With a lot of children at home, it's really important, I think, that each child feels he or she is treated fairly, including on Christmas morning.

So, we usually hold off on all the gift-wrapping until all the shopping is finished. Which, invariably, is Christmas Eve.

Then we make a pile of presents for each child. If it looks like one kid isn't getting as much as the others - perhaps it's a girl with lots of "little" things, which maybe cost as much as the other children's presents, but just doesn't look like as much - then, we'll add something more substantial-looking from the extra presents and toys that we pick up just for "evening out" purposes.

This has really helped, because there have been years when we've realized that one child just didn't get as much as another. We've always got a couple of flashlights, or balls, or Beanie Babies that can be re-distributed at the last minute.

A distinct disadvantage to this method is that the gift-wrapping doesn't start until AFTER the kids are asleep on Christmas Eve. Which means I'm always up so late that I get to meet Santa in my living room at 3 or 4 am. Which means I'm generally sleepy on Christmas morning!

But it sure beats having a child feel less appreciated than his siblings on Christmas morning!

We honestly have a tendency to go overboard at Christmas. Perhaps it's just because my husband and I are really just big kids ourselves. I love toys - he loves gadgets. And we love seeing our kids' faces light up on Christmas morning.

We don't buy much of anything the rest of the year, in terms of toys and stuff for the kids. It's mostly just birthdays and Christmas, so I feel a bit justified in really piling the presents under the tree.

More tips to come!

Keeping a blog is actually quite nice - I have a few minutes where it's just me, and I get to put down my thoughts. Moms with lots of young kids at home know how important a little quiet time is. My kids are generally very cooperative when I need a few minutes, so that is nice, too.

In the old days, women used to write lots and lots of long, long letters. Now we ship off quick emails. It's certainly changed a great deal. It's been an awfully long time since I've written a letter by hand and mailed it. Blogs are nice in that they allow us practice in writing.

I'm encouraging my older children to keep blog. They feel they don't have much to say - which is one reason why I think they should start. I think when people keep journals it helps them learn how to easily put their thoughts on paper. Some introspection can be good, and I think the kids will start to realize how interesting their lives really are!

Here are some blogs I've come across that you might enjoy:

I Like to Help

My Scientology Friends

Wiskid

Alpen Fun

Helping Kids

Every Christmas our family plans some sort of volunteer activity. I feel it is really important to show the kids that giving is as much fun as receiving.

I remember one year when one of my sons was insistent on giving away his most beloved toy to the foster kids' toy donation box at Winter Wonderland in Hollywood. It was a funny plastic dinosaur. He was 2 years old, and carried that thing around with him everywhere. His heart was so big, and he loved his toy so much, that he could think of nothing better than to give it to another child who needed a toy.

This kind of generosity is natural to children, and I think it's important to acknowledge it and nurture it.

The kids have helped wrap Christmas presents for the fosters kids in Los Angeles, with other members of our church.

Singing Christmas carols is one of my favorite things about Christmas.

The Celebrity Centre Choir performs at Winter Wonderland. That's a double treat!

Christmas Stories is another great event at Celebrity Centre.

We like to use a dictionary when learning Christmas carols. Phrases like "don me now" actually mean something when you know that "don" means to put on clothing!

I find that the kids enjoy Christmas carols a lot more when they actually know what they're singing.

Lyrics can be found here.