A cookie swap spreads the holiday goodies among friends and is an activity that can involve any number of families.

This year, why not cut back on shopping and set aside more time for simple pleasures? Make memories, make new traditions and take time to celebrate what you have right in front of you.


Cut down your own Christmas tree

Drive into the country and cut down your own tree at one of several area tree farms. Tree farmers say that people come for the family experience as much as for the tree.

Local tree farms have a selection of different types of trees, including Virginia Pine, Leyland Cypress (good for people with allergies), eastern red cedar, sand pine, and more. Call for directions and types of trees available. Tree farms include the Brewer Christmas Tree Farm in Midway, (912) 884-5292; Mitchell Christmas Tree and Rabbit Farm in Hinesville (kids will love the bunnies), (912) 876-3949; Savannah River Christmas Tree Farm in Springfield, (912) 754-9997; Springfield Evergreen Christmas Tree Farm in Springfield, (912) 754-6031; Terry's Trees in Statesboro (912) 489-8074; and the Rahn Brothers Christmas Tree Farm in Springfield, (912) 754-6693 or (912) 754-9348.

Not up for whacking down your own Yule tree? Shop at any one of the tree lots run by area charities. A portion of every sale benefits the community.

How to get more out of this event: Sing Christmas carols in the car, let the kids pick the tree and take a country walk - letting the kids run wild and free!


Adopt a family

Who hasn't complained about shopping for that one person who has it all? Why not buy them a card, bake them some cookies and spend your money on somebody who really doesn't have it all.

Union Mission coordinates adopting a family who are struggling financially. You aren't buying generalized gifts - you are buying for a specific family who are homeless or who are spending their first holiday season out of the shelter. Families give out wish lists, and you get to buy the presents, wrap them and donate them.

Make the shopping trip a family affair, and get your kids involved in choosing the presents from the wish list. Then wrap the presents as a family and make cards.

If money is tight, you can also buy toiletries, umbrellas or other essentials and wrap them for the men and women living who are spending their holiday season living in a homeless shelter.

Families can also volunteer to serve Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas dinner. Little children can volunteer to hand out presents to shelter residents.

Call (912) 236-7423 for more information.

How to get more out of this event: Union Mission offers a curriculum for families (specialized for children of all age groups) to teach them about homelessness and homeless issues. The curriculum lasts about two hours, and is a great way to teach children to be socially aware.


Secret recipes revealed!

Here's an inexpensive and fun way to get friends and neighbors together to celebrate the holidays - host a cookie swap party.

The concept is easy and the result is a creative way to share some holiday cheer with people you care about.

Each guest brings one kind of cookie; usually the numbers of dozens as there are invited guests. If you invite 8 friends, ask each person to bring 8-dozen cookies to your party.

Guests should wrap up their cookies in dozen groups. One dozen cookies are for tasting at the party, the rest are to go home with other guests.

All you need to do for this party is make or buy cute invitations. Your house will probably already be decorated - just fire up some holiday candles for even more cheer. Serve holiday cocktails, eggnog, or spiced cider. Kids get hot chocolate or punch. Cheese and crackers will take the edge off the sugar buzz.

Smaller revelers can be kept busy part of the time with holiday coloring books.

How to get more out of this event: Choose your family's cookies together. Anything that involves sprinkles and colored frosting is usually a hit. Let them make the final decision! Then turn on some holiday music, put on aprons and have at it with the kids. Nothing says holidays like baking and wrapping holiday goodies with children.

Make an extra batch for your family and sit down, after the baking is done, and enjoy a glass of whole milk (don't ruin good cookies with skim milk) and eat cookies with the kids. Aaaah, the simple pleasures!


Winter Wonderland

Santa, Ginger Bread Village, 100 Christmas Trees, and a Savannah Harbor Boat Parade of Lights

On Nov. 29 you can rev up the Christmas season with a family trip to the Westin on Hutchinson Island for a fun family-friendly series of events.

From 2-4 p.m. go to the "Sundaes with Santa" event, sponsored by Parent and Child, a non-profit agency dedicated to the welfare of children. Kids make ice cream sundaes and get their picture taken with Santa.

Then visit the Festival of Trees and Lights, where 100 professionally decorated trees and wreaths will be available for preview and sale. If you buy a ready-made tree or wreath, the proceeds benefit Parent and Child. (Read more about the Festival of Tree and Lights Auction in the Parent's Notebook.)

After strolling through the Festival of Trees and Lights, check out the Gingerbread Village, a cookie and candy wonderland, on view at the Westin.

Finally, at 6:30 p.m. more than 60 festively decorated yachts will motor by the Westin for the Third Annual Harbor Boat Parade of Lights.

And then, to top off the evening - fireworks!

How to get more out of this event: Take the ferry from River Street to the Westin. Hold hands with your partner, hug your kids and savor an outing dedicated to watching your children's eyes light up with the magic of the season.

If you can't make it to the Westin on Nov. 29, the Gingerbread Village and the Festival of Trees will be open throughout December.

For more information, call (912) 201-2000.


Create a Family Gratitude Journal

Sometimes our First World pace can be numbing, and we see what we want more often then what we have. The mere act of writing down what we are grateful for breeds contentment and peace.

Buy a pretty journal - it needn't be expensive (you can find them at dollar stores.) Introduce the family to the idea, and ask them to participate by writing in it the things they are thankful for throughout the holiday season.

Start by writing the first entry.

Then keep the journal in a place where all family members can get to it. Periodically throughout the holiday season, take time to have a cup of tea or a glass of wine and write down the things you are grateful for. Your partner can do the same, and so can your children.

If you have children who cannot write - but can talk, ask them to participate and write down what ever they say.

On Thanksgiving, you can read the entries at the table. You can do the same at your holiday dinner.

How to get more from this: Why not buy gratitude journals for all family members as a stocking stuffer? Then they can continue to add to theirs privately throughout the next year. Next holiday season, you will have a bountiful reminder of all of your blessings. Keep your gratitude journals - what wonderful reminders to have when you hit life's rough turns.


Do you have an idea or photo of your family doing something we could consider for a "Five Things To Do..." activity? Send your idea or details of your exploring tips to us for inclusion in future columns. Mail to: Coastal Parent, P.O. Box 1088, Savannah GA 31402, or e-mail to tmruther@savannahnow.com