly beans (so half of what is shown this per child).

Since then I've cut back even more. But the first year we simplified a candle, a crystal, a packet of seeds, and a small homemade toy was downright thrilling for my children.

You'll be surprised at how little it takes to bring joy.

2. Choose consumables 

Consumables are anything that will be used up in a reasonable amount of time, leaving little or no clutter or waste behind. Some of our favorites include:

• packets of herbal tea
• healthy gum or mints
• seed packets for the garden
• lip balm
• something for bath time
• colored pencils
• a candle

3. Healthy treats are just as fun!

Your baskets need not be stuffed with food coloring and corn syrup! Having a child with food sensitivities helped us find some great alternatives that benefit us all. Here are a few of our favorites.

• Healthier gummy bunnies or jelly beans (we buy them at our coop but more mainstream stores carry some, too, like Annie's brand).
• Dried fruit
• Trail mix
• homemade date balls or purchased Lara Bars
• Nuts or seeds
• Single serving coconut water or almond milk 
• Lemon poppyseed paleo cookies

4. Give experiences

And if something non-consumable feels like a must, how about giving a thing that is really an experience in disguise? 

• A notebook or journal and pencil or pen
• Garden supplies – trowel, pots, and gloves
• Bird feeder and birdseed and a field guide to local birds
• Seasonal toy with a long useful life (think wooden boat, kite, sidewalk chalk)
• Craft supplies (fabric, embroidery floss and hoop; sketchbook and paints or pencils, etc.)
• Nature exploration kit (compass, bug box, magnifying glass, water bottle)
• Silk dying supplies (white silks and a few packets of Kool-Aid) I share a how-to here.

5. Add a new tradition

If you are worried that less getting might equal less joy, add a new tradition to your spring celebration. 

I described our spring traditions in this post years ago, and share with you our egg hunt custom and our beloved Wish Bunny (shown below). Find a tradition that fits your family's beliefs, personalities, and likes. Perhaps you'll add a special kitchen or craft project, a fancy meal, or an outdoor adventure with friends.

Less really is more when it comes to celebrations. Cut back slowly, and then enjoy as you watch simple magic unfold for your family.

 

More thoughts on simplifying with kids are found below:

The toys are gone

What I need

10 simple ways to rock your parenting

101 toy-free gift ideas

 

Love,
Rachel

2016 got a pretty bad rap. But over here anyway there was so much to celebrate. 

Here are a few favorite (or otherwise memorable) moments from the past year…

So we celebrate all of the goodness and magic that came with 2016, and all that is yet to come in 2017.

Happy New Year, my friends. Thank you for sharing in this journey and gathering here with me, week after week, year after year. Truly. I'm grateful you are here. 

 

Love,
Rachel

 

Of course it was. This year was the nicest Solstice that any of us can remember. And I wonder: is it despite how hard things were this week, or perhaps because of it? I suspect a little of each.

There were handmade gifts to share, candles and luminaries to dip, and a delicious local dinner to enjoy on the most bling-tastic table every set in this little farmhouse. (Sparkly! Gold! Placemats!) There was a hike to the forest as darkness fell, and a campfire as the sun slipped out of sight behind the trees. 

It was as close to a perfect celebration as I have ever known. 

And as we all fell to sleep late last night, so satisfied and deeply tired at the end of the day, we each rattled through our lists of all the things we didn't find time for. The bird feeders and popcorn garlands; the gingerbread houses; the board game; the midnight ski. And we decided that – this year anyway – we're extending our solstice for another day. Because none of us are ready to let this go.

 

Wishing you love and light, my beautiful friends. Thank you for coming here day after day, year after year, and sharing in our journey. I'm so glad to have you come along.

 

Love,

Rachel 

 

It's Solstice today. Our biggest celebration of the year. It's a simple, homegrown holiday for our family and we spend the day together making candles and bird feeders; sharing hand-made gifts; hiking or skiing to the woods for a campfire as the sun sets; and walking back in the dark for a dinner of all local food by candle light. It's my favorite day of the year.

So yesterday we were in the final push of preparations. As always, we're more behind than we would like to be and both kids were calling for help with jigsaws and belt sanders; candy thermometers and freezer paper stencils; acrylic paints and persnickety computer printers. 

Did I mention that we didn't have a tree yet? Right. That. The day before our celebration. (We're always behind but we've never been quite this far behind before.) Pete was sick so we postponed cutting last week, then I was away, and then it was below zero. (If you cut a tree when it's below zero the branches and needles all shatter and it's not a pretty sight.) So we had to wait for a stretch of warmer days, which pushed us to yesterday, the day before our celebration. 

