S P E C I A L H O L I D AY I S S U E

Gifts Kids Can Make No-Stress Recipes Gifts Worth Your Money Creative Activities Curing the “Gimmes”

FamilyFun.com

Gifts Your Kids

Can Make
5 Cute and Easy Ideas
7 No-Stress Recipes
for Holiday
Get-togethers
17 Gifts Worth
Your Money
We tested them!
Creative Activities
for School Vacations
How One Mom
Cured the“Gimmes”
Get the
skinny
D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 1 0 on these
pretzel
snowmen!
D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 1 0

See page 70
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 15.5 in.
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14.75 in.

“An amazing choice for small families.”

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9.625 in.
10.5 in.

All new Chevy Equinox. 32 MPG hwy.1 Up to 600 hwy miles between fill-ups. That’s better than Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV
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1 EPA estimate. 2 EPA est. MPG hwy (FWD): Equinox 32, CR-V 28, RAV4 28, Escape Hybrid 31. 3 Based on 2009 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) testing. 4 MSRP. Tax, title, license, dealer f
trademark and Chevy is a trademark of General Motors. ©2009 General Motors. Buckle up, America!

136243A01
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yota RAV4, and even Ford Escape Hybrid.2 Starting at $23,1854 | All New Chevy Equinox
t fit for your family.

icense, dealer fees, and optional equipment extra. 5 Visit onstar.com for details and system limitations. OnStar and the OnStar Emblem are registered trademarks of OnStar LLC. Equinox is a registered

Spread 1
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14.75 in.
9.625 in.
10.5 in.

Chevy Malibu. Available 33 MPG hwy — better than a comparable Camry or Accord.1 5-star crash safety ratings.2 A Co
2010 Malibu. Compare it to Toyota. Compare it to Honda. Compare it to anyone — and you’ll see why Malibu is the right
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1 Based on EPA estimates. 2010 Malibu with 2.4L 4-cyl. engine and 6-speed automatic transmission vs. Camry with 2.5L 4-cyl. engine and 6-speed automatic transmission with 32 MPG hwy and Accord
Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). 3 MSRP. Tax, title, license, dealer fees, and optiona
Chevy is a trademark of General Motors. ©2009 General Motors. Buckle up, America!

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“One of the best family sedans of 2009.”

— Parents Magazine and Edmunds.com

ngs.2 A Consumers Digest Best Buy. Starting at $22,5453 | Chevy Malibu

the right choice for your family.

wy and Accord with 2.4L 4-cyl. engine and 5-speed automatic transmission with 31 MPG hwy. 2 Side-impact crash test rating is for a model tested with standard head-curtain side-impact air bags (SABs).
es, and optional equipment extra. 4 Visit onstar.com for details and system limitations. OnStar and the OnStar Emblem are registered trademarks of OnStar LLC. Malibu is a registered trademark and

Spread 2
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14.75 in.
9.625 in.
10.5 in.

Chevy Traverse. 24 MPG hwy — the best hwy fuel economy of any 8-passenger crossover.2 More cargo room than any c
Pilot. 5-star crash safety ratings.4 A Consumers Digest Best Buy. | The experts agree — Chevy is a great place to raise
2010 LTZ as shown $38,760,5 seats 7 passengers. OnStar6 is standard for one year.
1 For more information about the 2009 Best New Family Vehicles from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, visit www.kbb.com/family09. Kelley Blue Book is a registered trademark of Kelley Blue Bo
Crossover segment. 4 Side-impact crash test rating is for a model tested with standard head-curtain side-impact air bags (SABs). Government star ratings are part of the National Highwa
onstar.com for details and system limitations. OnStar and the OnStar Emblem are registered trademarks of OnStar LLC. Traverse is a registered trademark and Chevy is a trademark of Genera

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“A 2009 Best New Family Vehicle.”

— Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com1

han any competitor.3 30% more room than Honda Starting at $29,9995 | Chevy Traverse
e to raise a family. To see why, click chevy.com

Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. 2 Based on GM Mid-Utility Crossover segment and an EPA est. 17 MPG city, 24 hwy (FWD). Excludes other GM-manufactured vehicles. 3 Based on GM Mid-Utility
ational Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). 5 MSRP. Tax, title, license, dealer fees, and optional equipment extra. 6 Visit
mark of General Motors. ©2009 General Motors. Buckle up, America!
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FF09400.qxd:FF 8/31/09 7:07 PM Page 1

©2009 P&G
FF0110TOC_2A.qxp:Layout 1 10/16/09 2:33 PM Page 11

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010

Features
Crafty Gifts 54
Simple beeswax candles, surprise-filled soaps, and
other great projects for your kids to make and give.
What’s
black and white and
Our Favorite Holiday Party Foods 62 read all over?
Let the food be the star of your next holiday gathering
with some of our most-loved festive dishes.

Happy Ha-ha Holidays! 73

The craft idea
Make a laughing impression this season with three
on page 74!
fun outdoor display ideas that will keep passersby
giggling all the way to New Year’s Day.

Keep in Touch 82
Readers share their strategies for staying connected
with far-flung family and friends.

4 Ways We Brighten Winter Days 90

FamilyFun staffers offer boredom-busting projects
for the chilly season, including making and using a
tin can knitter and filming a stop-motion movie.

ON THE COVER

Gifts Your Kids Can Make pg. 54

7 No-Stress Holiday Recipes pg. 62
17 Gifts Worth Your Money pg. 103
Creative School Vacation Activities pg. 90
How One Mom Cured the “Gimmes” pg. 31

Serra, age 6 PHOTOGRAPH BY MARCY MALOY D ECE MBE R/JAN UARY 201 0 FAMI LYFUN 
FF0110TOC_2A.qxp:Layout 1 10/16/09 2:33 PM Page 12

Departments
Disney Fun 13 BEYOND THE PAGE
Make a cupcake inspired by The Princess and the Frog.
Plus, this issue’s special deals for readers.
DECEMBER/JANUARY
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Creative Solutions 31
To cure a case of the holiday “gimmes,” one mom devises
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My Great Idea 35
Readers share their best strategies:
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FF0110DISN1A_qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 3:36 PM Page 13

Fun
Fun crafts and recipes, plus great deals and special offers from our parent company

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half. Press the tip of a white chocolate chip into with your name, address, birth
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* No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Begins November 5, ends January 31, 2010; for legal residents of 50 states or D.C., ages 13 or older. Full rules at FamilyFun.com/magazine.

D ECE MBE R/JAN UARY 201 0 FAMI LYFUN 

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From the Editors

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Ann Hallock ART DIRECTOR Michael Grinley

5 Reasons EDITOR

EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Jonathan Adolph
Mary Giles
DEPUTY DESIGN DIRECTOR

SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Moira Greto
Mark Mantegna
to Check Out the New MANAGING EDITOR Barbara Findlen SENIOR DESIGNER Kandy Littrell

FamilyFun.com! SENIOR EDITORS

DIGITAL MANAGER
Debra Immergut, Deborah Way
Samuel Mead
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTORS

DESIGNER
Tim MacKay, Sally Weaver
Pablo E. Yglesias
We’ve completely upgraded our website, SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ellen Harter Wall
giving it a clean new look and a slew of ASSOCIATE EDITOR Becky Karush FACILITIES MANAGER Elaine Kehoe
exciting new features and tools. Here’s why ASSOCIATE TEST KITCHEN MANAGER Alcestis Llobrera OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Amy Wickland Pytko
you’ll love it ... ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR Sandra L. Wickland RECEPTIONIST Terry Carr
ASSISTANT EDITORS Amy Brown, Joy Howard BUSINESS SYSTEMS ANALYST Thomas Lepper
COPY CHIEF Faye S. Wolfe
RESEARCH CHIEF Beth Honeyman Brand Development
ASSISTANT EDITORIAL RESEARCHER Jennifer Lynch DIRECTOR, CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT Deanna F. Cook
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Jean Cranston MANAGER, CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT Dawn Chipman
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Amy Kaldor-Bull SENIOR DESIGNER, CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT Chris Shadoian

CONTRIBUTORS RaniArbo, Deborah Geigis Berry, Nicole Blum, Jodi Butler, Sharon Miller Cindrich, Ken Haedrich,
Charlotte Meryman, Catherine Newman, Leslie Garisto Pfaff, Kimberly Stoney, Lisa Stowe,
Maryellen Sullivan, Lee M. Woodruff, Lynn Zimmerman

VP AND GENERAL MANAGER Aparna Pande

Advertising Consumer Marketing and Manufacturing
VP, SALES AND GROUP PUBLISHER Deborah Mignucci VP, MAGAZINE OPERATIONS Sean O’Connell
1 Our site has what you want. As the ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ellen Antoville DIRECTOR, MANUFACTURING Duncan Calhoun
online home of our best ideas, it’s now big- SR. MANAGER, CONSUMER MARKETING Curt Baker
NEW YORK 212-727-4847
ger than ever: some 13,000 pages big. Errol Griffiths, Douglas Harrison, Christine Barker ASSOC. CIRC. DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS John Albin, Senora Higgs
ADVERTISING SERVICES MANAGER Patricia Ventrello
2 You can track down any project. LOS ANGELES 818-544-0680
WESTERN MANAGER Meryl K. Russo CIRCULATION COORDINATOR Matt Rokicki
We’ve reorganized the site to include hun-
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Jennifer Mayer
dreds of collections showcasing our favorite SAN FRANCISCO 707-933-1823
SENIOR PRINT PURCHASING MANAGER Deborah Nassayan
Jenks & Co. Liz Horan Jenks, Margie Petersen
recipes, crafts, and ideas. The search tool has ADVERTISING PRODUCTION MANAGER Tisha Paul
CHICAGO 312-595-7734
been updated to allow you to refine what you
TERRITORY MANAGER Lauri Krajewski Niedermaier
are looking for, right down to the materials ACCOUNT MANAGER Andrea Conti-Pabst Marketing and Research
you’ll need or the holiday you’re celebrating. ACCOUNT MANAGER Stephanie Balter DIRECTOR, MARKETING Mary Jo Rathgeb
And the results now include photos. You DALLAS 469-232-9636 MARKETING DIRECTOR Lindsay Margolis
can even search by which issue of the mag- Zeko Media Dean Zeko, Lyndsey Ward ASSOCIATE MARKETING MANAGER Erin Dawald
azine an idea appeared in. HONOLULU 808-737-4621 MARKETING COORDINATOR Laura Wootton
Media Links Laurie Doerschlen SALES DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Regina Buzzi
3 We’ve made it easier to be creative. RESEARCH DIRECTOR Peggy O’Neill
BOSTON 978-263-5577
The photographs that show you how to make Northeast Media Marketers Kurt Jones, Christy Rizzo CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR Dana Fiore
our crafts and recipes are now bigger, and SENIOR PROMOTION DESIGNER Gosia Nosowicz
ATLANTA 404-843-0203
they can be further expanded with a click. We Fusion Media Sales Julie Kern
offer more how-to videos. And once you’ve
CLASSIFIEDS 708-352-8832
found a project you love, you can save it in Classmark Kathy Gleason
your own recipe or craft box.

4 You can share your ideas — and

DISNEY PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE
see what other readers are doing. In desig-
PRESIDENT R. Russell Hampton Jr.
nated places throughout the site, you can
SENIOR VP, FINANCE, ACCOUNTING, IT, STRATEGY Rajmohan P. Murari
post photos of your family’s creations or
VP, FINANCIAL PLANNING Jean-Pierre Fabre
adventures and let the FamilyFun commu-
DIRECTOR, FINANCE AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS Vincent Chin
nity know what worked best or how you VP, GLOBAL HUMAN RESOURCES Robin Eletto
improved on one of our ideas. DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES Judy Agay

5 There’s something new every day.
To show off the wide range of amazing ideas
on the site, we’ll be spotlighting some of our
favorites through our recipe of the day, craft
of the day, and printable of the day features.
Because you can never have too much fun!
Editorial correspondence: 47 Pleasant Street, Northampton, MA 01060 or queries.familyfun@disney.com. Address manuscripts and other materials to Everyday Fun, Family
Traditions, Creative Solutions, or Family Getaways. FamilyFun does not accept and cannot be held responsible for any unsolicited materials. All materials must be accompa-
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FamilyFun, P.O. Box 37033, Boone, IA 50037-0033; or send e-mail to FAFcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com. Mailing lists or cover wraps: From time to
time, we provide our subscriber mailing lists to selected companies for their promotional use. If you prefer that we not provide your information to
these companies, or if you prefer to receive your magazine without a cover wrap, please call 800-289-4849 and have your mailing label available.
© 2009 FamilyFun. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Printed in the U.S.A.

 FAMILYFUN D ECE MBER/JA N UARY 201 0

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Mailbox
September 2009 Highlights
Our Ultimate Homework Station and our Tabletop Checklist made returning to
reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic easier for many FamilyFun readers. The newspaper
geodesic dome in Everyday Fun offered structure of a different sort; kids got rolling
with that project too. “Make Your Own Fashions” was a starting point for Jennifer
Hall, of Hyde Park, New York: “I had anticipated my daughter, Birdie, wearing an
adorable first-day-of-school outfit, but all kindergartners had to wear the same
tees. So, inspired by the story’s ideas, I ‘made our own fashion’ button by button
and made a blue shirt not so blue.” Right: Birdie, age 5, in her bedecked tee.

Dome, Sweet Dome

I’m a civil engineer, so the geodesic dome
September by
really appealed to me. It was an opportunity to
teach my 3-year-old twins, Sarah and Brooke,
the Numbers
Readers went wild for these ways to
and Jenna, my 6-year-old daughter, about
have even more family fun:
structures. We had a blast making the dome,
and after the kids were done playing with it, we
used the rolled newspapers to start a fire to 3,511 entered our Disney Fun
make s’mores that night. giveaway of Toy Story Mania! Wii
games.
Joanne Donohue Highlands Ranch, Colorado

26,095 viewed our online

What Others video and saw how easy it is to make
the cool blue jeans bag in Beyond
Are Saying ... the Page.
Lacey Keigley tells us: “My daughters
London and Mosely, age 6, corralled their 40,000 have signed up
younger siblings, and together they asked to for our digital edition, free to sub-
make the Tee Is for Tote in Everyday Fun. We scribers, at FamilyFun.Coverleaf.com.
broke out the old sewing machine, and in
less than 15 minutes everyone had a tote. Share your thoughts about every
Unbelievable! I wrote about it on my blog, issue at DigitalResearch.com/
ponderingparenting.blogspot.com.” FamilyFun.

Write on!
Thank you for the
great Chew on
Your Pencil snack
idea. I made it for
my kids, Mary
Margaret, age 2,
Jack, 6, and Henry,
8, for when they
got home from
their first day of
school, and it was
“My son, Cole, loved creating the
a big hit.
‘Make Your Own Fashions’ tee, and
Jennifer Haddad
it cost less than five dollars to do.” West Hartford,
Amy Vaughan Bowling Green, Kentucky Connecticut

 FAMILYFUN DECEMBE R/JAN UA RY 20 10

FF0110MAIL.2Aqxp:Layout 1 10/26/09
6:44 PM Page 17
No-Distraction Zone
When I saw the Ultimate
Homework Station, I knew
I had to make one for my
son, Derek, who’s in fourth
grade and constantly bugging
his older sisters during
homework time. With the
station, we’re off to a good
start this school year.
Ericka Poletti
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Just in Time for the Holidays!
Two FamilyFun books filled with our most
festive ideas are back in print. Look for them
in stores or go to FamilyFun.com/magazine
to order copies.
We Love Hearing From You!
letters.familyfun@disney.com or to Mailbox, FamilyFun, 47 Pleasant Street, Northampton, MA 01060.
Letters may be edited. Photographs can be returned only if accompanied by an SASE. Please include a
daytime phone number.
FF09441.qxd:FF
10/22/09 11:48 PM
Wide World of
FamilyFun
From Stuttgart, Germany, Wendy Bradley
writes us:
“Living in Germany, which lacks craft
stores like those in the States, we turn
to FamilyFun for ideas. My 3-year-old
son, Jacob, and I made the Recycled
Piggy Bank (March ’09) using precut
tissue paper — because that’s what I
had on hand — and a 20-cent Euro
instead of a button for the nose.”
Our compact 2010 calendar
features activities to make every
month special ($6, including
shipping and handling). You
can order copies online for
yourself and your friends at
FamilyFun.com/2010calendar.
Send your photos/digital images and letters to
D ECE MBE R/JAN UARY 201 0 FA MI LY FUN
Page 1
F l at i s
the new
black.
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The new Energizer® Flat Panel Induction
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Panel Induction Charger features a
two-remote and a four-remote design.
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Energizer ®, the Energizer Bunny design, and Keep Going ® are
trademarks of Eveready Battery Company, Inc., and are used by
Performance Designed Products ®, LLC. under license. All other brand
names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
owners. Neither PDP nor Eveready Battery Company, Inc. is affiliated
with the respective owners or their trademarks.

