On the ninth day of Christmas Preparations, my true love gave to me:
Nine Santa avoiders,
Eight holiday parties,
Seven teaching moments,
Six memories a-haunting,
Five golden rules,
Four fighting kids,
Three snow days,
Two calling workers
and a well planned respite weekend.

Some children may have a hard time with the Christmas season for a variety of reasons: crowds of people, chaos of the season's business, and being on the go all the time. But then there is the obligatory visit with Santa Claus.

Here are a few tips for helping a child handle the guy in red: Read More...

More: Read the Entire "12 Days of Christmas Preparations" Series

Check out these other Twelve Days of Christmas Blogs. It's sure to be a fun count down as other About.com Guides add a special flair to a traditional Christmas classic.

• "Twelve Games of Christmas", Carol Bainbridge, About Gifted Children
• "The Twelve Days of Baby Products" Heather Corley, About Baby Products
• "The Twelve Days of Finals" Jackie Burrell, About Young Adults
• "The Twelve Days of Christmas for Kids" Katherine Lee, About Child Parenting
• "The Twelve Days of Christmas" Sherri Osborn, About Family Crafts
• "The 12 Laundry Stains of Christmas" Mary Marlowe Leverette, About.com Guide to Laundry
• "The 12 Days of Christmas for Babies" Jennifer White, About.com Guide to Baby's First Year
• "The Twelve Days of Kindness" Jennifer Wolf, About Single Parents
• "The 12 Days of Christmas Coloring Book, Day 9"Beverly Hernandez, About.com Guide to Homeschooling

Related Article:
The Twelve Days of Christmas -

Another one of my Christmas traditions, besides watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and a Charlie Brown Christmas - I also look for A Home for the Holidays which will air on your CBS station this Wednesday, December 23, 2009 8:00 pm EST/PST 7:00 pm CST/MST

This is the 11th year for the special presented by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Children's Action Network, and sponsored by Wendy's. This program requires one to keep tissues close by as it features families brought together through foster care adoption and tugs at your heart strings. So, if you're like me - a big cry baby over such things - you will need the tissues. Celebrities such as Faith Hill, Shakira, Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood will perform. Other celebrities, such as Nia Vardolos and Jenna Elfman will present stories of these foster to adopt families. Several of these celebrities have ties to adoption. In years past they have also featured children who are still waiting for a forever family.

Again, look for A Home for the Holidays on your CBS station on December 23, 2009 8:00 pm EST/PST 7:00 pm CST/MST

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Learn how to begin a foster care adoption.
What is an adoption home study?

On the eighth day of Christmas Preparations, my true love gave to me:
Eight holiday parties,
Seven teaching moments,
Six memories a-haunting,
Five golden rules,
Four fighting kids,
Three snow days,
Two calling workers
and a well planned respite weekend.

It seems like in our family we have about 8 different holiday parties during the month of December. Here are a few that many of us face. No wonder December often brings weight gain!:

church Christmas party,
boy/girl scout Christmas party,
family Christmas party for one side of the family,
family Christmas party for the other side of the family,
work Christmas party, Read More...

More: Read the Entire "12 Days of Christmas Preparations" Series

Check out these other Twelve Days of Christmas Blogs. It's sure to be a fun count down as other About.com Guides add a special flair to a traditional Christmas classic.

• "Twelve Games of Christmas", Carol Bainbridge, About Gifted Children
• "The Twelve Days of Baby Products" Heather Corley, About Baby Products
• "The Twelve Days of Finals" Jackie Burrell, About Young Adults
• "The Twelve Days of Christmas for Kids" Katherine Lee, About Child Parenting
• "The Twelve Days of Christmas" Sherri Osborn, About Family Crafts
• "The 12 Laundry Stains of Christmas" Mary Marlowe Leverette, About.com Guide to Laundry
• "The 12 Days of Christmas for Babies" Jennifer White, About.com Guide to Baby's First Year
• "The Twelve Days of Kindness" Jennifer Wolf, About Single Parents
• "The 12 Days of Christmas Coloring Book, Day 8"Beverly Hernandez, About.com Guide to Homeschooling

Related Article:
The Twelve Days of Christmas - Book Review

On the seventh day of Christmas Preparations, my true love gave to me:
Seven teaching moments,
Six memories a-haunting,
Five golden rules,
Four fighting kids,
Three snow days,
Two calling workers
and a well planned respite weekend.

The opportunity to teach doesn't stop - not even for a holiday break. What other holiday teaching moments can you think of? Here's what I came up with:

1. Receiving Gifts - I know we've mentioned this one several times during these 12 Days of Christmas Preparations, but it's important. I feel this way because I've dealt with it as a foster parent and it was no fun. I wish we would have tried to teach this skill more. Something that might be fun is to role play with the child. Take turns pretending to open a gift you don't like and then pretend to open a gift you do like. Have fun with this activity and be goofy.Read More...

More: Read the Entire "12 Days of Christmas Preparations" Series

Check out these other Twelve Days of Christmas Blogs. It's sure to be a fun count down as other About.com Guides add a special flair to a traditional Christmas classic.

• "Twelve Games of Christmas", Carol Bainbridge, About Gifted Children
• "The Twelve Days of Baby Products" Heather Corley, About Baby Products
• "The Twelve Days of Finals" Jackie Burrell, About Young Adults
• "The Twelve Days of Christmas for Kids" Katherine Lee, About Child Parenting
• "The Twelve Days of Christmas" Sherri Osborn, About Family Crafts
• "The 12 Laundry Stains of Christmas" Mary Marlowe Leverette, About.com Guide to Laundry
• "The 12 Days of Christmas for Babies" Jennifer White, About.com Guide to Baby's First Year
• "The Twelve Days of Kindness" Jennifer Wolf, About Single Parents
• "The 12 Days of Christmas Coloring Book, Day 7"Beverly Hernandez, About.com Guide to Homeschooling

Related Article:
The Twelve Days of Christmas - Book Review