And then our sweet cat – who just hasn't been getting better these past two weeks – took a rapid turn for the worse. We spent half of the day cleaning up things I would rather not discuss all over our kitchen, mudroom, and living room and I felt myself on the verge of tears for so many reasons. The cat, the clean-up, our plans, and Solstice. Overwhelm of every sort.

I called the vet and they squeezed us in.

We managed to cut a tree before our appointment, but the rest of our plans were sidelined. Gifts would wait, decorating would wait, cooking and baking would wait. When we returned from the vet we didn't have more answers but we did have an intensive plan of care for him, syringe feedings every hour until (if) he rebounds. It was heavy and overwhelming. 

And so at dinner last night I fell apart. I cried, worried about this sweet cat. I cried, feeling the heaviness of so many things this season. I cried for exhaustion, having woken at 3 AM, unable to sleep, worried about All The Things.

I say this not for sympathy, just for perspective. Everyone falls apart now and then. At least I hope you do. (It's like I tell my kids: tears are medicine if you let them out but poison if you hold the in.) 

And then something beautiful happened.

My family encircled me. Sage made me a cup of my favorite herbal tea. Lupine gathered tinctures and remedies. Pete drew me a bath and lit candles. I exhaled. I felt held and safe and understood. A friend emailed and another friend texted, checking in.

More love, more compassion, more empathy.

And as I crawled into bed early last night, I realized – these were the gifts that I needed. Not something from the wood shop or craft cabinet or big box store, but this. Love, caring, compassion, connection. 

This is what giving truly means. 

It it means everything.

 

So before you hand a paper wrapped present to someone this season, make a tiny bit of space to reach out and encircle someone with love who needs it. Your partner, your parent, your child, or a friend. A stranger in crisis, a people in crisis, anyone. Because gifts of compassion and love mean so much more than gifts of things. And I will give both. 

 

May you give and receive with open hearts, my friends. This season, this year, and always. Happy Solstice, dear ones. You are loved.

Love,
Rachel

 

 

Fun fact: the first thing I ever put in a Christmas stocking was a whole, frozen chicken.

The first year we "did magic" with Sage that was all he wanted. A chicken. To eat. 

Consider it done, my little foodie. 

It was a bizarre introduction to being the magic keeper in our home, but at least it was memorable.

I share this post every year. Because somewhere – right now – a parent is answering a question about magic, or santa, or who fills their Christmas stockings.

I'm waiting to hear it once again myself, and honestly – a little review doesn't hurt for me, either.

Wishing you and your children a magical holiday!

Love,
Rachel

"Are you the one who fills our Easter baskets?"

The question surprised me, though I had been waiting for it for years.

Wondering when they would ask.

Are you Santa?

The Easter Bunny? And all of the rest?

The truth is, I was dreading that question.

The Question.

 

You see, I did not come easily to the idea of a magical childhood.

Precisely because I knew I would someday have to answer The Question.

When Sage was a baby magic felt like a lie. And I wouldn't lie to my kids.

No Santa. No Bunny. No magic.

I wanted to be honest with my children. Always. Completely. No exceptions.

But then a friend convinced me that magic served a very important role in childhood.

That the very nature of childhood is magical, and that magic is where young children should dwell.

Magic sets the young imagination ablaze with possibility.

Magic creates comfort in an overwhelming world.

Magic makes adult concepts digestible to a young developing mind.

Magic makes the unseen possible.

And the more I sat with this idea during Sage's early days, the more I began to agree.

Magic stopped feeling like a lie, and more like, well, magic.

The decision was cautiously made.

We'd give it a try.

We would invite magic.

For better or for worse.

My reservations quickly faded as I saw awe in my child's eyes when something magical happened. 

Even fireflies became magical to him.

"Look mama! There are stars and fairies all over in the forest!"

Within a moment I knew that we had found a good fit for our family.

And in our home anyway, childhood became a magical experience.

 

There was magic everywhere!

Standard issue magic folk and playful new creations.

Santa. The Tooth Fairy. Saint Nick. The Easter Bunny.

Also the Rhyme Elves, leaving a poem during the night beside a child's bed.

The Pumpkin Fairy, transforming Halloween candy into a lovely new toy.

The Solstice Elves, delivering a gift for the children to share each Solstice Eve.