FF09462.qxd:FF 10/8/09 7:28 PM Page 1

©2009 PSSW. Styles vary by store. While quantities last. © Disney. Airwalk® is a registered trademark of Collective Licensing International, LLC. All Dunkman trademarks are registered and owned by Mine O’ Mine, Inc.
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PACIFIC DIGITAL IMAGE • 333 Broadway, San Francisco CA 94133 • 415.274.7234 • www.pacdigital.com
FF0110EF_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:58 PM Page 19

EverydayFun Easy Crafts, Learning Fun, Quick Games, Treats & Celebrations

H O L I D AY C R A F T

Glitzy Glasses
This January 1 we ring in 2010 — the last year for some
time whose numerals can be easily turned into a pair of
novelty glasses. Make the most of this fleeting occasion
with a customizable pair of paper specs.
To fashion them, first download our template at
FamilyFun.com/magazine. Use the template to cut
the frame pieces from poster board. Decorate
the glasses (we used glitter glue), leaving
about a half-inch at the ends of the arms free.
Note: Do not use loose glitter, as it might shed
and get into the wearer’s eyes. When your
decorations are dry, glue the arms to the
back of the 2010.

D ECEMBER /JANUARY 2 010 FA MI LYFUN 

FF0110EF_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/20/09 5:21 PM Page 20

EverydayFun

HOMEMADE CARD

Snowman
Prints
Furniture pads — adhesive-backed felt
circles that keep a chair from scratch-
ing the floor — make great stamps.
Here, we use them to print snowmen
for holiday cards, adding hand-drawn
faces, arms, and buttons so that each
one is unique. To reduce waste, first
stamp your snowmen on pieces of
card stock, then attach only the best
to blank cards.
For the snowman’s body, you’ll need
pads of equal thickness with three dif-
ferent diameters.
Arrange them on a
piece of sturdy
cardboard as
shown. Use a paintbrush
to coat the pads with white
paint, then stamp your

PHOTO GRAPHS BY ED JUDICE; CRA FT AN D PROP STYLING BY LYNN ZIMM ERMA N; ORNA MENT IDEA BY KIM BERLY STONEY; SNOWMAN STAMP IDEA BY NICOLE SHAPIRO
snowmen onto the card
stock. Let your prints dry.
Cut a hat and carrot
shape from another felt pad and adhere
them to small pieces of cardboard. Use
black and orange paint to stamp hats
and noses on the snowmen. Add eyes,
mouths, buttons, and arms with a black
marker. Attach your snowman prints to
blank cards using double-sided tape.

RECYCLED CRAFT

Retro Ornaments
These simple yet sophisticated decorations are made from cardboard tubes and
pipe cleaners. Paint the outsides of the tubes before cutting them, if desired, or
keep them unpainted for a natural look.
For each one, flatten a 7K-inch length of cardboard tube. Mark and cut it
into ¾-inch-wide rings; you’ll need ten for this project. On each flattened ring,
mark dots ¾ inches in from each folded edge. With a hole punch, make holes
at the dots.
Starting with the inner circle, string the rings onto a pipe cleaner. For the outer
circle, twist two pipe cleaners together to make a double-long piece, then thread
it through the outer holes in the cardboard rings. Twist the ends together and
trim the excess. Hang with thread or string.

 FAMILYFUN DECEMBE R/JAN UARY 20 1 0

 FF09433.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:521 PM10/15/09
UNI_LFP_004_Leapster2_FF.pdf Page 11:57 PM

CM

MY

CY

CMY

GAME !
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EverydayFun

H O L I D AY C R A F T

Flame-Free
Menorah
Sure, this ultrasafe menorah doesn’t have actual candles,
but you’ll still get to “light” a new flame for each night
of Hanukkah.
On a large piece of corrugated cardboard, place the two
shapes from our template (available at FamilyFun.com/
magazine) so that the candles are parallel to the channels
that run in the cardboard. Trace and cut out the shapes. Paint
and decorate them as you like (just be sure to paint nine
candles!), then let them dry. Using the slots, slide the body
onto the base to create a stand.
For the flames, cut small, narrow triangles from yellow and
orange tissue paper. Lay a yellow triangle over an orange one,
run a thin line of glue along the triangle’s narrow base, then
roll and scrunch the tissue around the end of a toothpick.
Repeat to make nine flames. Slide the toothpick flames into
the cardboard channels to light the candles.

H O L I D AY D E C O R

Twinkle Lights
Kick up the glitz of a plain strand of
holiday lights with foil cupcake liners.
For the best results, you’ll want to use
the sturdier, laminated foil cupcake
liners (we used Wilton Silver Foil
Baking Cups).
For each light, fold a liner into
eighths by folding it in half three times.
Snip off two of the
corners at an angle,
as shown. Cut off
the tip of the point
to create a center
hole. Unfold the
liner and flip it
TWINKLE LIGH TS IDEA BY KIMBERLY STON EY

inside-out so that
the shiny side is on
the inside. Slide the
liner over the light
so that it sits
around the base of
the bulb holder.

 FAMILYFUN DECEMBE R/JAN UARY 20 1 0

FF09488.qxd:FF 10/21/09 4:42 PM Page 1

A N A B C F A M I L Y H O L I D A Y F A V O R I T E

Santa Ba Disney/Pi
Christmas by 2 Ratatouixa
lle
r’s
A New AB
C Fa
Maybe Saturday,
12/19 at 8p
mi
Sunday, 12 ly Original Movie m/7c
/13 at 8p
m/7c

Santa Clause 3: Harry Potte

The Escape Clause Friday, 12/4 r Weekend
Tuesday, 12/1 at -
Sunday, 12
8pm/7c /6

Sunday, 11/15 Tuesday, 12/1 Saturday, 12/12

8pm/7c Meet the Robinsons 8pm/7c Santa Clause 3: All Day Holiday Classics Marathon
Monday, 11/16 The Escape Clause
Sunday, 12/13
8pm/7c A Dennis the Menace Wednesday, 12/2 6pm/5c Santa Baby
Christmas 7pm/6c Pixar Short Films 8pm/7c Santa Baby 2 Christmas Maybe
A New ABC Family Original Movie
Tuesday, 11/17 Thursday, 12/3
8pm/7c Richie Rich 8:30pm/7:30c The Polar Express Monday, 12/14
7pm/6c Winnie the Pooh and the
Wednesday, 11/18 Friday, 12/4
Blustery Day
7pm/6c Gotta Catch Santa Claus 7pm/6c Frosty’s Winter Wonderland
7:30pm/6:30c Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
8pm/7c Lilo & Stitch 7:30pm/6:30c Harry Potter and the
8pm/7c Mary Poppins
Thursday, 11/19 Sorcerer’s Stone
Tuesday, 12/15
7pm/6c Christmas Caper Saturday, 12/5
8:30pm/7:30c Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
9pm/8c A Carol Christmas 4pm/3c Harry Potter and the
Chamber of Secrets Wednesday, 12/16
Friday, 11/20
8pm/7c Harry Potter and the 8pm/7c Happy Feet
9pm/8c I Saw Mommy Kissing
Santa Claus Prisoner of Azkaban
Thursday, 12/17
Sunday, 12/6 8pm/7c Jack Frost
Saturday, 11/21
7:30pm/6:30c Harry Potter and the 10pm/9c Jingle All the Way
8pm/7c Once Upon a Christmas
10pm/9c Twice Upon a Christmas Goblet of Fire
Friday, 12/18
Monday, 12/7 7:30pm/6:30c Disney/Pixar’s Cars
Sunday, 11/22
All Day Holiday Movie Marathon 7:30pm/6:30c Cranberry Christmas
Saturday, 12/19
8pm/7c Holiday in Handcuffs 8pm/7c Unaccompanied Minors
8pm/7c Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille
10pm/9c Jack Frost
Monday, 11/23 Sunday, 12/20
9pm/8c Unlikely Angel Tuesday, 12/8
8:30pm/7:30c Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles
7pm/6c Mickey’s Christmas Carol
Tuesday, 11/24 7:30pm/6:30c Winnie the Pooh & Monday, 12/21
7pm/6c Holly & Hal Moose: Our Christmas Too All Day Holiday Movie Marathon
Uplifting Christmas Adventure 8pm/7c The Year Without a Santa
Tuesday, 12/22
8pm/7c Hercules Claus
7pm/6c Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat
Wednesday, 11/25 9pm/8c A Miser Brothers’ Christmas
7:30pm/6:30c Dr. Seuss on the Loose
7pm/6c Sons of Mistletoe Wednesday, 12/9 8pm/7c Dr Seuss’ The Grinch Grinches
7pm/6c Rudolph’s Shiny New Year The Cat in the Hat
Thursday, 11/26
8pm/7c Santa Claus Is Comin’ 8:30pm/7:30c Willy Wonka & the Chocolate
8pm/7c Miracle on 34th Street
to Town Factory
Friday, 11/27 9pm/8c Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Wednesday, 12/23
8pm/7c Aladdin Reindeer and the Island of
All Day Holiday Movie Marathon
Saturday, 11/28 Misfit Toys
10:30pm/9:30c ‘Twas the Night Before Thursday, 12/24
7pm/6c A Boy Named Charlie Brown
Christmas All Day Holiday Classics Marathon
9pm/8c Snoopy Come Home
Thursday, 12/10 Friday, 12/25
Sunday, 11/29
8pm/7c Holiday in Handcuffs 3:30pm/2:30c Miracle on 34th Street
8pm/7c The Dog Who Saved Christmas
A New ABC Family Original Movie
10pm/9c A Flintstone Christmas 6pm/5c Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles

Monday, 11/30 Friday, 12/11

c7/ mp88pm/7c
pem
ci /N
7rco yt h gu a Naughty o
Naughty orr Nice
Nice 8pm/7c Santa Clause 2
FF0110EF_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/26/09 11:38 AM Page 24

EverydayFun

Trim a Tree
This preschooler-friendly project
is made with humble, familiar
craft sticks. Help your child make
the basic tree shape, then let her
decorate it however she likes.

Use strong scissors to trim several craft sticks to lengths ranging

from around 1K to 3O inches (a parent’s job). Have your child
choose six pieces, including one full-sized stick, and help her
arrange them from shortest to longest on a wide craft stick.
Adhere the pieces with tacky glue, then let the stick tree dry.
Have your child paint the tree green and brown with acrylic
IDEA BY JODI KENDALL

paints. After the paint is dry, she can add sequin ornaments with
glue. Our tree’s topper is a small wooden star from a craft store,
painted yellow. Tie a loop of string around the top of the tree
for hanging.

 FIND MORE HOLIDAY IDEAS AT FAMILYFUN.COM/MAGAZINE.

FF09387.qxd:FF 8/31/09 9:22 PM Page 1

Perfect
Stocking
Stuffer!

®
Orajel Toddler Training Toothpaste.
It’s fluoride-free...and safe if swallowed!
Getting your child on track with Thomas & Friends™ is a great way for parents to care
for their toddler’s teeth. Orajel Toddler Training Toothpaste is a gentle, nonabrasive
toothpaste made just for toddlers and contains Microdent®, a special ingredient that
cleans toddlers’ teeth and gums without foaming. Your kids will love the fun flavors,
Also look for Use as directed.
and you’ll like knowing it’s fluoride-free, so it’s safe for toddlers if swallowed. Orajel
Little Bear!
and Thomas & Friends™ make brushing fun! For toddlers up to four years of age.
For more information visit us at www.orajel.com ©2009 Church & Dwight Co., Inc. ™ & © Nelvana ™ Wild Things Productions. © M. Sendak All Rights Reserved. ©2009 Gullane (Thomas) Limited.
FF09440.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:54 PM Page 1

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FF0110EF_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/20/09 2:15 PM Page 28

EverydayFun

How to ...

Create 3

Cardboard Carolers
You will need: Arranged on a windowsill or mantel, this caroling crew hits all the
• Scissors right notes for spreading holiday cheer. They’re also a great way
to reuse outgrown baby socks.
• Cardboard tube (we
used a paper towel
tube) 1 Cut the cardboard tube into three slightly varying lengths. Paint 4
the three sections in contrasting colors. Set them aside to dry.
• Paintbrushes
• Tempera paint 2 Cut mitten shapes and face ovals from the colored paper. Trim
• Colored paper (for three small rectangles from the sheet music, then fold the rectangles
faces and mittens) in half to resemble songbooks.
• Sheet music
(we printed out a 3 Use the black marker to draw faces on the ovals. Give your
page we found online) carolers rosy cheeks with the pink pencil.
• Black marker 5

• Pink pencil 4 Glue the faces onto the painted tubes. Glue the mittens onto the
sheet music, then glue the mittens to the tubes.
• Glue
• 3 baby or child’s 5 For hats, trim the feet off the socks and discard them. Fold an end
socks
of each sock tube into a cuff and stretch it over a caroler’s head. Tie the
• Yarn top of the hat closed with yarn.


✽ Find this project and many other crafts — along with recipes, activities, and gifts kids
can make — in the FamilyFun Homemade Holidays book. See page 17 for details.

FAMILYFUN DECE MBER/JA NUA RY 2010

FF09381.qxd:FF 8/31/09 7:43 PM Page 1

Wouldn’t it be nice to relieve your child’s itchy skin

without a prescription?
© 2009 Kao Brands Company

New Curél® Itch Defense Lotion. The steroid-free, pediatrician-tested way

TM

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and long term. It was even awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of
Acceptance . How many other lotions can say the same?
TM

curel.com
FF09453.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:38 PM Page 1

SHARE THE WORLD OF DISNEY

Bring smiles to your family and
friends this holiday season!

With a Disney Gift Card, you can give a world

of possibilities. From Mickey merchandise to
Disney theme park tickets, a Jonas Brothers CD or a
Disney Cruise, the Disney Gift Card can be used for
all things Disney. Redeem your Disney Gift Card
at Disney Parks, the Disney Store,
DisneyStore.com and more.

Get yours today at

Also available at

or participating grocery and drug stores nationwide!

The Disney Gift Card can be used for purchases at select participating locations at Walt Disney World ® Resort, Disneyland® Resort, Disney Stores in the U.S.,
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Trim: 7 7/8" x 10 1/2"-|-Bleed: 8 1/8" x 10 3/4"

FF0110CS.qxp:Layout 1 10/8/09 4:21 PM Page 31

Creative
Solutions

The
Present
Game
When her kids get
the holiday “gimmes,”
a mom devises a fun
way to teach them
the art of gratitude
By Stacy Falk

I cringe a little when I think about
Christmas, 2004. That was the time
my beautiful, well-behaved children
— my daughter, Jordan, then age 4,
and son, Blake, then 3 — suddenly
turned into greedy little monsters.
My husband, Michael, and
I had hoped that we’d
have the best holi-
day ever. After all,
both our kids
were finally old
enough to get
what Christmas
was all about.
But things didn’t
turn out at all
as we’d expected. What our children
got instead was a bad case of the
“gimmes.”
The first signs cropped up at a
Christmas party for our extended
family. The presents were piled high,
and Jordan and Blake went at them
with alarming gusto. Gifts that had
been carefully selected by generous
grandparents, aunts, uncles, and
cousins were quickly torn open, then
tossed aside as the kids scoped
out the next box labeled with
their names. Abandoned
clothing, toys, games,
and books were scat-
tered here and there. I
hurried after my little
ones, urging them to
say “thank you,” pick-
ing up the presents,
and assuring our
relatives that their
thoughtful gifts would be welcome
additions to the children’s wardrobes
and toy boxes.
I wasn’t happy with this display,
but I chalked it up to the excitement
of the big party. I hoped that our
smaller Christmas morning celebra-
tion would see more civilized behav-
ior. But instead, it was more of the
same. Jordan and Blake dove at the
brightly wrapped boxes under the
tree, barely glancing at each pack-
age’s contents before ripping into the
next one.
Seriously dismayed by my kids’
antics, I vowed to take action, espe-
cially with Jordan’s early-February
birthday looming. Before the next
celebration, the pair would learn the
art of graciously receiving a gift.
After mulling it over, I came up
with a simple method for practicing
gratitude, one that all of us could do
together. I explained it to Jordan and
Blake, who immediately loved the
idea, dubbing it the Present Game.
The rules were simple. Each
player started with an empty gift bag.

