Elf Mode: Last minute Christmas gifts and tips

After mami's post about being overwhelmed I got a little worried, but we are okay now. It seems it was just a bump in the road, but now we are happily moving on and getting ready for the big day.

Today mami and I finished finding gifts for papi and my tío Tomás. Now all we have to do is wrap them. Mami says we are in Elf mode... busy working away, wrapping, baking, making last minute gifts and decorations.We even move fast like Elves...it's really like Santa's workshop at our place!

So we wanted to put together a little list to help others who are doing some last minute shopping or need quick ideas.

Quick gift: painted box lined with tissue paper

Here we go!

* Buy wrapping paper, tissue paper and bows at the Dollar Store or Poundland. Just as nice for a better price!

* OR make your own wrapping paper using newspaper or magazine pages, then tie with a red bow or string and your gift is very stylish!

*  T.J. Maxx (T.K. Maxx) and other brand names for less stores have great items for the home and trendy gifts for everyone in the family! We got a pair of Ralph Lauren leather gloves for someone (I can't say who) for only $16.

* A special gift? Take an old box (of any size) paint and decorate to your liking. Line with tissue paper and fill with sweets, potpourri or even another handmade gift. Mami made the red one pictured above in 30 minutes (includes drying time).

* Photos! Print your favorite pictures in a larger size and buy cheap photo frames (again, dollar store or poundland) and decorate the frame to your liking with stickers, glitter, coins, buttons or bows.

* Make cookies! Buy the ready made sugar cookie dough and decorate with frosting. Or better yet,  make the super easy Thumbprint cookies which we made a few weeks ago. Then take festive tissue paper, wrap the cookies and tie a red ribbon at the top. Perfect last minute gifts for neighbors or friends stopping by.

* Still need decorations? Make sparkly festive pine cones. Collect a few, paint them white and sprinkle with glitter. They brighten up the mantel, or in a bowl as a center piece, hang on the tree or use them as name tags.

Festive pine cones

* Didn't send out any cards? No problem. Go to Picnik (you don't even have to register) and make a quick collage with a few of your favorite images. Add some text, and choose from the Christmas card options and save to your computer. Then email to your family and friends.

* Not that you should leave all of your shopping to the last days, but if you do shop last minute, like today and tomorrow, look out for some stellar deals, even up to 50% off!

Got some other tips? Let us know...we will be working like Elves up until the last minute.

Merry Christmas everyone!

First (or rather) Second Sunday of Advent

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Well, no, it's actually the Second. Mami made a mistake. That's how busy and "out of it" we are. But who cares, we had so much fun and we will just have to catch up next week!

We lit the first of four candles on a wreath on the table and said a little prayer. After all, it is Jesus's birthday soon and "we can't forget that" mami says.

Each Sunday we light a new candle and when we light the fourth one it will be Christmas!

Afterwards we put on old t-shirts, sat around the kitchen table and we painted and made Christmas decorations!

We were like elves working away. Mami and Omama used glue guns to stick things on, cut up patterns to make viejito pasqueros or Santa's, and I painted pine cones to make a special center piece for the big day.

I even managed to make grandma and grandpa their gifts, but I can't tell you what it is just yet (they read the blog, so I don't want to give it away).

Phewwww! I ended up exhausted. Being an artist is hard work. But of all of us, I think mami had the best time, she was just coming up with all sorts of great things to make, I'd never seen her like this before.

And guess what?! We are going to make a barn next week. Well, it's the stable for Jesus..the Nativity.

What special things do you make this time of year?