A Family Christmas Printable

Two weeks 'til the kids are out of school and I am off of work for Christmas!

I love this time of year and I am so looking forward to spending time with my family and friends.  That is the best part of the holiday season to me-making memories.

We have already been to one holiday party and will be going to more coming up in the next couple of weeks. Also, we have family traditions that we will be continuing this year.

Here is our list:

Every year we go out to dinner one night then drive around looking at lights, with a yummy peppermint and chocolate shake to keep us company. It's on the list.

Every year we take a trip to the Boardwalk in Shreveport, Louisiana, to have dinner at Joe's Crab Shack, do a little shopping, and enjoy the activities they have going on.  This year they have free Santa photos at Bass Pro Shop, the Boardwalk Blizzard, and live music. It's on the list.

We WILL watch The Christmas Story every year on Christmas Day. OF course, it's on the list.  

I want to make a point to just have some quiet down time with the boys, so we will definitely have a Family Game Night.  We do this pretty regularly, but with all the busy-ness of the holidays, I want to be certain to make it happen. It's on the list. 

Visiting grandparents, baking, and everything else that is oh so important, is on the list. 

We will check off each one as we go.  

My list may be different from yours, so I created a blank one for you to download and add your own activities. 

I hope you enjoy it, and have a wonderfully blessed Christmas!

Click the image to download!

Tips & Tricks Link Party: Handmade Gifts

It's that time, again, everyone! I love the theme for this week-Handmade Gifts.

In years past, for exchanging gifts with my family, we all made handmade gifts.  There have been some really great ones created by my family.

Here we are playing outdoor Jenga, that was made by my niece and nephew:

Handmade Outdoor Jenga

It could actually be a bit dangerous when it falls over! You better get ready to run!

So, share, with us, your handmade gifts from this year, or years past.  

The most pinned project from the Fall Kids Crafts party was this Tissue Paper Turkey from The REal Housewives of Riverton:

Tissue Paper Turkey 

Thanks for sharing with us, ladies!

Here we go, with this week's fun theme of Handmade Gifts!

Don't forget to follow all of our amazing co-hosts, and visit each other's links. It's a great way to discover new blogs and all sorts of great ideas!

Heather - Stringtown HomeFacebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Bloglovin'
Jessica - Prairie Girl to Southern BelleFacebook/Followgram/Pinterest/Bloglovin'
Jonell - Like Gramma's HouseFacebook/Pinterest/Bloglovin'
Kathleen & Samantha - Fearlessly Creative MammasFacebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Bloglovin'
Ursula - Kraft MintPinterest
Denise - Stl MotherhoodFacebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Followgram
Karissa - A Fresh Start on a BudgetFacebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Bloglovin'
Gina - Gina's Craft Corner
Christa - Controlling CrazinessFacebook/Pinterest
Leslie Monroe - Be Simply BetterFacebook/Twitter/Pinterest/LinkedIn
Amy - Trip Worth TakingFacebook/Pinterest/Twitter/Instagram/Bloglovin'
Wendy - A Daily Dose of Del SignoreFacebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Google+/Bloglovin'/Instagram
Krysta - Krysta Steen.comFacebook/Pinterest/Instagram/Twitter

Anything Goes:

Holiday Preparations: Recipes for Gifts and Parties

As I'm preparing for Christmas, I am gathering recipes all in one place so that they will be easy to locate when I need them.  Where am I gathering them? Pinterest, of course!

There are lots of recipes that I have used in years past and some new ones that I can't wait to try.

Follow this board to see what recipes I will be using for parties, gifts, and family gatherings:

Follow Amy @ Life Is A Trip Christmas: Recipes for Gifts, Parties, Christmas morning, and Snacks on Pinterest


Gift ideas for Teachers:

Chocolate Covered Pretzels with Sprinkles
Boozy Caramel Fudge
Tex-Mex Brownies
Candy Cane Hot Chocolate Mix

Combine one or more of these yummies and your gift to the teacher will get an A+!

I have made the Candy Cane Hot Chocolate and the Chocolate Covered Pretzels many times in the past few years and they are always a huge hit.

When you combine the words caramel and fudge, you know you've got something good happening!

For the Hostess with the Mostest:

Homemade Caramel Sauce
Carolina Mustard
Fresh Herb Mayonnaise
Spicy Cheddar Straws

Carolina Mustard is a delicious dipping sauce that goes well with sweet potato fries, spread on a burger, or paired with fresh veggies.

Any self respecting Southerner has a good recipe for Cheddar Straws.  This one has a little bit of heat.  Whip them up and present them in a cute jar with baker's twine and you'll be a star!

Party Starters:

Cherry Pecan Brie
Bacon Cheese Dip
Colby Pepper Jack Dip

Your party will be off to a great start and your friends will think you're a certified chef with any of these tasty treats.

Do you need a few more printable Christmas tags to add to your stash? Click on the image to download.

Created with PicMonkey Courtesy of Amy@TripWorthTaking

Add your own flair to these tags using some of the precious Christmas Fonts that I shared last month, and print out on cardstock. A perfect homemade gift to make someone feel special!

*The tags print at 8.5" x 11".

Enjoy!