ILLUSTRATION BY H EL EN DAR DIK D ECE MBE R/JAN UARY 201 0 FAMI LYFUN 
FF09470.qxd:FF 10/8/09 7:00 PM Page 1

Soup so healthy it deserves a gold star.

What shape are your kids in?

Campbell’s® Kids Soups add a unique natural sea salt for a healthy level of sodium,
are a good source of Vitamin A and have zero grams of trans fat.
They’re part of a healthy lunch, and everything Moms want to help kids grow up right.

© 2009 CSC Brands LP So many, many reasons it’s so...M’m! M’m! Good!®
FF0110CS.qxp:Layout 1 10/26/09 6:42 PMFF09469.qxd:FF
Page 33 10/8/09 6:52 PM Page 1

Creative
Solutions

He or she was assigned

Artificial flavors.

to “shop” for another

player, then headed off
to search the house for
that one perfect item. It
could be anything that
fit in the bag — and Practiced at the art of giving thanks: the author,
the gift was to be just husband Michael, and kids, Jordan and Blake
for fun, not for keeps.
When the shopping was complete, pretty color or convenient size (“It’s
we gathered to exchange presents small enough to fit in my pocket!”).
one at a time. Each recipient had to After all the bags were exchanged, we
say “thank you” as soon as he or she repeated the process, putting away
was handed a gift bag. If thanks the previous gifts as we searched for Added MSG.†
weren’t immediately forthcoming, new ones.
the giver would issue a quick but
gentle reminder. The game proved to be a rousing
But simply saying “thank you” success. The kids often requested
wasn’t sufficient. The recipient also it at playtime, and we even kept a
was required to pay the giver a sin- few empty gift bags in the toy box
cere compliment about whatever so that they could play it on their
surprise he or she extracted from own. I was very pleased to see how
the bag. This is when the game got the game was teaching Jordan and
interesting, and Jordan and Blake Blake about the importance of
really learned a thing or two. expressing appreciation.

Trans
Sometimes it’s very easy to be Better yet, the game taught my
grateful. Upon receiving a favorite kids another lesson, one I hadn’t fat.
stuffed animal, Blake told Jordan, anticipated: that giving is even more
“Thank you for the bear. It will be fun than receiving. They loved
cuddly to sleep with tonight.” But roaming the house in a quest for the
in other cases, they realized, coming ideal present. Sometimes they
up with an appropriate compliment would choose favorite objects that
could be a challenge. What do you were surefire hits. Other times they
say when someone presents you with grabbed practical items. Often,
a dog biscuit or a spoon? they went for the laugh (giving
The kids soon became adept at underwear was considered particu-
looking on the bright side. Pulling larly hilarious).
her toothbrush from a gift bag, Over time, Jordan and Blake
Jordan commented that it’s impor- needed “thank you” reminders much
tant to brush your teeth, and she less often. In fact, having played the
What shape are your kids in?
noted that a favorite cartoon char- Present Game so much, they are now
Campbell’s® Kids Soups
acter was printed on it. Faced with old hands at expressing gratitude in have everything Moms want,
a single sock, Blake said, “It will come a thoughtful way. And me, I’m without the stuff they don’t.
in handy the next time Mom loses grateful that they’ve put this skill to It’s part of a healthy lunch
one of my socks in the laundry.” good use at celebrations all year long. kids love that can help them
They clearly relished the challenge of grow up strong.
finding something positive to say Stacy Falk lives with her family in
about each present, pointing out its Rockford, Michigan.
So many, many reasons it’s so...
®
M’m! M’m! Good!
†Except for the small amount naturally occurring in yeast extract.
© 2009 CSC Brands LP
D ECE MBE R/JAN UARY 201 0 FA MI LY FUN 
 LEGO, the LEGO logo and DUPLO are trademarks of the LEGO Group.

BUILD A NEW
ADVENTURE EVERY DAY!
PUT OUT THE FIRE!
The new LEGO® DUPLO® Fire Station has everything to fuel your child’s
©2009 The LEGO Group. 4544588/08-INT

imagination. Vehicles, exciting functions and countless ways to combine

the bricks – everything your child needs to build his own creations and
create his very own fire stories.

Let your child build a new adventure

every day with LEGO DUPLO.

duplo.lego.com

DuploAd_Parenting.indd 1 7/30/09 3:00:08 PM

FF0110MGI.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:20 PM Page 35

MyGreatIdea Inspired Tips and Creative Strategies From Our Readers

N AT U R E C R A F T H O L I DAY T R A D I T I O N

Pretty Pinecone A Santa Gift That

Ornaments
Last December, my mom and I used acrylic
paint and pipe cleaners to turn pinecones into
cute Christmas tree ornaments. We painted
the pinecones and let them dry, then added
decorative dots. Once the dots were dry, we
used hot glue to add a pipe cleaner loop to the
top of each pinecone. The ornaments were
fun to make and looked great on display.
Lelah Loree, age 13
Laguna Niguel, California
Keeps On Giving
When our older daughter, Haley, was 4, she
finished her Christmas list, then asked
what we should leave for Santa. Touched by
her thoughtfulness, I let her pick out a pair
of sturdy black boots, which we wrapped
and left for St. Nick alongside a plate of
cookies. When Santa wrote a thank-you
note, Haley was thrilled! Now Haley and
her younger sister, Annan, give Santa a gift
— a warm blanket, a hat-and-glove set,
socks, or a sleeping bag — every year,
which we’ve heard he often donates to a
local homeless shelter.
Lauren Carlson
Salt Lake City, Utah

D ECE MBE R/JAN UARY 201 0 FA MI LYFUN 

M Page 1FF0110MGI.qxp:Layout 1 10/27/09 4:41 PM Page 36

MyGreatIdea

WINTER FUN

Make Cool Ice Hangs to Deck Your Deck

Last winter, my kids, Stuart and Miriam, ages 12 and 10, and I made ice orna-
ments to hang outside. We placed cookie cutters in a baking dish, filled the dish
with water, and looped a string around the top of each cutter. When the ice
hangs were frozen, we ran the dish under hot water to free them from their
molds. We tied the strings into loops and hung the decorations on our deck,
where we enjoyed them until the weather warmed.
Liz Fakhoury
Indianapolis, Indiana

HOMEMADE PRESENT

Fill a Jar With

Thoughtfulness
For Christmas last year, my girls and
I turned an old pickle jar into a gift
for their dad. We painted the jar and
labeled it “365 Reasons Why We
Love You!” Then we cut 30 slips of
paper and wrote a reason on each
one (we added slips throughout
the year). Every day, my husband
would fish a slip out of the jar and
read it before going to work. He
loved this sweet present!
Julie Moesner
Springboro, Ohio

 FAMILYFUN D ECE MBE R/JA NUA RY 201 0

FF0110MGI.qxp:Layout 1 10/27/09 4:41 PM Page 37

advertisement

CELEBRATE
THE SEASON IN
SPARKLING STYLE.

SIMPLE SOLUTION

Easy Inspiration for Thank-you Notes Use Sharpie Metallic Markers

To help my kids write thank-you notes when they were younger, I saved well- and these ideas to make
written ones from friends and relatives and kept them in a file. When Mark the holidays shine.
or John, now ages 16 and 12, needed to send a thank-you, I brought out the
inspiration folder. Because they had some thoughtful examples to look at, they
found this writing task less daunting. • Add glitz to a handmade
Charlotte Watters Christmas card
Raleigh, North Carolina
• Turn plain place cards into
shimmering signage

Send Us Your Ideas • Dazzle them with glittery,

home-styled napkin
We’re looking for fun ideas for My Great Idea and Family rings
Traditions. Send yours to mgied.familyfun@disney.com or
traditions.familyfun@disney.com, or to FamilyFun, 47 Pleasant
Street, Northampton, MA, 01060. Letters may be edited. We
will pay you $100 if we use your idea and mention your family
by name. Please include a daytime phone number and an e-mail
address. (Sorry, photos cannot be returned.)
Visit our website for more ideas
to make your holidays shine, and
Has your family visited a special travel destination or tourist
to share your own.
attraction that was definitely Worth the Trip? If so, send the
details (and photos if you have them) to the address above, or
to queries.familyfun@disney.com, with “Worth the Trip” in
the subject line. We will pay you $100 if we use your tip and
mention your family by name.

© Newell Rubbermaid Office Products

D ECE MBE R/JA NUA RY 201 0 FA MI LY FUN 
PM Page FF0110MGI.qxp:Layout
1 1 10/26/09 6:39 PM Page 38

MyGreatIdea

1 Problem 3 Solutions
Clothes
Calls
How do you help
your kids get
dressed and out
the door?

1 Dress a Mini-Me
To help my daughter, Mia, age 6, choose her school and church outfits,
I traced her figure on a large piece of cardboard, then cut around the
shape, punched a hole in the top, and hung it from a nail on the wall.
Each evening, we pick out her clothes for the next day and use clothes-
pins to attach them to the doll. Mia adds jewelry, socks, and shoes as
well as her book bag and lunch box. Now mornings go more smoothly
and are more fun too.
Renee Gidcumb
Waynesville, North Carolina

2 Go Halvsies
Each night before bed, we have our 5-year-old daughter, Taylor, pick
out either a top or a bottom to wear the next day. (Since we pack away
out-of-season clothes, all her options are weather-appropriate.) My
husband or I then select a corresponding piece. This way, Taylor gets
the power of choice — and a matching outfit.
Lisa Arenas
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

3 Make a Weather Spinner

I made a simple chart with a spinning arrow in the middle. Every morning
I check the weather report, then point the arrow toward the correct
weather symbol. Next to each, I’ve listed the types of garments that my
kids, Hayden and Hannah, ages 9 and 7, can choose. This is a fun way
to give them a little more say about what they wear.
Kristen Goodwin
Southwest Harbor, Maine
ILLUSTRATION BY JAN E SANDERS

?
T E L L U S : How do you manage all the papers
and projects your kids bring home from school?
Send your solution to My Great Idea at the address on page 37, e-mail
us at mgied.familyfun@disney.com, or visit FamilyFun.com/magazine.

 FA MI LY FUN D ECE MBE R/JAN UA RY 20 10

FF09385.qxd:FF 8/31/09 7:31 PM Page 1
FF0110TRAD_1A.qxp:Layout 1 10/8/09 4:19 PM Page 40

Family
Traditions
Today Is
17
Today Is Today
16Thursday Is
❛❛
Go Ice-skating

December
The kids can’t wait 18
to find out each
morning what the liday

❜❜
Build a Ho
day will bring! y Gingerbrea
d Train
Wednesdar Friday
— Mande Mischler Decembe Decem
ber Watch
a
Movie Holiday
on DV
D

A Holiday Activity Calendar

Our family Mande and Dave Mischler of Wilmette, Illinois, and our kids, Gavin, age 12, and Meriel, 9

Our tradition: Our favorite activities:

We parents brainstorm 24 festive things to do in December,
such as ice-skating or watching a Christmas movie, then
we tuck one idea into each pocket of
our Advent countdown calendar.
Every morning, Gavin and Meriel
take turns picking a note from
the calendar and unveiling that
day’s surprise.
How we got started:
Seven years ago, we became aware
of how fast the time flies between Thanksgiving and
Christmas. We decided to do something fun each day
to savor the season, using our Advent calendar — a
beloved holiday decoration — to keep track of our plans.
Planning the fun:
We choose a mix of new activities and past favorites and
type the list into a calendar on the computer. Some notes
reveal what we’re going to do (“Watch White Christmas
tonight”), while others are more cluelike (“Look for a
surprise in your lunch box”). We then print two copies:
one to cut up and put in the Advent calendar, and one for
reference. This way, if we need to replace or swap
anything at the last minute, we know at a glance what’s
slotted where.
A handful of traditions make the lineup every year, such as
building a gingerbread train, baking snowman pizzas, and
decorating Santa-shaped pancakes. And it just doesn’t feel
like the holidays until we’ve snuggled up with mugs of hot
chocolate and read The Night Before Christmas.
Adding meaning to the season:
We like to use some of our activities to encourage kindness.
For example, one note always says, “Secretly do something
nice for a friend.” That day, the kids might leave a plate of
cookies for a neighbor or a small bag of candy for a class-
mate. We’ve also baked cinnamon ornaments for our
grandparents and gone caroling on our block.
The grand finale:
Because Santa knows how much our family loves treasure
hunts, he likes to pitch in to make Christmas morning
special. He hides a present for each child in one place in
the house, then writes a series of clues leading to that spot.
He leaves the first clue in the last pocket of the Advent
calendar, and the kids work together — following that
clue to the next, and so on — to find their Santa gifts.
Why we love it:
Dave: It’s a great way for us to connect as a family.
Meriel: It makes December more fun!

✱ We’d like to hear about your family’s favorite tradition. See page 37.

 FAMI LYFUN D ECEMBE R/JAN UA RY 20 10 I NTERVIEW BY ALI CI A P OTTER ; IL LUSTR ATI ON S BY PABLO YG LESI AS
FF09206.qxd:FF 10/21/09 4:20 PM Page 1

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December 15
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FF0110GETAA4A_qxp.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 3:52 PM Page 43

FamilyGetaways Fun Trips, Helpful Tips, Family-to-Family Advice, and Memorable Adventures

Castillo de San Marcos

National Monument

Playing pirate on a Ponce de León lives on at the

St. Augustine beach Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park

Spend a Day in ...

St. Augustine, Florida

Swashbuckling adventures and 500 years of history come together
in this town just two hours from Orlando • By Alisson Clark
Pirates still roam the streets of St. Augustine, Williamsburg, Virginia, may get more of the limelight,

• but these days, they’re very well behaved. During one

of my family’s visits, a buccaneer in full regalia ran
into me as he was rushing to a reenactment event and
then stopped to apologize profusely. That’s the kind
of funny, sweet moment that keeps our family com-
ing back to this Atlantic Coast city where Spanish
explorer Ponce de León landed in 1513.
Other colonial history destinations, such as
but St. Augustine’s glorious weather, walkable down-
town, and piratical past — not to mention its prox-
imity to Orlando’s theme parks — make it an ideal
place for a family day trip. I love to steal away to St.
Augustine with my husband, Jeremey, and our son,
Owen, age 9, from our home in nearby Gainesville.
Here’s how we pack in a full day of fun in one of the
oldest European settlements in the United States.

D ECE MBE R/JAN UARY 201 0 FA MILYFUN 

FF0110GETAA4A_qxp.qxp:Layout 1 10/19/09 10:15 PM Page 44

FamilyGetaways

Morning
Entering the historic district through the stone City Gate, we
arrive at the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse 1, built almost 250 years
ago for the children of Spanish settlers, many of whom came
from Minorca. We explore the classroom, peek into the school-
master’s quarters upstairs, and walk through the beautifully land-
scaped yard, where Owen can’t resist giving the big bell a tug ($3.50
for adults, $2.50 for kids ages 6 to 12; 14 Saint George Street; 904-
824-0192; oldestwoodenschoolhouse.com).
Ready for a snack, we follow the aromas of cinnamon rolls and
fresh bread to the Spanish Bakery 2 and sample Spanish-style
lemon cookies at tables under a giant cedar tree (three cookies for Ringing the bell at the Oldest
$1; 42½ Saint George Street; 904-471-3046; thespanishbakery.com). Wooden Schoolhouse
Refreshed, we walk a few blocks east to Matanzas Bay to visit the
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument 3, a Spanish fort
built in 1672. Looking out over the bay from the fort’s gun deck,
where monument staff in period uniforms fire off cannons most
weekends, we imagine we are sentries spotting the pirate ships that
periodically attacked the city. Owen pronounces the cannons
“awesome — even though most of them can’t fire real cannon-
balls anymore” ($6 for adults, free for kids ages 15 and under; 1

PAGE 43, CLOCKWISE FROM TO P LEFT: VISIT FLOR IDA; JEREM EY CLA RK (2). TH IS PAGE , CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: JEREMEY CLARK (2); CINDY REVELL; DAVID LYONS/ALAMY
South Castillo Drive; 904-829-6506; nps.gov/casa).

