Spring Guide 2013: How to Make a Leprechaun Trap

My friend Maegen shared this with her readers on Sounds Fun Mom, a wonderful resource for families in the Puget Sound area around Seattle. If you have friends out there, make sure they know about Sounds Fun Mom!

St. Patrick’s Day is Sunday, which means you’ll want to be building your leprechaun traps.

Photo by rnv123 on Flickr.Never tried to trap a leprechaun? You can see some truly beautiful projects here in the article at Family Fun that I think sparked the whole craze. Quite frankly, our kids’ trap usually looks like a hot mess of cardboard, duct tape, and whatever else the boys found in the recycling bin. It doesn’t matter, though. They have crazy fun making it every year.

The basic idea is that you design some sort of box that a little leprechaun might be lured into. Bait varies …. I know some kids who swear by Lucky Charms, and some who try to construct a cozy-looking moss bed. At our house, we always try pistachio pudding. We’ve yet to catch one, but we usually find some chocolate gold coins he’s left behind. At other houses the little guys don’t leave treats but do plenty of mischief-like turning the toilet bowl water green. Leprechauns!

Season's Greetings

Photo courtesy of RCG Photography.

Mom to Mom: The Only One Club

The following post first appeared on chambanamoms.com, which is a wonderful resource for young families in Champaign-Urbana. If you have friends or family members who live in that area, please make sure they know about it. Thanks so much to Laura Weisskopf Bleill for allowing us to share her column with you here. 

My daughter is convinced that she is the Only One in her first-grade class that celebrates Chanukah.

Is your child a member of the Only One Club? Probably. Photo by Laura Weisskopf Bleill.She probably is. Last year, during her kindergarten year, she was. And the only other first grader attending her school that I know of to be Jewish is in another classroom.

So that means she’s a member of the Only One Club. And lucky for me, she isn’t too sad about it.

A few years ago we received a book called “The Only One Club” courtesy of the PJ Library, a wonderful program that distributes free books to Jewish children (if you are Jewish and want to receive the books, here’s the contact). "The Only One Club," written by Jane Naliboff, tells the story of a little girl named Jennifer who is the only one in her class who doesn’t celebrate Christmas.

When the teacher announces that the class is going to make Christmas decorations, Jennifer raises her hand and tells the teacher that she celebrates Chanukah.

The teacher then asks, “Are you the Only One?” And she is.

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Holiday Guide 2012: Great Christmas Light Displays

We've told you about holiday music in the western suburbs, Polar Express events and Nutcracker performances, too. Later this week, we'll have info on spots to visit with Santa Claus and to see a holiday-themed movie. But first, how about we take a trip through the best Christmas light displays and drives in the western suburbs?

Photo by harold.lloyd on Flickr.WHEATON: Cosley Zoo in Wheaton will be celebrating its "Festival of Lights & Christmas Trees" through Dec. 30. About 20,000 twinkling lights will come on at 3 p.m. and stay on until the zoo closes at 9 p.m. Visit the animals and purchase a cup of hot chocolate, your tree, wreath and holiday gifts. Admission to the zoo is free during the festival.

NORTH AURORA: Mooseheart Child City & School in North Aurora will be holding its third annual "Holiday Lights" display through New Year’s Eve. The 80 displays, covering a 2-mile-long driving loop, will be lit from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. every night. The tour through the display costs $10, but $2 off coupons are available on the website for those visiting Monday through Thursday. Santa Claus will also be in the Mooseheart Fieldhouse welcoming visitors from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 7, 8, 9; Dec. 15 and 16; and Dec. 21, 22 and 23. (You have to pay your admission fee and pass through the light display to visit Santa.) Proceeds from the event benefit Mooseheart's operating budget, including food, shelter, clothing, books and recreational activities for the children it serves. 

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Holiday Guide 2012: Holiday Events in November

Maybe it's because Thanksgiving comes early on the calendar this year, but the holidays sure are coming up fast! We'll be bringing you lots more info tied to the holiday season over the coming weeks, including details on places to visit with Santa, great light displays and community festivals. But here are a few November events that we wanted you to know about asap.

Photo by Mll.Ada on Flickr.AURORA: This city wins the award for helping you get into the holiday spirit the earliest! Downtown Aurora is hosting a brand-new event this year, called the "Winter Lights Holiday Walk." It is scheduled for this Friday, Nov. 16, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This free festival will feature arts, music, lights, complimentary refreshments and the lighting of the city's official holiday tree. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there to help light the tree at 6 p.m. The fun will take place on Downer Place, Stolp Avenue and Galena Boulevard in downtown. Here's a link to a detailed schedule of events. 

YORKVILLE: The sixth annual Holiday Under the Stars and Fireworks Show is this Friday, Nov. 16, starting at 5 p.m. There will be visits with Santa, an all-weather skating rink, tree lighting ceremony, Kris Kringle market, live nativity and theaterical performances, too. The fireworks are Friday at 9 p.m. Some of the events will also spill over into Saturday and Sunday. Here's a poster with a detailed schedule of events. 

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