And okay, I'll even admit to the obscure Van (as in: mini van) Fairies, who would hide a thrift store book in your car seat on a long and trying road trip.

And so many others.

We were rich with fairy folk.

Magic unfolded around us.

And years passed.

And I waited.

For The Question.

Finally it came.

Are you the one who fills our Easter baskets?

It was said with curiousity but not anxiety. Simply. Plainly.

I took my child by the hand and we found a quiet place to sit and talk.

And with my arms wrapped around this growing spirit, this is what I said.

Since you were very small your life has been full of magic.

On holidays and everyday.

 

Elves, gnomes, and fairies.

Everywhere.

 

Inviting that magic into your life was a decision your papa and I made when you were very small.

Because we believed that a childhood full of magic could help you believe in things you could not see.

And as you get older believing in things you can not see can help you go anywhere you dream to go.

 

And yes, filling your Easter basket was a part of that.

Along with many other things.

We tried to make magic into something you could see and touch and believe in from the very start.

 

Because I believe that magic is real.

But it changes as you get older.

And instead of being the winged fairy folk or Easter bunny sort of magic it is a magic that is harder to see and touch than that.

    "Yeah," my child said. "Like the magic of the universe."

Yes. Like that.

 

I continued…

Your papa and I decided that we wanted you to have a magical childhood.

We thought it would help you believe in yourself when things seemed impossible.

We believed it would help you reach for things that others thought were unreachable.

 

And so just like Nanny and Bumpy did for me and their parents did for them, your papa and I have helped bring magic to life for you.

 

My child paused only for a moment, then smiled and said,

    "It's still magic. It's mama magic."

There was no sadness. No deceit. No disappointment.

Only joy, awe, and a new twist on what it meant to hold magic in our hands.

It all made perfect sense.

To both of us.

And it was time.

And then I passed the torch.

Because once you know this truth, you also become a magic keeper.

Your work is to help keep magic alive for other children who still believe.

And this – this! – was the best part of all.

To pick up the torch and become a part of the magic?

My child could hardly wait to get started.

Yes. It is still magic after all.

It's mama magic.

It's papa magic.

And now it is kid magic, too.

And kid magic I suspect is the most powerful magic of all.

They grew up believing. 

Who better to keep it alive?

My heart is full.

 

Originally posted in 2014.

Are you inspired to have a more simple holiday with a little less excess at the end of the season? Especially when it comes to your children?

You're not alone.

Since I shared these two posts to inspire more simple celebrations and to share our family's almost toy-free journey, I've gotten several emails asking for a bit more guidance.

Less toys? Yes! Less clutter? Please! Less consumption? Amen.

These ideas are easy to get on board with until it's time to wrap presents or stuff stockings.

But then what?

Right. That's when it gets sticky.

So a couple of years ago (when Sage was 12 and Lupine was 8) we worked together on a list of 101 toy-free (and many clutter-free, consumption-free, stuff-free!) gifts to give to your littles this season. Just for you!

Going toy-free requires a little thinking outside the box, so be open to new traditions and a new way of doing things.

Remember: just because it's a new idea for your crew doesn't mean it won't be fan-freaking-tastic. You might find that you all love it more than you ever imagined.

A few thoughts before we embark:

1. We often go overboard in our culture. Way overboard. I'm as guilty of this as the next. But when I started to pull back on the gifts (and the toys) I expected my kids to be a bit disappointed. At least at first. But they weren't. The first low-stuff year was voted the "best Solstice ever" by them both (That was the year they each received an ornament and a love coupon.) Go slowly and see how it feels to everyone. This isn't a formula for a better way to do anything. It's just how we do things around here. It might be a fit, it might not. Be open to either option.

2. Consider making a gift of something you might do anyway. It sounds silly, but if you child wants to take a class or go to camp, why not give that as a holiday gift? It would surely be appreciated. And your budget will be so darn happy about it.

3. And finally, consider the child. What does your little one love? What makes them tick? I'm betting it's not only toys. Craft a gift that suits their passions. Because these are the gifts they will remember. A train-obsessed two year old would flip for a ride on a real train or a visit to a train museum. And a ballet-obsessed six year old would be wild with anticipation to see a ballet rehersal or performance. You get the idea.

Many of the gifts listed below are items I have actually given my kids through the years. Obviously you have to consider the age and interests of your child, but this is a solid jumping-off place.

But enough chatter. Let's get to it.