Midday A pirate raid reenactment in

St. Augustine’s historic district
Our favorite part of the historic district is the Colonial Spanish
Quarter Museum 4, which re-creates daily life in the 1740s. We
visit a blacksmith’s shop, a soldier’s home, and a leather worker’s
shop where the actors tell us about their lives in the Spanish 6
colony ($7 for adults, $4.25 for kids ages 6 to 17, $17 for families; 7
29 Saint George Street; 904-825-6830; historicstaugustine.com).
For lunch, we jump forward in time to the 1880s and head to 1 3
Café Alcazar. The café is tucked into the former Hotel Alcazar,
now the Lightner Museum 5, and offers the rare opportunity to
eat lunch in what was
4
once a swimming pool.
That’s right: the ground 2
floor of the opulent 5
10
hotel was originally built
as an indoor pool — at
the time the largest in
the country. The roof
was even made of glass 9
The Lightner Museum to let the sunshine in.
We order panini for the
guys and savory mushroom crepes for me (entrées from $8;
café entrance, 25 Granada Street; museum entrance, 75 King
Street; 904-824-7813; lightnermuseum.org).
5 8

 FAMI LYFUN DECEMBE R/JAN UARY 20 1 0

 S:7”
FF09435.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:49 PM Page 1

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Let us help you map out the rest.

S:10”
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Call, click or visit an agent now

because Like a good neighbor,

State Farm is there.®

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FF0110GETAA4A_qxp.qxp:Layout 1 10/26/09 7:07 PM Page 46

Make A Scene
Lights! Camera! Memories! Unforgettable moments define the
holiday season. Save and cherish them in movies you make
with software from Sony.

There’s no easier or faster way to turn your holiday pictures and

videos into incredible movies than with Vegas™ Movie Studio HD
software from Sony. Beginner or Hollywood pro—Vegas Movie
Studio HD gives you easy-to-use but powerful features to let you
make high definition movies you can’t wait to share with your
friends. Built-in Show Me How tutorials help you through every step! FF0941
So go ahead, make a scene. Make a bunch of scenes. And then
make a movie.

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No
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$10!
Available at your favorite software retailers.
Visit www.sonycreativesoftware.com/scene
for cash back information.

Afternoon and Dinner

We love the kitschy roadside-attraction appeal of the Fountain In the historic dis-
of Youth Archaeological Park 6, but it also has an impres- trict again, we stop
sive historical pedigree. A two-minute drive from down- at a St. Augustine
town, it includes the site of the 1513 landing of Ponce de León, gem that most
the first European in Florida. You can still sip the sulfur tourists never see.
spring water the Project SWING 7
explorers thought (St. Augustine’s
would bring them Wish for Its Next
eternal youth. Generation) is a city
Owen likes that park with a 23,000-
idea, but not the square-foot wooden
water’s taste. Our playground featur- Dino-riding at Project SWING
next stop is the ing a castle, pirate
park planetarium, ship, lighthouse, space shuttle, and more (free; near the
to learn how corner of West Castillo Drive and Cordova Street;
The park’s inviting sailors navigated staugustinegovernment.com, search for “Project SWING”).
LEFT: JEREM EY CLARK . RIGHT: KELLY LADUKE

entrance by the stars. Before
we leave, we walk
to the spot where Ponce de León came ashore, near a Timucua
Native American settlement that the park has partially
re-created ($8 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6 to 12; 11 Magnolia
Avenue; 800-356-8222; fountainofyouthflorida.com).
Wanting to sample some fresh seafood for dinner, we
head to Santa Maria 8, a restaurant perched on a pier in
Matanzas Bay. The Minorcan clam chowder, a local spe-
cialty, is delicious, and we love the tableside hatches that open
to the outdoors (entrées from $12; 135 Avenida Menendez;
904-829-6578; oldcity.com/sites/santamaria).

 FAMILYFUN DECE MBER/JA NUA RY 2010

 FF0110GETAA4A_qxp.qxp:Layout 1 10/26/09 7:07 PM Page 47
Evening
A short walk to the Municipal Marina brings us to the 72-foot Schooner
Freedom 9, where a pirate captain will be our host for Ghosts of the
Matanzas, an hour-long sail through the moonlit bay. On board, he regales
us with spooky tales of pirate raids from the
city’s past, then asks us to volunteer for pirate jobs.
FF09411.qxd:FF 9/10/09 1:49 Mine AM Page 1
is singing sea shanties, and Owen gets to
be first mate. “I feel like a real pirate!” he yells,
as he helps hoist the sail ($35 for adults, $25 for
Copyright © 2009. Sony Creative Software Inc. All rights reserved.
kids ages 2 to 12; 111 Avenida Menendez; 904-
810-1010; schoonerfreedom.com).
The final stop of our action-packed day is Café
del Hidalgo 1 10 . Its gelato, in flavors ranging from
decadent tiramisu to dairy-free pink grapefruit,
cools us down after the ghostly sail (two flavors for
The Schooner Freedom $4.40; 35 Hypolita Street; 904-823-1196). We watch
the crowd of school groups, vacationing families,
and polite pirates strolling by, and their happy faces confirm what we’ve long
believed: St. Augustine is arrgh-uably the perfect getaway.
JEREMEY CLARK
Alisson Clark lives with her family in Gainesville, Florida.
FamilyGetaways
How to Extend Your Stay
Spend the night at a family-friendly hotel,
then take in some remarkable reptiles.
LODGING
• Located in the historic district, the Pirate
Haus Inn, a pirate-themed hostel, has private
rooms and a common room stocked with toys.
It even offers pirate pancakes for breakfast
(doubles from $76; 32 Treasury Street; 904-
808-1999; piratehaus.com).
• Prefer to stay on the beach? The oceanfront
Hampton Inn & Suites-St. Augustine/Vilano
Beach offers a complimentary hot breakfast
(doubles from $109; 95 Vilano Road; 904-827-
9797; hamptoninnandsuitesstaugustine.com).
AT T R A C T I O N
• The St. Augustine Alligator Farm is the only
zoo in the world with 23 species of crocodilians,
from Asia, Africa, South America, and Australia.
It also has many exotic birds ($22 for adults, $11
for kids ages 3 to 11; 999 Anastasia Boulevard;
904-824-3337; alligatorfarm.us).
FF0110GETAC.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:49 PM Page 48

FamilyGetaways

Worth the Trip

A Fantastical Magical Park

The place: Queen Califia’s Magical Circle, Kit Carson Park, Escondido, California
Who visited: Mandy and Aaron Oltersdorf of Avondale, Arizona, and their son, Jace, 5
Why they loved it: Designed by international artist Niki de Saint Phalle, this sculpture
garden fancifully depicts the myths and history of California. A mosaic wall encircles
nine enormous, sparkling sculptures, including Califia, a mythical Amazonian queen and
the state’s namesake, sitting astride a majestic eagle throne in the center of the garden.
Around Califia stand totems representing the region’s Meso-American and Native
American traditions. Symbolism aside, the Oltersdorf family loved the garden’s sheer
grandness and beauty. “Upon entering the circle through the maze entryway,” Mandy
says, “we felt as if we were in the middle of a land found only in fairy tales.”
For more information: Call 760-839-4691 or visit queencalifia.org. Admission is free.

PHOTO GRAPH BY GARY MOSS; SCULPTURES PHOTOGRAPHED WITH PE RM ISSION O F TH E NIKI CHARITABLE ART FOUN DAT ION

Know someplace worth a trip?

Tip us off, and we might feature your
family’s story here! See page 37 for details.

FF09475.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:19 PM Page 1

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FF09447.qxd:FF 10/8/09 6:48 PM Page 1

Te Concord grapes in our Purple 100% Grape Juice are full of amazing
antioxidants called polyphenols. Drinking Welch’s helps support a healthy:

welchs.com
welchs.com

08-WEL-022_FF.indd 1 10/2/09 2:02:22 PM

FF0110HF_2A.qxp:Layout 1 10/21/09 4:00 PM Page 51

HealthyFun
Ideas and Strategies for Keeping Your Family Fit and Feeling Great

Tree-Trim Trail Mix

Inspired by the traditional holiday garland, this
recipe turns a medley of good-for-you ingredients
into a delicious cinnamon-scented treat. Boasting
fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids, it’s
wholesome enough to please parents and tasty
enough to distract kids from all those candy canes.

Ingredients: Heat the oven to 300°. Grease

• 8 cups freshly a large, rimmed baking sheet.
popped corn Mix the popcorn and nuts in a
• 1 cup walnuts, large, well-oiled bowl. Bring
toasted at 350° the syrup, cinnamon, and salt
for 5 minutes to a boil in a small pot set over
• L cup maple medium heat. Let the mixture boil
syrup for 4 minutes, swirling the pan
Did you
• N teaspoon occasionally. Turn off the heat
know?
Popcorn
cinnamon and add the baking soda, stirring supplies the
• N teaspoon until the mixture is creamy. Pour highest level
kosher salt the mixture over the popcorn of antioxidants
• Pinch of baking and stir well. Spread the popcorn of any whole-
soda on the baking sheet and bake grain snack
• 1 cup dried until it’s dry to the touch, about
cranberries 15 minutes. Let the popcorn cool
for 20 minutes, then mix in the gr
cranberries and serve. ea
tg
ad
ge
t

ER
WINT e
is th … Lace up for
time to some icy fun The Original
Wear a during National
custom-made Skating Month Whirley-Pop
fleece cap Cook up
a batch of
(January)
Stovetop
homemade
Test your aim Popcorn Popper
chicken
with a snow- Popping corn isn’t rocket
soup
ball throwing science, of course, but we’ve flipped
contest
our lids for this delightfully old-
fashioned gadget. Using as little as
Warm up with one tablespoon of heart-healthy
a mug of hot canola oil, it makes six quarts of
spiced cider
popcorn in just 3 minutes. The pop- Celebrate
per’s patented stirring method also Belly Laugh
Day
guarantees fewer burned kernels. (January 24)
(Wabash Family Farms, $25)

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HIGHLIGHTED ITEMS, GO TO FAMILYFUN.COM/MAGAZINE. 

FF0110HF_2A.qxp:Layout 1 10/20/09 2:21 PM Page 52

HealthyFun

❄
ways
waystotoprevent andyour
... protect treatfamily’s
insect bites
skin this winter
AVOID FLAVORED DON’T FORGET STAY CRANK UP BATHE
LIP BALM SUNSCREEN WARM THE HUMIDITY SMARTER

TH IS PAGE , CLO CKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ISTO CKP HOTO (3); PROV IDED BY CRA NE USA ; ISTOCKPHOTO (2).
Lip balm is a terrific Snow is a super- Ears, cheeks, fingers, Humidifiers are great Take short showers:

PAGE 5 1, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: T IM MACKAY; PROVIDED BY WABASH VA LLEY FARM S; ISTOCKPHOTO.
defense against efficient reflector of and toes are especially for stuffy noses, and “No more than ten
If dry chapped lips. But sunlight, bouncing vulnerable to the dry- they’re also a boon for minutes and not too
skin has according to Mayo back 85 to 90 percent ing effects of cold itchy, dry skin, which hot,” says New York
you itching Clinic dermatologist of those harmful rays can be exacerbated City dermatologist
weather. So encourage
for help,
Lawrence E. Gibson, (ocean water, by com- kids to wear — and by heated indoor air. Amy Wechsler. She
read on.
flavored balms encour- parison, reflects only keep on — the obvious A skin- (and cost-) also recommends
age kids to lick their about 10 percent). winter gear (hats or saving benefit: humid using a mild cleanser
lips, a habit that leads So if you’re in an area earmuffs, scarves, and air feels warmer than (antibacterial soaps
ultimately to more with lots of sun and insulated mittens or dry air, so running a are drying), washing
dryness. snow, don’t forget to gloves), and protect warm-mist humidifier with your hands in-
apply sunscreen and toes with insulated may actually allow stead of a washcloth,
use a lip balm with an socks (we like soft you to painlessly and scrubbing gently.
simple solution SPF of at least 15. Merino wool) and lower the thermostat. “If you’re squeaky
HOL boots with a moisture- (Shown above: Frog clean, you’ve removed
Use y D A S wicking lining. Cool Mist Humidifer, too much of the good
our
they li stairs for
TA I
ked c exerc R I N G Crane USA, $40) oils that keep your skin
up wit like the R C O N T
Chris oming ise
tina lubricated,” she says.
slidin . Those in h stair ay
-clim ners of Sc
EST
gb clu Loo
baske ack down. ded climbin bing challe haumburg king for a
tball, T , low-c
while hese days g the stair nges on ou Illinois, do ost in
Alliso , s r . d
n, 11, u Lindsey, ag two at a tim family roo “When my oor energy
ses th
em to
e 13, t
blow
akes t
h
e a nd goin
g
m ’s ca
d
g
off ste e stairs tw up backwa steps,” say unger,
am w o r
hen s at a time t d and side mom
he ha o w
s
s a lot stretch he ays, then
of hom r le
ework gs for
.
o
b
rpete irls were y urner?
➔
“Do hand sanitizers help protect against colds and flu?”
“Yes,” says Dr. For the best results, Dr. Apply it thoroughly.
Jose Munoz, the Munoz has these tips: Hand sanitizer evapo-
director of pedi- Use sanitizer sparingly. rates quickly and doesn’t
atric infectious Many products contain spread as effectively as,
diseases at Maria alcohol or other ingredi- say, a lotion might. So be
Fareri Children’s ents that shouldn’t go sure to rub sanitizer all
OR
CT Hospital in Valhalla, into little mouths. So over your hands for at
DO
HE
K T New York. But, he teach your kids to use least 15 seconds.
+ AS
cautions, sanitizers
and wipes shouldn’t
only a dime-sized dollop
(adults should apply
Don’t wipe it off. Hand
sanitizer needs to air-dry.
replace soap and water, sanitizer to toddlers’ “The drying process is
especially if hands are and babies’ hands). actually part of what kills
visibly soiled. “You need “Once the alcohol has germs,” says Dr. Munoz.
to physically remove dirt evaporated, there’s no “As the alcohol evapo-
to remove the germs,” risk of poisoning,” rates, it essentially dehy-
he explains. he says. drates them.”

FF09489.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:01 PM Page 1

WHICH WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR KIDS?

TOTINO’S® PIZZA ROLLS® BAGEL BITES® SNACKS

MOZZARELLA REAL
CHEESE MOZZARELLA
SUBSTITUTE: CHEESE:
INGREDIENTS: water, partially INGREDIENTS: milk, cheese cultures,
hydrogenated soybean oil, rennet salt, enzymes.
casein, modified corn starch, potato
starch, sodium aluminum phosphate,
vital wheat gluten, salt, potassium
chloride, citric acid, potassium
sorbate [preservative], sodium
phosphate, sodium citrate, titanium
dioxide [color], maltodextrin,
magnesium oxide, zinc oxide,
vitamin A palmitate, riboflavin,
vitamin B12.

Prep Fat (g) Trans Fat (g)

Bagel Bites® Baked 7 0
Totino’s® Pizza Rolls® Pre-Fried 10 1.5

Nutritional information for Totino’s found on product packaging. Comparisons based on 1 serving of Bagel Bites cheese and pepperoni, and 1 serving of Totino’s pepperoni Pizza Rolls.
Totino’s and Pizza Rolls are trademarks of General Mills Marketing, Inc., which is not associated with H.J. Heinz Company. © H.J. Heinz Company, L.P. 2009. All rights reserved. visit mybagelbites.com
FF0110GIFT_2B.qxp:Layout 1 10/16/09 6:39 PM Page 54

5 great projects
your kids can
make and give
EVER since my boys were
old enough to hold a paint-
brush, we have made holiday
gifts for friends, family, and
teachers. These homemade
presents evoke our most vivid
holiday memories, each one
capturing something special
from that year: a new skill,
a hobby, a craft material or a
recipe we all got hooked on. In
choosing a gift, I’ve come to
realize, I gravitate toward a
certain type of project: one
that’s functional, shows off a
child’s individual creativity, and
can be mass-produced with
relative ease. Here are some of
my favorites. I hope they help
make the holidays memorable
for you and your kids too.

Written by
Alexandra Kennedy
Photographs by
Alexandra Grablewski
Craft and Prop Styling by
Paul Lowe

 FAMI LYFUN D ECEMBE R/JAN UA RY 20 10

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Cookie
Cutter
Candles
Beeswax is a joy to work with:
it’s flexible, gently scented, and
easy to cut with a cookie cutter.
For safety’s sake, be sure to tell
recipients to burn these candles
on a plate.
FOR DIRECTIONS, SEE PAGE 110.
FF0110GIFT.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:24 PM Page 56

Chocolate
Cherry
Mice
For a really special gift, package these little guys
with a mouse-related holiday book, such as The Night
Before Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!,
or The Nutcracker.

You will need:

24 maraschino cherries with stems
For the icing:
Waxed paper
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Black paste food coloring
24 milk chocolate Hershey’s Kisses,
Red food coloring
unwrapped
3 plastic sandwich bags
48 almond slices

1. Drain the cherries and pat them dry with paper towels. Line a cookie sheet with
waxed paper.
2. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat them until
smooth, working in 15-second intervals, stirring between each.
3. Holding a cherry by its stem, dip it into the chocolate and swirl it around to
completely cover the fruit. Set it on its side on the waxed paper and immediately
SNOWFLAKES ILLUSTRATED BY NATHA N BROWN (WWW.ROOM122.COM )

press a Hershey’s Kiss onto the cherry for the head. For the ears, gently wedge two
almond slices between the Kiss and the cherry. Repeat to make 24 mice.
4. Make a thick icing by mixing 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar with a teaspoon of
water. If the mixture is too dry, stir in more water, a few drops at a time, until you
have a thick, smooth icing. Divide the icing among three small bowls.
5. Tint one bowl of icing black and one pink. Spoon each of the three icings into a
plastic bag and snip a tiny corner from each. Pipe white eye dots on the mice, then
refrigerate them until set, about 10 minutes. Add black pupils and pink noses. Keep
the mice in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them or give them away.

LOOKING FOR MORE HOMEMADE GIFT SUGGESTIONS? BROWSE OUR HUGE ARCHIVE OF IDEAS AT FAMILYFUN.COM/MAGAZINE.
FF0110GIFT.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:24 PM Page 57

Silverware
1. Use the template to cut two stocking shapes from the felt, then cut
Stocking the cuff and toe shapes from the patterned fabric. The cuff is a long rec-
These stockings add a playful touch to the dinner table tangle with the two long edges folded under and ironed for a clean look.
throughout the holidays. They also make it easier to hang 2. Glue the two stocking shapes together at the edges, leaving the top
on to everything you need when maneuvering through a of the stocking open. Fold a 6-inch length of rickrack in half and glue the
buffet line. You might see similar items in home decor ends just inside the stocking’s top. Glue the cuff and toe in place.
catalogs, but you can make your own for a fraction of the 3. String beads onto the cord. When the string of beads is long enough
cost. A beaded initial adds a personalized touch. to form your letter, knot both ends. Draw your letter onto the stocking
with glue, then press the string of beads onto it.
You will need:
Stocking template, either hand-drawn
or from FamilyFun.com/magazine
Scissors
Felt
Patterned fabric
Hot glue or fabric glue
Rickrack
Beads
Beading cord (we used
clear plastic cord)

D ECE MBE R/JAN UARY 201 0 FAMI LYFUN 

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Snowball
1. Use a food processor fitted with the grater attachment to shred the
Soap Surprise four bars of soap. (You can also grate the bars by hand with a cheese
grater.) Pour the soap pieces into a large bowl.
Even preschoolers can shape these soap snowballs. Part
of the fun is hiding a small plastic toy in each ball as a 2. With your hands, mix in about a half cup of lukewarm water, a little
prize for good bathers. I chose penguins because they bit at a time, until the mixture is squishy and claylike.
look so at home in the snow. 3. For each snowball, scoop up a heaping handful of soap and mold it
You will need: into a ball. Poke a deep hole in the center with your finger, insert a toy,
Food processor or cheese grater and refill the hole. Lay the finished snowballs on a cookie sheet and let
4 (4.5-ounce) bars of Ivory soap them dry thoroughly. Makes 8.
8 tiny plastic toys

 FAMILYFUN DECEMBE R/JAN UARY 20 1 0

FF09476.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:57 PM
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 -10.5 oz. bag miniature
marshmallows
8 cups POST Fruity or
Cocoa PEBBLES cereal
16 oz. vanilla frosting
Assorted cookies & candies
Page 1 S:6.875”
S:9.5”
© Post Foods LLC, 2009. THE FLINTSTONES: TM & © Hanna-Barbera.
(s09)
PEBBLES ® Holiday Express preparation time: 45 minutes
Line an 11” x 15” cookie sheet with foil. Spray with cooking spray. Microwave butter in
large, microwaveable bowl on high for 30 seconds, until melted. Add marshmallows; mix to
coat. Microwave for 2 1/2 minutes more. After 45 seconds, stir until blended and smooth.
Stir in Pebbles; toss to coat. Spread mixture evenly onto prepared sheet. Cool for 30 minutes.
Engine: Cut 5 circles with a 3” cutter. Engine Base and Cabin: Cut 3 pieces, 4” x 2”.
Boxcars: Trim remaining mixture into 4 blocks, 4” x 2 1/2”, and 4 blocks, 2” x 2 1/2”.
Assemble all with frosting. Save scrap for engine skirt and gifts. Decorate as desired.
This recipe is intended for use with adult super vision. More recipes at postcereals.com.
FF0110GIFT.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:24 PM Page 60
Holiday Pillowcases
Some of the best gift projects my boys and I have done over the years have
involved trips to a copy shop: reproducing hand-painted note cards, creating
calendars that feature a new painting each month, transferring handwritten
messages onto dish towels. These pillowcases, which take advantage of your kids’
favorite holiday artwork, can be made at a copy shop too.
Alexandra Kennedy, a longtime FamilyFun staffer, is now the executive director
of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts.
 FAMILYFUN DECEMBE R/JAN UA RY 20 10
1. Wash and dry a white pillowcase that is at
least 50 percent cotton.
2. Find — or have your child create — a suitable
piece of artwork on white paper, made with paint,
crayon, or marker.
3. Take the pillowcase and art to a copy shop
and ask to have the image transferred onto the
pillowcase. My copy shop charged me $14 for
each transfer.
FF09444.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:46 PM Page 1

©2009 P&G

Worrying about a crinkle can

keep a bedwetter up all night.

TM

UnderJams are quieter than the leading disposable underpant. Kids get the
TM

all-night protection they need without the whole world having to know.
FF0110FOOD_6A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:07 PM Page 62

our
FO O D ST Y L I N G BY L I S A H O M A P R O P ST Y L I N G BY V I C TO R I A P E T R O CO N R OY
P H OTO G R A P H S BY A L E X A N D R A G R A B L E WS K I

party
foods
Make the food the star of your next holiday
gathering with some of our all-time
favorite festive dishes. They’re easy, offer
kid-friendly flavors and decorating
options, and have big visual impact —
so they’re the perfect centerpiece
for this season’s celebrations.
FF0110FOOD_6A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:07 PM Page 63

Pine-Tree Fruit Kabobs

The “pine tree” here is a pineapple laden with colorful fruit-kabob branches. To make the tree
trunk, remove the top and cut 1 inch off of the bottom of a large pineapple, then peel it (all a
parent’s job). On small skewers (we used 50 6-inch bamboo skewers), thread three to five pieces
of assorted fresh fruits, such as grapes, strawberries, star fruit, and honeydew. Starting at the
bottom, insert the skewers into the pineapple at a slight angle. Top the tree with skewered slices
of star fruit. After the branches are eaten, don’t forget to slice up the tree trunk.
D ECE MBE R/JAN UARY 201 0 FAMI LYFUN 
FF0110FOOD_6A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:08 PM Page 64
❉
Sweet Macaroon Angels
These little angels make a heavenly holiday treat. The secret is mixing two kinds of coconut for the best flavor
and consistency: the flaked, sweetened kind and the shredded, unsweetened variety.
INGREDIENTS 1. With clean, dry hands, thor-
1N cups sweetened oughly combine the two types
flaked coconut of coconut in a large bowl.
1N cups unsweetened 2. In a medium-size bowl,
shredded combine the sugar, flour,
coconut and salt. Add the egg whites,
K cup sugar honey, and vanilla extract and
1K tablespoons flour rapidly whisk the batter until
V teaspoon salt smooth and frothy, about
2 large egg whites 30 seconds.
1K teaspoons honey 3. Pour the mixture over
K teaspoon vanilla the coconut and toss with
extract a fork, then use a wooden
36 Necco wafers spoon to continue mixing
until the coconut is evenly
coated. Cover the bowl with
plastic wrap and refrigerate
it for 30 minutes.
4. Heat the oven to 300°
 FAMILYFUN DECE MBER/JA N UARY 201 0
and line a large baking sheet
with parchment paper or
aluminum foil lightly coated
with cooking spray. Place
12 evenly spaced mounds of
dough on the baking sheet,
each about ¼ cup, loosely
packed. With your hands,
gently shape each mound
into a tall cone with a blunt
top. If the dough sticks to
your fingers, dampen them
with water, shake off the
excess, then continue.
5. Bake the macaroons on the
center oven rack until they’re
light golden brown, about 20
to 25 minutes. Cool them
for about 5 minutes on the
baking sheet, then transfer
them to a wire rack to cool
for several hours.
6. Make a slot for the candy
wings and head by using a
sharp serrated knife to saw
a groove partway down the
cone (a parent’s job). Once
you’ve started the cut, lightly
pinch together the sides of
the cookie to keep it from
crumbling as you slice.
7. Insert two Necco wafers
into the sides of the groove
for the wings, and wedge a
third in the top for the angel’s
head. Gently press the maca-
roon back together to secure
the wafers. Makes 12.
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❉ Frosty the Cheese Ball

This cheery fellow won’t have a chance to melt — he’ll be gobbled
up too quickly! And as is true of any snowman, dressing him is
half the fun. We’ve suggested a few fashionably edible choices,
but he’s equally festive in other tasty apparel.

INGREDIENTS In a large bowl, let the

16 ounces cream cheese cream cheese soften at
K teaspoon garlic salt room temperature for
K teaspoon onion about 30 minutes. Stir
powder in the garlic salt and the
10 raisins for eyes, onion powder, then cover
mouth, and buttons the bowl with plastic
1 piece of carrot for wrap and chill for 2 hours.
the nose Make the snowman by
4 crackers for the hat rolling two thirds of the
(we used Ritz and cheese into a ball for his
Dare water crackers) body and the other third
1 thyme sprig for the into a ball for his head.
hat (optional) Stack the balls, then
Strips of carrot add the facial features,
for the scarf clothing, arms, and pipe
2 broken pretzels as shown. Serve with
for the arms crackers or mini bagels.
1 (K-inch) piece of a
canned baby corn
for the pipe
Toothpick for the pipe

❉
Holly Jolly Dip
Your guests won’t
believe this incredibly
flavorful dish takes
just minutes to whip
up. The feta gives it
a salty zip that goes
especially well with
veggies, including
broccoli, carrots, and
fresh green beans,
but you can also serve
this dip with tortilla
chips or crostini.

INGREDIENTS
1 whole roasted red
pepper (from a jar)
1 cup crumbled feta
1 small clove garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor.

TOP: MA RK M ANTEGNA

Pulse for 10 seconds, scrape down the sides, then

repeat until combined, about 1 minute. Makes O cup.

 FAMILYFUN DECEMBE R/JAN UA RY 20 10

FF08945.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:56 PM Page 1

Ba ke d or Fried

8g
5g
3.5g
1.5g
1g
0g
5mg
0mg
7 0
™

* Nutritional information stated above

applies to Frosted Strawberry
Pop-Tarts ® toaster pastries. ®
Always baked.
®, TM, © 2009 Kellogg NA Co.
† THE PILLSBURY COMPANY, LLC Never fried.
FF0110FOOD_6A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:10 PM Page 68

tree

❉ Two-in-One Cake

➞
A few easy cuts let you turn a simple cake into a symbol of the season: a tree
for Christmas or a dreidel for Hanukkah. And after it’s frosted, your kids can assemble
decorate it with a variety of candies, such as gumdrops, shoestring licorice,
cut
➞
nonpareils, fruit leather, and gummy rings.
2”

To make one, bake your favorite cake recipe in a 9- by 13-inch pan, taking care 4”
to spread the batter evenly so that the top of the cake is level. Let the cake cool
thoroughly, remove it from the pan, and cut it as shown in one of the diagrams
at right and below. Assemble the cake on a platter, then frost and decorate it.

dreidel
3” 3”
➞

2”

cut ➞
BOTTOM: MA RK MAN TEGN A

3” 3”

center
4K”

 FAMI LYFUN DECE MBER/JA NUA RY 2010

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Enjoy the sweet taste of being a kid

again this holiday with Nestlé® Crunch® Jingles.
Bite-sized bells with the scrumptious combination
NESTLE® and NESTLE CRUNCH® are registered trademarks of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.,Vevey, Switzerland. of milk chocolate and airy crispies.
FF0110FOOD_6A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:10 PM Page 70

❉ Festive Fudge
With their colorful toppings, these tasty and super-easy morsels are so
irresistible you may have a hard time getting them to the table! Thankfully,
our cookie-cutter technique leaves plenty of trimmings for nibbling (they
make a terrific topping for ice cream too).

INGREDIENTS 1. Place the chocolate easy to remove the

3 cups semisweet chips in a 2-quart fudge later.) Lightly
or milk choco- bowl. Microwave spray the foil with
late chips them for 1 minute, cooking spray. Spread
1 (14-ounce) can then stir them with the mixture evenly in
sweetened a wooden spoon. the pan.
condensed If the chips aren’t 3. Chill the candy
milk completely melted, until firm, about 30
V teaspoon salt microwave them for minutes in the freezer
1 teaspoon vanilla 30 seconds more, or 1 hour in the refrig-
extract then stir until smooth. erator. Lift the foil
Assorted sprin- Stir in the condensed from the pan and
kles, sugars, milk, salt, and vanilla place it on a flat work
and candy extract. surface. Use 1-inch
decorations 2. Line a 9-inch cookie cutters to cut
square pan with out the fudge, then
aluminum foil so lightly press decora-
that it extends about tions onto each piece.
2 inches beyond each Makes about 50
side. (This makes it pieces.

Stylin’ Snowmen ❉
Dressed in colorful candy scarves and top hats,
these sweet and salty snowmen are sure to be a hit
with kids — whether served at a classroom party or
after caroling.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup white chocolate chips 10 gummy rings
50 mini chocolate chips 10 gumdrops
Orange decorators’ gel 10 (8-inch-long)
Fruit leather pretzel rods

1. Place the white sheet of waxed paper

chocolate chips in a and press on mini
2-quart bowl. Micro- chocolate chips for
wave them for eyes and buttons. Use
1 minute, then stir orange decorators’ gel
with a wooden spoon. to add a carrot nose.
If the chips are not 3. Chill the pretzels
completely melted, in the refrigerator
microwave them for until the chocolate
30 seconds more, hardens, about
then stir until smooth. 2 minutes.
Let the chocolate cool 4. Stand the pretzels
and thicken slightly. in a mug or glass and
2. One at a time, dip tie on strips of fruit
one end of a pretzel leather for scarves.
rod into the melted For each hat, stretch
chocolate and use a a gummy ring over the
plastic spoon or knife narrow end of a gum-
to spread the choco- drop and secure it to
late two thirds of the the pretzel rod with
way down the rod. a dab of melted
Place the pretzel on a chocolate. Makes 10.

 FAMILYFUN D ECE MBER/JA N UARY 201 0 FIND DOZENS OF OTHER HOLIDAY RECIPES AT FAMILYFUN.COM/MAGAZINE.
FF09445.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:44 PM Page 1 S:6.875”

cracker envy

S:9.5”

90 calories per pack, 10 packs per box everything

g w
with pringles

Look for Stix where you find your other favorite Pringles.
© P&G 2009
FF09432.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:56 PM Page 1

MORE THAN A STORYBOOK.