101 toy-free holiday gifts and stocking stuffers

Give an Experience

These are among our family's favorite gifts – to give, to receive, and to cash in!

1. Gift certificate to the skating rink
2. Gift certificate to restaurant, cafe, or ice cream shop
3. Movie theatre tickets
4. Museum membership
5. Love coupons for special dates together (one per month or one per season would be fun!)
6. Music or dance lessons
7. Tickets to a play, a concert, or the ballet
8. Horseback riding lessons
9. Magazine subscription
10. Sparkle Stories subscription
11. Gift certificate to summer camp
12. Sleepover party "gift certificate"
13. Media time tokens (if children receive limited screen time in your home)
14. Home pizza party coupon
15. Breakfast in bed gift certificate
16. "Coupon" for an night at a hotel with a pool with a parent and a friend
17. Certificate (homemade is great!) for special event, midway tickets for the county fair, etc.

Kitchen Gifts and Treats

My kids have been busy in the kitchen since they could stand on a step stool at the counter. For this reason special kitchen-related gifts are always met with enthusiasm. (And yes, treats are too.)

1. Child-sized tea cup or dishes set
2. Recipe and ingredients for a special dessert
3. Tea party dishes and coupon for a tea party with a friend
4. Fresh fruit
5. Chocolate
6. Homemade cocoa mix
7. Cookbook
8. Candle for the dinner table
9. Place mat
10. Travel cup or drinking jar
11. Dried fruit or friut leather
12. Nuts in the shell and a nut cracker
13. Personalized cloth napkin
14. Apron
15. Child-sized kitchen tools
16. Recipe box with favorite recipes and blank recipe cards

Outdoor gifts

Get out there! To the county park, to your backyard, anywhere. Even if you live in the city many of these gifts can be used at your nearby park or even on your patio.

1. Garden tools
2. Garden seeds, small pots, and potting soil
3. Rope, pulleys, and other open-ended hardware store treasures
4. Snowshoes
5. Skis
6. S'more ingredients and a winter campfire coupon
7. Nature exploration kit (magnifying glass, bug boxes, plant press, butterfly net)
8. Sunprint paper
9. Ice skates
10. Treasure bag or backpack for nature walks
11. Water bottle and snack pouch
12. Headlamp
13. Fire starting kit
14. Sleeping bag and bedroll
15. Certificate for back yard camp out with a parent
16. Fort-making supplies
17. Gift certificate to hardware store
18. Tinkering kit – hammer, nails, screwdriver, screws, and wood

Get crafty

Crafting is our number one way to spend a day. That makes crafty gifts a natural win.

1. Playdough ingredients and recipe
2. Glitter, glue, sparkles, scissors, tape, glue gun
3. Beading or jewelery supplies
4. Stamp pad for thumb-print stamps
5. Colored pencils
6. Watercolor paints
7. Sketch book
8. Pencil sharpener
9. Acrylic paints, brushes, and paint mixing tray
10. Sewing supplies
11. Markers
12. Potholder loom
13. Yarn and knitting needles
14. Calligraphy pen
15. Modeling wax
16. Scratch board and tools
17. Candle rolling kit
18. Peg dolls, paints and perhaps a peg doll book
19. Fimo
20. Paper bead making supplies and instructions
21. Washi tape
22. Needle felting supplies
23. Project book, needles, thread, and fabric

Wear it

Simple things can be gifts too. When I was a child I think Santa brought me new socks and underwear every year!

1. Mittens
2. Hat
3. Scarf
4. Wool socks
5. Slippers
6. Pajamas
7. Analog watch

Natural Spa

For some kids a spa gift is heaven on earth. Read those labels though, won't you? Go with the good stuff. (Disclaimer: shameless self-promotion to follow.)

1. Lip balm
2. Soap
3. Bubble bath
4. Natural perfume
5. Face pencils
6. Body glitter roll-on
7. Jewelery
8. Jewelery box
9. Natural nail polish
10. Spa night coupon and supplies
11. DIY body care kit (I just wrote this DIY perfume kit tutorial and offer this DIY lip balm kit in my shop.)

Just for fun

These didn't fit anywhere else. But all are fun, so there you go.

1. Bath crayons
2. Personalized pillowcase
3. Books
4. Holiday ornament (homemade or purchased)
5. Deck of cards
6. Board games
7. Geode
8. Stationary
9. Photo album or homemade story book of the child's life so far

Tell me – are you inspired to go toy-free this year? What would you add to our list?

Originally published in 2014