It’s your voice

on every page.
NEW RECORDABLE STORYBOOK
Now you can read to little loved ones even when you’re
not there. Our new Recordable Storybook will play your
voice reading the classic The Night Before Christmas
page-by-page for a lasting family treasure. Find it only
at your Hallmark Gold Crown store.

SEE HOW IT WORKS ONLINE

AT HALLMARK.COM/STORYBOOK.

© 2009 Hallmark Licensing Inc.

Find a store near you at Hallmark.com/GoldCrown

HMK_C1457_FamFun_full.indd 1 9/15/09 12:17:09 PM

FF0110YARD_4A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:28 PM Page 73

ha-ha
festive
happy holidays! flop
Jill Sprankell
of Carrollton,
Texas, says her
Want to make a laughing impression mail carrier
inspired this
this holiday season? These three idea when he
merry outdoor display ideas, all jokingly warned
her not to fall
put together from household items into the bushes
and simple craft supplies, will keep as she hung
her holiday
passersby —and your family — decorations.
giggling all the way to New Year’s Day. A bonus: The
spoof requires
hanging just
Written by Joy Howard half the lights!
Photographs by Kort Duce For directions,
Styling by Nicole Blum see page 78.


FF0110YARD_4A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:28 PM Page 74

soda
Transform used
and your
or water bottles
ks into
child’s lone soc
s. See
playful penguin
ctions.
page 78 for dire

antarctic
auditions
This far-fetched scene was also hatched by Jill Sprankell (her
“Festive Flop” idea is on page 73). In early December she put out
a large help-wanted sign, then kept the joke going by adding a
few penguins each day. By the end of the month, a crowd of
nearly 400 birds was gathered in her yard!

 FAMI LYFUN DECEMBE R/JAN UARY 20 1 0

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tongue
tied-ings
A memorable scene in the film A Christmas
Story inspired our goofy daredevil, who issues
freezin’ greetings to all she meets.

e is
This realistic rus
g a simple
made by dressin
er-and-
yet sturdy hang
ee page
dowel frame. S
s.
78 for direction

 FAMI LYFUN DECEMBE R/JAN UARY 20 1 0

FF09487.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:01 PM Page 1
FF0110YARD_4A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:28 PM Page 78

how to make them:

festive flop
You will need: 2 (5-foot) 1-inch-diameter wooden dowels (we used tomato stakes) • Newspaper
• Duct tape • Adult’s jeans • Adult’s work or snow boots • Large safety pins • Plastic grocery
bags • Permanent marker • Plastic lawn sign, 15 by 19 inches or larger (we got ours at an office
supply store for $5) • Outdoor string lights • Ladder

1. Wrap one end of each dowel with enough crumpled newspaper to keep it from shifting
after it’s placed in a boot, and secure the paper with tape. 2. Slide a dowel through each leg
of the jeans, then slip on the boots. Attach the jeans to the boots with safety pins. 3. Loosely
fill several plastic grocery bags with newspaper, tie them closed, and stuff them into the
jeans, shaping the legs as you go. 4. Write “Oops!” on the lawn sign. 5. To set up the scene,
invert the legs and place the dowel ends in a shrub or bush. Arrange the sign, lights, and
ladder (we secured ours in packed snow) as shown.

antarctic auditions
You will need: Black and white glossy acrylic paint • Plastic soda or water bottles (we used 12-
ounce, 1-liter, and 2-liter bottles) • Styrofoam balls (2- to 3-inch diameter) • Black and yellow
craft foam sheets • Tacky glue • Masking tape (optional) • Butter knife • Googly eyes (we used
¾- to 1-inch diameter) • Funnel • Sand • Small doll accessories (optional) • Child’s socks (opt-
ional) • Permanent marker • Plastic lawn sign, 15 by 19 inches or larger (we got ours at an office
supply store for $5)

1. For each penguin, pour two parts black paint and one part water inside a bottle (we used
1 to 4 tablespoons of paint depending on the size of the bottle). Screw on the cap and shake
the bottle to coat the sides. Remove the cap and save it for later. 2. On the outside of the bot-
tle, paint a white oval from the spout to the bottom. Dry overnight (the inside may be slightly
wet in the morning). 3. Coat a Styrofoam ball with black paint and let it dry. 4. Cut two wings
from the black craft foam and a beak and feet from the yellow craft foam (you can down-
load our templates from FamilyFun.com/magazine). Glue the wings and feet to the bottle as
shown and let them dry. If needed, use masking tape to hold the wings in place as they dry.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 110

tongue tied-ings
You will need: Pink adhesive craft foam • 8½- by 11-inch photo (or color photocopy) of a child’s
face • Plastic gallon jug • Clear packing tape • Craft knife • Plastic grocery bags • Newspaper
• Child’s boots • Duct tape • 2 (3-foot) wooden dowels • Plastic hanger • Child’s snow bib •
Child’s hooded parka • Child’s mittens • Safety pins • Permanent marker • Plastic lawn sign,
15 by 19 inches or larger (we got ours at an office supply store for $5)

1. To make the head, cut two identical tongues from the craft foam (ours were 1½ by 4
inches) and stick them together. Cut out the face from the photo or copy, center it over the
edge of the jug opposite the handle, and line up the chin with the spout. Adhere the face with
packing tape, covering it completely so that it’s weather-resistant. Use a craft knife (parents
only) to cut a slit through the jug at the mouth, then slide the tongue into the opening.
2. Loosely fill a dozen or so plastic grocery bags with newspaper and tie them closed (you’ll
need enough to stuff the bib, parka, and boots; we used 14). Slide one or two stuffed bags
into each boot. 3. To make a frame for the body, duct tape the dowels to the hanger and cut
CONTINUED ON PAGE 111

 FAMILYFUN D ECEMBE R/JAN UA RY 20 10

FF09451.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:40 PM Page 1
FF08869.qxd 12/22/08 3:27 PM Page 1

C MY K
FF09486.qxd:FF 10/8/09 7:04 PM Page 1
bendaroos FAMILYFUN r1:7.875x10.5 9/29/09 12:25 PM Page 1

There’s so much to do
when you play with Bendaroos!
Bendaroos® Amazing Flexible Building Sticks provide children hours
and hours of creating and learning fun.
Create with Bendaroos® - Turn on your creativity! Use your imagination
to build amazing models of animals, buildings and more.
Decorate with Bendaroos® - They stick and stay, then lift away to
create window art, wall art and more. Transform ordinary items into art!
Plus they unbend to use again and again!
Try out America’s favorite new toy – it’s the mess free way to have fun
all day. Look for the 500 piece Mega Pack and new exciting theme
packs like Ocean Animals, Crawling Critters and Fun Food.

Available at Retailers Nationwide

or order at www.BendaroosFun.com
© 2009 ASM
Bendaroos is a registered trademark of
Merchant Media, LLC
FF0110KEEP_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:03 PM Page 82

KeepinTouch
Readers share their strategies for staying connected to far-flung family and friends

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, WE’RE A MOBILE SOCIETY . And that means many of us find
ourselves raising kids miles away from people we care about. But thankfully, these
days there are tools that can help us maintain connections like never before.
Seeing and talking to relatives an ocean apart from us via the Internet, sending
photos and notes to scores of people with a single e-mail — these miracles of commu-
nication are now commonplace. On the pages that follow, our readers suggest high- and
low-tech ways to stay close to friends and family, no matter how far away they are.

Hi, Grandma!

 FAMI LYFUN D ECEMBER/JANUARY 2 010

FF0110KEEP_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:03 PM Page 83

MeetUpviaVideo HIGH
TECH
Having family scattered across the globe makes reunions difficult for the Fleischhackers of
Memphis, Tennessee. They still get plenty of face time with their relatives, though, thanks to the wonders of
Skype, a free Internet-based video-calling program. (You can also use it for instant-messaging and voice-
only calling.) “As long as we can coordinate the time differences, we can see each other quite often,” says
mom Chany. To set it up, the Fleischhackers just downloaded the software from skype.com and created a
family account. Because their home computer doesn’t have one built in, they also purchased a web camera.
“It was easy to set up,” says Chany. Using Skype is simple: it functions a lot like a telephone. When users get
a call, it alerts them with a ring tone. If they’re not logged on, the caller can leave a message. “My children
are constantly on the computer Skyping their grandparents and cousins. It’s so easy that my 5-year-old
nephew Skyped me when his parents weren’t home and his babysitter was in the other room with the baby!”

By Charlotte Meryman | Photographs by Peter N. Fox | Styling by Susan Fox

FF0110KEEP_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:03 PM Page 84

KeepinTouch

... and look

who it is!

ShareaPhoneStory
When they were little, Cody and Zachary Keith of Eagle River, Alaska, stayed close to TECH LOW

their faraway grandmothers by sharing long-distance story times. Their mother, Jaymee,
launched the tradition by buying The 20th Century Children’s Book Treasury for the children, then
giving a copy to each grandmother for Mother’s Day. “We included a handmade bookmark and
a certificate requesting a regular time when we could call to share stories,” recalls Jaymee. Each Weavea
grandmother scheduled a time to read to the boys every other week. “Cody would bring his Worldwide
blanket into the dining room, with his crowd of stuffed animals, and make a nest for himself and his
baby brother. I would put one grandma on speaker phone, and she and the kids would visit, then Web(site)
share a story or two from the book. Cody would follow along in his copy, pointing out pictures to
Zachary.” As the boys grew, so did the library of books. And as they learned to read, they took turns With just a few mouse clicks, the HIGH
TECH
with their grandmothers. Best of all, says Jaymee, “The stories would spark interesting conversa- Gledhills of Center, Kentucky, can
tions — gems exchanged between generations.” get the latest news from grandparents,
aunts, uncles, and cousins around the
country — and post their own doings —
thanks to a free, password-protected
MakeanAnnualDVD website they all share at myfamily.com.
“It started out as a way to share pictures,
What began five years ago as an inexpensive way to share digital photos HIGH then we found it worked so well for so
TECH
has become a treasured tradition for the Lockwoods of Fairbanks, Alaska. many other things that it has become our
Each year, they create a personal DVD for relatives in the Lower 48, featuring a year’s main source of communication,” says
worth of family photos, video clips (filmed with a digital camera and video camera), mom Melanie. Her brother set up the
scanned copies of the kids’ artwork, and a personalized message, all set to music. site, registered the family, and invited
After burning the movie to DVD, mom Nicole designs and prints labels for a special individual members to join. “I check it
finishing touch. Many home computers are every day, because you never know when
equipped with free video-editing software such as a pregnancy will be announced, or a job
Movie Maker (for PCs) or iMovie (for Macs), but change, or other major news, and I want
to compile and arrange their clips — like Dad’s to stay in the loop!” Melanie says. In addi-
hunting scenes and the girls’ dance performances tion to photo and video upload capacities,
PROP STYLIN G BY LYNN ZIM MERM AN

— the Lockwoods like to use muvee Reveal soft- the website has pages for discussions, a
ware ($80 at muvee.com). With it, they can family history section, a calendar to keep
assemble their photos and video into one seam- track of special dates, and more.
less, professional-quality movie. “The DVD’s a
very easy way to get a lot of information to a
lot of people quickly,” says Nicole.

 FAMI LYFUN DECEMBE R/JAN UARY 20 1 0

FF09448.qxd:FF 10/21/09 4:38 PM Page 1
FF0110KEEP_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/19/09 10:27 PM Page 86

KeepinTouch

Exchange
FavoriteBooks
A three-ring binder and some LOW
TECH
much-loved reads keep 7-year-old
cousins Emma Rebman of Tallahassee,
Florida, and Ethan Rebman, of Plant City,
Florida, connected between visits.
Emma and her mother, Ashley, launched
the project — dubbed Emma and Ethan’s
Excellent Book Experience — last year,
when Ashley was looking for a fun way
to encourage her daughter to write.
Together they decorated the binder with
a photo of the two kids, then added
some sheets of blank notebook paper.
On the first page, Emma wrote the title
of her current favorite read, Fancy
Nancy, by Jane O’Connor, along with a
few enthusiastic sentences about it.
Ashley and Emma slipped a copy of the
ShareanOnline book into the front pocket and shipped
the whole thing off to Ethan. A month or
PhotoGallery so later, they got it back with a new
book in the pocket (Spiders, by Gail
HIGH
With three sisters in different states, Andrea Hillerud of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, sometimes TECH Gibbons) and Ethan’s comments about
finds sharing pictures a challenge. So she and her husband, Ian, created a “group room” on both books. The binder has traveled
walgreens.com. The free service allows any registered family member to post and view digital back and forth every few weeks since.
photos in a shared gallery. When someone adds an album, the site e-mails members automati- From the exchange, Emma and Ethan
cally: there’s never a need to send personal invites for family and friends to view them. “It’s a have learned more about each other and
great way to stay in touch and keep the kids engaged,” says Andrea, who visits the site frequently about subjects they might not have
with daughters Mya, age 8, and Taryn, 5. Editor’s Note: A number of other photo sites, such as explored otherwise. Says Ashley, “They
snapfish.com and shutterfly.com, also offer group features. always have an excuse if someone
comments on their choice of reading
material: ‘It belongs to my cousin!’ ”

StartaPostcardProject
Seven-year-old Emma Rebman (see above, right) and her sister, Madelyn, 4, get to LOW
TECH
learn a little geography with another of their family’s keep-in-touch tactics. Two years
ago, with mom Ashley’s help, the girls wrote to various relatives and friends, asking for
postcards from the places they live and have traveled to, with the goal of
collecting at least one from every state. As the
cards arrive, the girls mount them on red,
white, or blue construction paper and glue
them onto a trifold display board, creating an
ever-growing “50 States” exhibit. “My daughters
are excited to read about what their relatives are
doing and to learn and compare facts about the
states,” says Ashley. “The families with children
have asked us to send postcards in return.”

 FAMI LYFUN DECE MBER/JA N UARY 20 1 0

FF09048.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:43 PM Page 1 T:7.875”
S:7.375”

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KeepinTouch

Capturea“Day
intheLife”
In their early years, Abby and HIGH
TECH
P. J. Stansel, ages 8 and 7, of
Vernon, Connecticut, lived far from
extended family, but that didn’t
prevent relatives from keeping up
with the wee ones’ adventures. To
share their experiences, mom Rachel
e-mailed occasional “Day in the Life”
slide shows created with a digital
camera and Microsoft PowerPoint
software. “I took each picture and
inserted it into a slide, then added a
comment, such as ‘Time for a snack,’
or ‘Reading our favorite bedtime
story,’” says Rachel. “We didn’t do
anything special, but instead just
tried to capture an average day. The
first picture was always of the kids

ThrowaGroup in their beds before waking up, and

the last was always of them after

BirthdayBash they had fallen asleep. It was fun for

the kids to make, and our families
LOW loved ‘spending the day’ with us.”
For the Blacks of Provo, Utah, nothing can replace a good, old-fashioned get-together. When TECH
For ease of viewing, Rachel suggests
their kids were young, they’d gather with extended family from around the state for a monthly
saving the finished product as a
party to celebrate all the birthdays that fell during that month. “Instead of gifts, we bought a small
PowerPoint show so that the file
journal for each birthday person and all the guests wrote in it, describing a special memory they had
opens automatically as a slide show,
of them, giving them advice, or just wishing them a happy birthday,” says Gerberta Black. Even those
not a work in progress.
who couldn’t attend were honored, with a journal filled out on the spot and mailed afterward.

MailYourMusings
LOW
To simplify letter writing, Sarah Hagan of TECH
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, has a quick trick:
Address a large envelope to your relatives, then
invite family members to slip in short messages and
other items. “It’s a great way to get kids involved,
even if they have a very short attention span,”
explains Sarah, who did this herself as a child. “They
can include pictures, notes, school papers, anything
they want to show off. It makes it easy even for kids
who can’t write yet to stay in touch with
Grandma and Grandpa.” When the envelope
is full, you just seal it up, drop it in the mail,
and start another.

 FAMILYFUN DECEMBE R/JAN UARY 20 1 0

FF09460.qxd:FF 10/8/09 7:25 PM Page 1

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FF0110BUST_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:35 PM Page 90

ways we brighten
winter days
staffers share favorite
boredom-busting projects for the
chilly season

Boredom Buster #1:

knitting with a tin can
Recommended by contributing crafter Nicole Blum and daughter, Ava, age 10

Working with bright, fuzzy yarn is the perfect antidote to gray, blustery weather, as Ava and I found out
when we delved into the world of tin can knitting one stay-inside morning. First, we assembled simple,
homemade versions of the Knitting Nancy, or spool knitter, I’d used as a kid, then we put them to use with
some pretty yarn, looping the strands around the nails. Ava enjoyed experimenting with different tech-
niques. At first, she completed each knit stitch by easing the finished loop off of the nail using a bamboo
skewer, but then she decided to try using her fingers instead. When we’d knitted tubes that were about
6 or 8 inches long, we started dreaming up things to make with them. Wrist warmers, cat toys, doll hats ...
we came up with a long list of warm and woolly possibilities to keep us knitting all winter long.

Our Tips:
• You can use a tin can of just about any size (a larger can produces a wider tube and looser stitches),
but make sure it has identical top and bottom lips — the type that can be cut smoothly with a can opener.

• Try using bulky-weight yarn, which is easier and quicker for kids to work with. When Ava knitted with a
fairly thin yarn, her progress was a bit slow.

• When we used very fuzzy yarn, a few strands sometimes lingered on the nail after the yarn was looped
over. I just snipped these stragglers with a pair of scissors, no harm done.

 P H OTO G R A P H S BY E D J U D I C E • ST Y L I N G BY A N N L E W I S
FF0110BUST_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:35 PM Page 91

Find instructions for

making the tin can
knitter and these sweet
mice on page 111.

Watch it in action! Learn to use the knitter with our how-to video at FamilyFun.com/magazine.
FF0110BUST_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:35 PM Page 92

Boredom Buster #2:

sculpting cornstarch-clay creatures
Recommended by editorial director Ann Hallock and kids, Sarah, age 5, and Nat, 8

My kids and I love making crafts, particularly the kind that Sarah calls “make-it-however-you-like projects.” That’s why we have this
clay recipe taped to the back of our cornstarch box. It takes about five minutes to “cook,” and the resulting concoction is warm and
pliable and the perfect consistency for kneading, modeling, and embellishing with stuck-on odds and ends. Recently, making the clay
and the creatures filled an entire empty afternoon and seemed to inspire that dreamy state kids can get into with open-ended projects:
“Maybe this guy should be Frankenstein ... these beads are his monster eyes ... what should his arm be?” The sculptures dried to a hard,
pearly finish, and our countertop is now populated with a one-of-a-kind menagerie of aliens, animals, snowmen, and robots.

Our Tips: To Make Cornstarch Clay:

• This recipe yields enough for two kids to each make a YO U W I L L N E E D

2
sculpture or two, but if friends are over (as they often M cup salt • L cup baking soda • ½ cup cornstarch
are on winter weekends), definitely double the
ingredient amounts. 1. In a small saucepan, mix the salt and baking soda with
L cup of water and bring to a boil.
• Put out decorative “stick-ons” in little bowls or paper
CRAFT STYLING BY MA RYELLEN SULLIVAN

cups. Fun embellishments, as shown above, include
sequins, tacks, keys, cup hooks, soda-can tabs, nuts,
bolts, washers, and screws. The end piece from a lamp
pull-chain makes a nice bell to hang on a reindeer’s neck.
• A cookie sheet covered with waxed paper can serve as a
drying rack (sculptures take a few days to harden).
2. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and ¼ cup of
water and stir well.
3. When the salt mixture boils, remove it from the heat and
add the cornstarch mixture. Stir vigorously for a minute or
two to thicken the clay. Spoon it onto a sheet of waxed
paper and allow it to cool before working with it.

 FAMILYFUN D ECE MBER/JA N UARY 20 1 0

FF0110BUST_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:35 PM Page 93

Boredom Buster #3:

growing a crystal tree
Recommended by senior editor Debra Immergut and son, Joe, age 11

Science experiments are commonplace in our house, where my son has filled an attic “lab” with mysterious shampoo-based
potions sealed in old jars. But few of these projects, Joe and I agree, have been as rewarding as the crystal-tree propagation we
tried not long ago. Making the cardboard bases and setting them in a salt solution took just a few minutes. A day later, we were
astounded by the mass of tiny crystals forming along the tree’s branches as the cardboard wicked up the solution. Two days later,
we had a tiny enchanted forest, each tree fat with bristly spikes. Joe’s lab report: “It was worth the wait — it was amazing!”

3
Our Tips:
• The magic ingredient here is bluing, a nontoxic,
old-fashioned laundry whitening product that helps
the crystals form. We used Mrs. Stewart’s Bluing,
which we picked up at the supermarket. To find it at
a store near you, visit mrsstewart.com.

• Just for fun, we squirted some green food coloring on

one of the cardboard bases before placing it in the
bowl. The coloring was absorbed into the crystals,
tinting them green, yellow, and blue.

• Our trees lasted about a week before they started

to crumble. We tossed them in the trash when they
were done (all of the ingredients are safe to discard).

To Make a Crystal Tree:

YO U W I L L N E E D
Thin shirt cardboard • Scissors • Deep saucer or small
bowl • Small jar with a tight-fitting lid • 1 tablespoon
table salt • 1 tablespoon bluing • ½ tablespoon house-
hold ammonia

1. To create the base, cut two card-

board tree shapes (about 4 inches
tall and 3 inches across at the
widest point). Cut a 2-inch slot in the top of one shape and
in the base of the other. Join the shapes at the slots and
stand the tree in a deep saucer or a small bowl.

2. In the jar, combine 1 tablespoon water, the salt, bluing,

and ammonia (handling ammonia is a parent’s job).
Fasten the lid and shake well, then pour the solution into
the saucer or bowl.

3. Leave the tree undisturbed. Crystals may take as little

as an hour or as long as a day to begin to form, depending
on the humidity in your home (they’ll grow better in drier
air). The tree will keep growing over the next few days,
until all of the liquid evaporates.


FF0110BUST_5A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:35 PM Page 94

Boredom Buster #4:

filming a stop-motion movie
Recommended by digital manager Samuel Mead and kids, Ruby, age 8, and Finn, 5
(plus willing cousins Cedar, 15, Silas, 11, Matia, 12, and Noah, 9)

Innovative software has transformed the labor-intensive process that brought the world Gumby
and Wallace & Gromit into one simple enough for a family to enjoy, as we discovered one drizzly
day when I downloaded a stop-motion animation program to our home computer. We plugged a
digital video camera into the computer, scrounged a collection of props (mostly lollipops and
pretzel sticks), sketched out a storyline, and started shooting. The inexpensive software
allowed the kids to see immediate results as we manipulated the objects. In fact, it kept them
so engaged that our animated short could have easily turned into a full-length feature. The
kids titled our mini-masterpiece Lollipop Tree and begged to watch it over and over again
(you can too — see below). Then they got to eat the props.

Our Tips:
• Stop-motion animation programs are compatible with most digital
video cameras and some digital still cameras (check before you

4
download). I had to adjust my camera’s settings from HD to DV
before beginning.

• For a more professional look, we set our camera on a tripod and

shot against a flat, brightly lit sheet of white paper.

• To inspire my young animators, I showed

them some of the many finished works
posted online. The kids were particularly
jazzed by a short called Western Spaghetti
(eatpes.com). You can check out our
Lollipop Tree at FamilyFun.com/magazine.
 FAMILYFUN DECEMBE R/JAN UA RY 20 10
Stop-Motion Software We Like:
Stop MotionMaker HDMI (for PC, about $60, free trial version with fewer
features) stopmotionmaker.com
iKITMovie Express (for PC, starting at $50, free trial version)
ikitmovie.com
Boinx iStopMotion 2 (for Mac, starting at $49; free 5-day trial) boinx.com
FF09479.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:25 PM Page 1

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FF0110COOK3A_qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 3:40 PM Page 99

Merry Meringue Treats

Kids’ baking know-how will reach new peaks when
they prepare these scrumptious sandwich cookies
by Judith Fertig
      called a macaron, these tiny treats consist of
B two meringue cookies joined by a sweet filling. Here, we present a classic combi-
nation (an almond cookie with buttercream) as well as two simple variations
(chocolate and sugarplum; see page 110) that are a tasty tribute to the season. No
matter what flavor they choose to make, kids will learn a fun and useful baking
basic: how to transform egg whites into a light, fluffy meringue.

D ECE MBE R/JAN UARY 201 0 FAMI LYFUN 

FF0110COOK3A_SPLIT09481_qxp:Layout 1 10/26/09 6:57 PM Page 100 FF09375

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Merry Step 1 Line two cookie sheets with

parchment paper and set them aside.
Step 3
Meringue Tip: Use a dab of water, oil, or butter
Treats to secure the paper to the pans.

PHOTO GRAPHS BY BILL MILNE; FOOD STYLING BY M ARIE PIRA INO; PROP AN D WARDRO BE STYLIN G BY A NN LEWIS
I NG REDIENTS
Step 2 Over a small bowl, separate
For the almond cookies: the egg whites from the yolks. If any
2 large eggs yolk slips into the bowl, scoop it out
1 cup sifted almond flour or meal with an eggshell half so that the whites
(found in the baking section of will beat properly. Discard the yolks.
some supermarkets or at natural Let the whites sit at room temperature
food stores) for 30 minutes.
1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
Step 4
V teaspoon salt Step 3 Sift together the almond
¼ cup sugar flour or meal and the confectioners’
sugar into a medium-size mixing
For the buttercream:
bowl. In a second bowl, using an elec-
2 tablespoons butter, melted
tric mixer set on medium speed, beat
2 tablespoons milk
together the egg whites and the salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
until foamy, about 2 minutes. Increase
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
the mixer’s speed to high and gradu-
ally add the sugar. Continue to beat
until stiff, glossy peaks form, about
1 minute more.

 FAMI LYFUN D ECEMBE R/JAN UA RY 20 1 0

FF0110COOK3A_qxp:Layout
FF09375.qxd:FF 9/10/09 1 3:24
10/26/09 6:52
PM Page 1 PM Page 101

O C O L AT
CH E
&
Step 9 Pair

V
1-inch disk. Pull the tip away from the

A
SUG ARP LU

RI
disk with a quick circular motion to similar-size

AT I O N S
avoid making a peak (a misshapen cookies. Pipe
cookie can be gently molded with a wet or spread a
finger). Continue piping the cookies, dollop of the
spacing them 2 inches apart and refill- b u t te rc re a m U

Step 5
Step 4 To make the meringue, gently
fold the egg whites into the almond
mixture with a rubber spatula, being
careful not to deflate them.
Step 5 Place some of the meringue in
a pastry bag fit with a 3/8-inch round tip,
or a ziplock plastic bag with a corner
0
RN 11
ing the bag as needed, until all the on the flat side TO PAG E
meringue is used. of one from each
pair, then sandwich the pairs together.
Step 6 Gently tap the bottom of each Makes about 20 treats.
cookie sheet against the countertop to
further flatten the cookies (they should Judith Fertig is the author of 200 Fast and
be about ¼-inch thick), then allow them Easy Artisan Breads: No-Knead, One
to sit at room temperature until dry to Bowl (Robert Rose) and various other
the touch, about 1½ hours. cookbooks.
Step 7 Heat the oven to 325˚. Bake
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
the cookies, one pan at a time, in the
center of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. ● Merry Meringue Treats
One meringue treat with buttercream filling:
Allow each pan to cool on a wire rack.
Calories 77 ● Total Fat 1.4 g (2% DV) ● Saturated Fat 0.4 g
(2% DV) ● Cholesterol 2 mg (1% DV) ● Sodium 26 mg
Step 8 Whisk together all the ingredi- (1% DV) ● Total Carbohydrate 14 g (5% DV) ● Fiber 0 g
ents for the buttercream in a medium- (0% DV) ● Sugars 13 g ● Protein 2 g (4% DV)

snipped. Beginning at the corner of one size bowl until the mixture is smooth Percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
cookie sheet and holding the bag per- and shiny. Fill a clean pastry bag with the Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on
pendicular to the sheet’s surface, buttercream (alternately, use a snipped your calorie needs.
squeeze out enough meringue to make a plastic bag, or a butter knife or spatula).

Jessica never would

have guessed
popcorn this good
could be 94% fat free.

epper
r er
esserving
evrving

You’ll have to try it to believe tiit.

t.

WEIGHT WATCHERS for services and POINTS are the registered trademarks
d f k off Weight
h Watchers
h International,
l Inc. and
d areh used
d with
h permission.
9002 CC © ©APCC
CC 2
2009
009 jollytime.com
 Stocking stuffers that will make everyone smile.

Just in time for the holidays, ARM & HAMMER® Spinbrush® has stocking stuffers for the whole family. And because
Spinbrush® removes up to 70% more plaque* than a manual brush, it’s truly the gift that keeps on giving.
*Pro Clean Only. In hard-to-reach places vs. manual toothbrush. Church & Dwight Co., Inc. 2007. All rights reserved. Spinbrush and ARM & HAMMER are registered trademarks
of Church & Dwight Co., Inc. Marvel and all related characters: TM & © 2009 www.marvel.com. All rights reserved.
FF0110_OFT6A.qxp:Layout 1 10/15/09 1:13 PM Page 103

O r a o i e hn s
Special
Edition

Gift
Guide
A Treat
of a Toy
With the deliciously fun 26-piece

Pretend Play
Pastry Chef playset, little sweeties
can fashion five treats from mix-
and-match plastic cakes, toppings,
and ribbons. Our preschool tester
loved pretending to decorate the
confections with the plush icing bag
and its three snap-on tips, then proudly
displaying her desserts on the set’s
tray and rotating cake stand. Ages 3
and up Step2, $25
— Amy Kaldor-Bull

A DVD Set That’s Not Like the Others

Ernie must be one clean Muppet: he’s been scrubbing away while singing “Rubber
Boxed Set

Duckie” for four decades. That classic clip is just one of the highlights on the two-
disk set Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days. Among the nearly six hours’ worth
of segments, parents and kids alike are bound to see one of their favorites. Our picks: Maria and Luis’s
wedding and Abby Cadabby’s debut. Ages 3 and up Genius Products, $30 — Ellen Harter Wall
D ECE MBE R/JAN UARY 201 0 FA MI LY FUN 
FF0110OFT_104r1.qxp:Layout 1 10/19/09 10:32 PM Page 104

OurFavoriteThings
Gift Hair Bands
Guide
That Sock it More
to You! Gift Ideas
These zany Socktops Online

Good Bargain
Hair Bands are exactly
what the name suggests:
bands made from the
tops of socks. Each col-
orful set of three can
also be worn as sporty
bracelets. Ages 4 and up
LittleMissMatched, $8
— Lisa Stowe
Go to
FamilyFun.com/magazine
for a wealth of other holiday
giving ideas, including lists of
charitable organizations, such
as worldvision.org and
boxproject.org, and the 30
winning toys from our 18th
annual Toy of the Year (T.O.Y.)
Awards, featured in our

5 Great Video Games November issue.

NAME GAME PLAY FAVORITE FEATURE BUYING INFO

Disney Sing It: Kids compete karaoke-style with songs from Disney Channel star Tiffany Ages 6 and up Disney Interactive Studios;
Pop Hits Colbie Caillat, Coldplay, Miley Cyrus, the Thornton hosts voice lessons Wii, PS3, PS2, $50 bundled with a
Jonas Brothers, and others. on such topics as breathing, microphone ($40 without the microphone)
riffing, and singing duets.

JumpStart Preschoolers journey through five worlds in
Pet Rescue search of lost pets. Along the way, they play
more than 30 educational games that teach
sorting, color identification, and other early
learning skills.
Our testers especially enjoyed the virtual Ages 3 to 6 Knowledge
storybooks they earned as they completed Adventure; Wii, $30
the challenges in each world.

Scribblenauts In this compelling puzzle game, players No matter what words Ages 10 and up Warner Bros. Interactive
need to think of an object that will help they thought of — ewer, Entertainment; DS, $30
Maxwell, an animated character, collect a longhorn, crampon — our

PAGE 103: PHOTOGRAPH BY ED JUDICE; STYLING BY AN N LEWIS. TH IS PAGE , TO P: MAR K MAN TEG NA
star. When the name of the object is typed testers were amazed that
on the DS, it appears on the screen for the game knew what the
Maxwell to use. object was.

Lego Combine two kid favorites, Legos and video As players master Ages 8 and up (Some adult language in
Rock Band games, with the teen appeal of Rock Band, songs, they can lyrics); Warner Bros. Interactive
and you’ve got a surefire hit. Young rockers collect cool Entertainment; Xbox
assemble their band from virtual bricks, then vehicles to take 360, Wii, PS3, $50;
jam to songs such as “Kung Fu Fighting” and them to their DS, $30
“I Want You Back.” next gig.

Mini Ninjas It’s classic game of good versus evil played Our testers liked the mini ninjas’ special Ages 10
out within a beautiful computer-animated skills, such as being able to hypnotize the and up Eidos
world. When players defeat their samurai samurai with a magical flute, then make Interactive;
enemies, the fallen warriors don’t die. They them do a silly dance.
simply return to their non-evil animal form PS3, Xbox 360,
and help protect the balance of the $50; Wii, $40; PC,
natural world. DS, $30

 FAMILYFUN DECE MBER/JA NUA RY 20 10

FF08780.qxd:FF 10/21/09 4:23 PM Page 1

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 SLEIGH

The Force Is Strong With

This DVD Set
The struggle against the dark side continues in Star Wars: The

Boxed Set
Clone Wars, The Complete Season One, as familiar cartoon-form
characters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi apprentice Anakin Skywalker

Lego battle the baddies for control of the galaxy. Ages 8 and up Warner
Home Video, $45 — Beth Honeyman

Designs
of the
Month SKIER
FROM LEFT: MARK MANTEG NA (2); © LUCASFILM LTD.

We’ve teamed up with Lego to offer our

FamilyFun Bonus

readers exclusive designs that can be built

with the 650-piece Builders of Tomorrow set.
For December, have your kids build a sleigh
and reindeer. For January, they can assemble
kids sledding and skiing. To view the reindeer
and sledding models and to download direc-
tions, go to Legofamilytime.com/FamilyFun.

NOW, MOM’S WHITENING SECRET MEETS

TODAY’S SUPERCHARGED STAIN FIGHTER…
 OurFavoriteThings
LO QEB ]OPQ Gift
QFJB FK Guide
 VB>OP Sample
>K >II¦KBT Great Beginnings
FKKFB¦
The Favorite Series Starters rounds up the
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first installments of five popular early chap-

Q>IB ter books (A to Z Mysteries, Junie B. Jones,

Magic Tree House, Andrew Lost, and Nate
the Great), giving beginner readers a taste of
each. Ages 5 to 10 Random House, $22
— Alicia Potter

PNF CBDL UP Let Your Child Share the Spotlight

UIF FODIBOUJOH
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 FAMI LY FUN D ECE MBE R/JA N UA RY 20 1 0

 An Ecofriendly Construction Set
Crafted entirely from recycled materials, Story Building playsets make it
Green Toy

simple for small hands to build complex structures. Just slip the sturdy
cardboard panels and people into slotted
plastic-wood composite blocks to allow
them to stand tall. Our kid testers
spent hours rearranging each 90-plus
piece collection to fit their fancy. Avail-
able in barnyard and palace versions.
Ages 3 and up Sprig Toys, $30
When Not in
— Beth Honeyman
Rome, Read This!
An ingeniously constructed pop-up Colosseum

Page Turner
sets the scene for Gladiators, the collabora-
tion of writer Toby Forward, illustrator Steve
Noon, and paper engineer David Hawcock.
Young spectators learn about the formidable
fighters of ancient Rome in a rousingly written
and illustrated 40-page book. Meanwhile, trading
cards about the warriors, a map of ancient Rome, a
layout of the Colosseum, and the Roman board
LEFT: SP RIG TOYS

game Tabula deliver lots of beyond-the-book

interest. Ages 7 and up Candlewick, $28
— Alicia Potter

AND IT’S BLOWING AWAY

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 Let’s Cook
FROM PAGE 101
VARIATIONS

Festive Flavor Options

These seasonally inspired meringue treats make thoughtful presents. Wrap a
stack in a piece of colored cellophane for a small party favor or pack a whole batch
in a box for a more substantial gift.

For sugarplum cookies, when the sugar and egg

white mixture is almost stiff, add a teaspoon of

Give the almond extract, then if desired, 5 drops each of

red and blue food coloring (Step 3). Replace the
buttercream with plum jam (Step 8), spreading

SMART the jam with a spatula or butter knife. You’ll

need ½ cup per batch.
SUGARPLUM

Gift this For chocolate cookies, add 1 tablespoon

unsweetened cocoa powder to the almond mix-

Holiday ture (Step 3). When the meringue cookies have

dried, lightly sprinkle them with more unsweet-
ened cocoa powder (Step 6). Replace the but-
tercream with melted chocolate chips (Step 8),
spreading the chocolate with a spatula or butter
The mark-my-time™ knife. You’ll need 1 cup of chocolate chips per
digital bookmark batch (follow package directions for melting). CHOCOLATE
takes the work
out of reading
homework Crafty Gifts

Cookie Cutter Candles

FROM PAGE 55
Convenient—
2. Sandwich a wick between the two stacks,
set timer to
You will need:
count down or
Cookie cutters (choose shapes that can stand up) starting at the bottom and extending it beyond
accumulate time
Honeycomb wax sheets in various colors the top by at least an inch. Press the sheets
Educational— (available at craft stores or at candlewic.com; an together gently. If they don’t stick together,
improves reading 8- by 16-inch sheet will make 1 or 2 candles) take the wax layers apart and use a hair dryer
skills by motivating Wicks to gently warm each one before restacking
kids to read more
Scissors them, adding the wick as instructed above.
Portable—read 1. For each candle, use a cookie cutter to 3. Trim the wick to about a half-inch. Stand
anywhere and make ten identical shapes from the wax sheets. your candle up, shaping the base as needed
store recorded Divide the shapes into two stacks of five. to make it sit securely.
minutes until
deleted
$8.95 Happy Ha-ha Holidays!
FROM PAGE 78
NEW
BRIGHT antarctic auditions
COLORS
5. With the knife, bore a hole in the Styro- Styrofoam head on top.
foam ball big enough to fit the neck of the 7. If you like, dress the penguin in doll acces-
bottle. Glue on googly eyes. Make a small slit sories or use kids’ socks to make your own.
below the eyes, insert a few dabs of glue, For a hat, snip a 6- to 8-inch length from a
then slide the beak into the opening. sock and knot one end. For a scarf, cut a 1½-
6. Funnel sand into the bottle to weigh it inch-wide loop from a sock, snip it open, and
mark-my-time.com down (we used 1 to 2 cups depending on the fringe the ends.
bottle’s size). Replace the cap and press the 8. Write “Penguins wanted, apply within” on
Available at Learning Express, Barnes & Noble, Borders,
and specialty toy and booksellers nationwide.
For listings: mark-my-time.com | 888-685-0257  FAMI LY FUN D ECE MBE R/JA N UA RY 20 10

the lawn sign, then arrange it and the pen-
guins in your yard as shown.
FROM PAGE 78
tongue tied-ings
off the hanger’s hook just below the curve as
shown.
4. Slide the frame into the bib with a dowel
in each leg and the hanger supporting the
shoulder straps. Push the ends of the dowels
into the snow boots and stabilize them with
more bags of newspaper if needed. Pull the
elastic ankles of each pant leg down over the
boots. Fill the bib with bags of newspaper
until it’s rigid enough to stand on its own.
5. Stuff the arms of the parka, then attach the
mittens with safety pins. Place the parka on
the hanger, zip it up, and fill it with more bags
as needed. Put the head on the neck of the
hanger and pull up the hood so that it fits
snugly around the head.
6. Write “Mehwy Twismas” on the lawn sign.
Stand your greeter next to a pole, wrap the
arms around it, and secure them with safety
pins. Position the tongue so that it touches
the pole (if desired, secure it with duct tape)
and post the sign in front.
4 Ways We Brighten Winter Days
FROM PAGE 91
To Make a Tin Can Knitter:
YOU WILL NEED
Can opener • Clean 15-ounce can • Duct
tape • 12 (8d 2K-inch) finish nails •
Permanent marker
1. Use the can opener to remove the can’s
top and bottom.
2. With a strip of duct tape, secure a nail
to the outside of the can so that its head is
1K inches above the top rim. Tape a second
nail directly opposite the first, then evenly
space ten more nails around the rim.
3. Apply small strips of tape between each
nail to cover the top rim, then fold a strip
over the bottom rim.
4. With permanent marker, number the
nails 1 to 12.
To Make a Mouse:
YOU WILL NEED
Yarn • Tin can knitter • Scissors • Yarn
needle • Fiberfill • Pink felt • Tacky glue
• 2 small buttons
1. Knit a 6-inch-long tube and bind it off (to
learn how, watch our instructional video at
FamilyFun.com/magazine). Cut the tube
from the remaining yarn ball, leaving a
4-inch tail. Pull the tail tight to close the
hole. Thread the tail onto the yarn needle,
sew through your knitting a few times to
secure the closure, then knot the tail’s end.
2. Stuff the tube with fiberfill from the other
end. Thread the other tail (the yarn’s start-
ing point, where you first wrapped it onto
the knitter) onto the needle. Run the needle
through loops on opposite sides of the
tube’s open end to close it. Sew through
your knitting a few times to secure the
closure, then trim the yarn.
3. Cut felt as shown for the ears and nose. To
make the whiskers, knot together two 3-inch
lengths of yarn at their centers. Glue the
whiskers to the nose, then glue the features
in place, pinching the bottom edge of each
ear. Add the buttons for eyes.
1”
K”
K”
FamilyFun (ISSN 1056-6333), Volume 19, No. 1,
December/January 2010. FamilyFun is published monthly, except
bimonthly in December/January and June/July, for $14.95 per year
by Buena Vista Magazines, Inc., a subsidiary of Disney Publishing
Worldwide, 44 South Broadway,White Plains, NY 10601. Periodical
postage paid at White Plains, New York, and additional mailing
offices. : Send address changes to FamilyFun, P.O. Box
37033, Boone, IA 50037-0033. In Canada: mailed under publi-
cation mail agreement #40007594, P.O. Box 875, STN A, Windsor,
ON N9A 6P2. GST 877-692-335.    .
DECEMBE R/JA NUA RY 20 1 0 FA MI LY FUN
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
FF0110TOTM_1A.qxp:Layout 1 10/13/09 1:38 PM Page 112

Treat
of the Month

A Light
PHOTO GRAPH BY ED JUDICE; FOOD STYLING BY LYNN ZIM MERM AN

Dessert
These festive treats can brighten any holi-
day gathering, from Hanukkah to New Year’s
and all the celebrations in between. Make a
simple icing by stirring together 1 teaspoon
water and 5 tablespoons confectioners’
sugar. Use dots of icing to attach a small
flower cookie with a center hole (we used
Murray shortbread cookies) to a larger
cookie (we used Anna’s Ginger Thins). Dab
icing on one end of a rolled wafer cookie
(we used Pepperidge Farm Pirouettes) and
press it into the center of the flower cookie.
For the flame, halve a mini marshmallow
diagonally, dip the sticky side of one half in
orange decorating sugar, and attach the
half with icing. Spoon a few wax drips of
icing down the candle’s sides and use red
decorating gel to embellish the base.

 FIND DOZENS OF OTHER HOLIDAY RECIPES AT FAMILYFUN.COM/MAGAZINE.

 S:7”
FF009449.qxd:FF 10/8/09 6:49 PM Page 1

Some Holiday Cookies

Seem To Get All The Attention.

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FF09485.qxd:FF 10/22/09 11:05 PM Page 1
T:7.875 in
S:6.875 in

Free your family from restrictive calling

circles with the 3G network PC World
names most reliable. Now on the Sprint network,
everyone can call Any Mobile, Anytime on any network for one SM

flat rate. And get unlimited text, plus 3G data, video and picture
messaging. All on a truly reliable network. The Now Network.™
1-800-SPRINT-1 sprint.com/anymobileanytime

Any Mobile, Anytime SM

on an Everything Data Family Plan

$42.50 /month
per person for a family of four.
Available to existing customers, without
a contract extension.
Other monthly charges apply.** New lines of activation
require a two-year Agreement per line. $129.99/mo.
for two lines. $19.99/mo./line for Add-a-Phone.

S:9.4375 in
T:10.5 in
Buy one
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After a $100 mail-in rebate, an eligible upgrade (or new-line
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Sprint tested as the most reliable 3G network overall among U.S. carriers in a 3G performance test conducted by PC World.
America’s most dependable 3G network, bringing you the first and only wireless 4G network from a national carrier.
**Monthly charges exclude taxes, Sprint Surcharges (including USF charge of up to 12.3% [varies quarterly], Administrative Charge [up to $1.99/line/month], Regulatory Charge [$0.20/line/month] and state/local fees by area). Sprint
Surcharges are not taxes or government-required charges and are subject to change. Details: sprint.com/taxesandfees
PC World Claim: PC World’s tests included thirteen major cities with more than twenty tests per city from all regions of the country during a two-month period from March to April 2009. In all, 5,443 individual tests from 283 testing locations were conducted for each
provider’s nationwide 3G service. Testing was one minute in duration, and network performance can be highly variable from neighborhood to neighborhood. The thirteen cities included Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New Orleans, New York City, Orlando, Phoenix,
Portland, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco and Seattle. Sprint won for reliability in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. Sprint tied for reliability in Orlando. America’s Most Dependable 3G Network Claim: “Dependable” based
on independent third-party drive tests for 3G data on connection success, session reliability and signal strength for the top 50 most populous markets (including Puerto Rico) from January ’08 through May ’09. 4G: 4G is currently available in limited areas and on select
plans and devices; check sprint.com/4G for Sprint 4G coverage/device information. Offers: May require up to a $36 activation fee/line, credit approval and deposit. Up to a $200 early termination fee/line applies. Phone Offer: $149.99 (two-year price) - $100
(mail-in rebate) = $49.99 (final price); activation required at the time of purchase for both phones on the same account in one sales transaction. Taxes excluded. No cash back. Mail-in Rebate: Requires purchase by 1/9/10 and activation by 1/23/10. Line must be
active 30 consecutive days. Allow 10 to 14 weeks for rebate. Upgrade: Existing customers in good standing with service on the same device for more than 22 consecutive months currently activated on a service plan of $34.99 or higher may be eligible. See in-store
rebate form or sprint.com/upgrade for details. Pricing, offer terms, fees and features may vary for existing customers not eligible for upgrade. Everything Data Plan: Includes 1,500 shared Anytime Minutes per month (for calling landline, indirect, etc.). Additional Anytime
Minutes: Up to $0.40/min. Nights: Mon.–Thurs. 7pm–7am; Weekends: Fri. 7pm–Mon. 7am. Partial minutes charged as full minutes. Any Mobile, Anytime (AMA): Applies when directly dialing/receiving standard voice calls between domestic wireless numbers as
determined when the call is placed using independent third-party and Sprint databases. Standard roaming rates and restrictions apply. Only available with select Sprint plans and while on the Nationwide Sprint or Nextel National Networks (excludes calls to voicemail,
411 and other indirect methods). Messaging: Includes text, picture and video for domestic messages sent or received. International messages are $0.20/message sent or received. SMS voice messages may incur an additional data charge of $0.03/KB. Texts
to third parties to participate in promotions or other may result in additional charges. International services are not included. Data: Premium content and downloads (games, ringers, songs, certain channels, etc.) are additional charge. Usage Limitation: Sprint may
terminate service if (1) more than 800 minutes, (2) a majority of minutes or (3) a majority of kilobytes in a given month are used while roaming. 3G: Not all services or devices are 3G and coverage may default to a separate network when 3G is unavailable.
Other Terms: Coverage not available everywhere. The Nationwide Sprint Network reaches over 275 million people. The 3G Sprint Mobile Broadband Network reaches over 253 million people. Offers not available in all markets/retail locations or
for all phones/networks. Pricing, offer terms, fees and features may vary for existing customers not eligible for upgrade. Other restrictions apply. See store or sprint.com for details. ©2009 Sprint. Sprint and the logo are trademarks of Sprint. Other
marks are the property of their respective owners.