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Moms, Dads and Kids is the Only |
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in Alberta. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please click on the Balloons to share your favorites with us!The Little Black Book for busy families...NOW AVAILABLE!!
Do you need a stocking stuffer? Do you have moms, dads or caregivers you need a cool new gift for - We can still get them to you before Christmas or better yet tell us where to mail it. It's Easy - Just click on the picture of the book to purchase your copy via PayPalHead or see below on other locations. Make planing prt of the Fun and not a pain to find Family Friendly places and businesses with your family.
Click here to purchase or get your copy at your local Chapters, Indigo or Coles book store.
Or click here to find a AMA Centre near you to pick up your copy with your Special AMA Membership and Pricing.
Visit our Online Directory
The book has many coupons & extras, but you can access our directory of Family Friendly places on our website for FREE!
Visit our website and join our Mom's Club and you can see all the great places and make your family's planning easy and fun. You may even loose your boring Mom Status by finding a cool new place to visit. We have some great places to see during the Holidays.
EVENTS AROUND ALBERTA
Here are just some events happening this week, for a more detailed list of events for the Month of December visit our website.
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"GALT MUSEUM - DECEMBER CAFE"
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Treat yourself to a night at Café Galt – designed to educate, entertain and enrich! Explore and discuss current exhibits and ideas, take in film screenings, workshops, lectures and other unique experiences. This winter, the programs are themed around the exhibit "Egypt, Gift of the Nile" organized and circulated by the Royal Ontario Museum. Check our comprehensive website for updates and additional information.
www.galtmuseum.com info@galtmuseum.com
910 - 4 Avenue
South Lethbridge, Alberta, T1J 0P6 Phone: 403-320-4258;
Tollfree: 1-866-320-3898
Date: December 10 - 7:00 pm.
Cost: Free with Admission; Free for Annual Pass Holders.
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"FESTIVAL PLACE PRESENTS: A JOHN BERRY CHRISTMAS"
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John Berry possesses one of the most powerful and distinctive voices in country music. Berry has a stunningly rich, majestic tenor that he uses to its full effect. He has multiple gold and platinum albums, and nominations from the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music, and the Grammys. This is his fifth show at Festival Place; each performance sells out. Although Berry has been touring this special Christmas show in the US for 13 years, this in the first time this seasonal favourite has come to Festival Place.
Festival Place
100 Festival Way
Sherwood Park, Alberta,
CANADA, T8A 5T2
Phone: 780-449-3378;
www.festivalplace.ab.ca
boxoffice@festivalplace.ab.ca
Date: December 12, 2008
Show starts at 7:30pm.
Cost: Table $36.00; Box $32.00; Theatre $30.00.
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"MUNDARE CHRISTMAS EXTRAVANGANZA"
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Annual Christmas celebration:
-market square
-Christmas Parade
-visit from Santa Claus
-weiner roast
Various locations throughout Town
Mundare, Alberta,
CANADA, T0B 3H0
Phone: 780-764-3860;
Fax: 780-764-2003;
mundare@telusplanet.net
www.lamontcounty.ca
countyinfo@lamontcounty.ca
Date: December 13, 2008
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"SKATE WITH SANTA IN OKOTOKS"
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Annual Skate with Santa event.
14 McRae Street
Okotoks, Alberta,
CANADA, T1S 1K1
Phone: 403-938-8955;
403-938-4404
Fax: 403-938-7387;
December 13, 2008
Contact Janette Messer with the Town of Okotoks at 403-938-8955 for more information.
www.okotoks.ca
jmesser@okotoks.ca
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"MOONLIGHT MADNESS SHOPPING"
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West Edmonton Mall
8882 - 170 Street
Edmonton, Alberta,
CANADA, T5T 4M2
Phone: 780-444-5321;
Tollfree: 1-800-661-8890
www.westedmontonmall.com
tourism@westedmontonmall.com
December 13, 2008 Shop until 11 pm.
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"A CHRISTMAS PAST"
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Come to a traditional Rutherford House Christmas. Experience the unique sparkle of this elegant house, where the halls are decked for the holidays. Enjoy the sweet harmonies of seasonal music. Make a craft, help bake cookies in the historic kitchen and sample some hot apple cider. Spice up your season with a visit to Rutherford House.
Rutherford House
11153 Saskatchewan Drive
Edmonton, Alberta,
CANADA, T6G 2S1
Phone: 780-427-3995;
Fax: 780-422-4288;
Date: December 14, 2008 - 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm
Admission Fees: $5 adult, $4/ senior & youth (7-17 yrs), $14/family, Children 6 years and under are FREE.
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"BRUDERHEIM SKATING PARTY"
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At the Arena. Skating, crafts, treats from Santa & more.
Lamont, Alberta,
CANADA, T0B 2R0
Phone: 780-895-2233;
www.lamontcounty.ca
countyinfo@lamontcounty.ca
Date: December 15, 2008
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"HANNA'S SKATE WITH SANTA"
Join Santa for fun and games at the Hanna Arena! If you don't like to skate, no worries, there are lots of things to do off the ice. Families are welcome! Free family event at the Hanna Arena. There will be hot chocolate, crafts, games and lots of fun.
Santa will stop in for a visit and skate.
The whole family is welcome to attend.
Hanna, Alberta,
CANADA, T0J 1P0
Phone: 403-854-4433;
Fax: 403-854-2772;
www.hanna.ca
admin@hanna.ca
Date: December 15, 2008 - Open: 1-3pm.
Cost: Free.
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"ICE SCULPTURES IN RED DEER"
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A Christmas card to the community from Parkland Nurseries and Garden Centre. Come out and view the various ice sculpture displays as well as other activities. An event you don't want to miss. Enjoy a "Country Christmas". Duration of display of Ice Sculptures is dependent on weather.
Red Deer, Alberta,
CANADA, T4N 5E2
Phone: 403-346-5613;
Fax: 403-346-4443;
www.parklandgarden.ca
info@parklandgc.ca
Start Date: December 15, 2008
End Date: January 15, 2009
Open: Call for hours of operation
Cost: Free - Donation to Red Deer Food Bank appreciated.
"Call Out" for Bissell Centre
SOME CHILDREN NEED MORE THAN PRESENTS DURING THE HOLIDAYS
The Bissell Centre strives to share joy during this time of need. They need new toys for young kids as well as for kids who are 12-18 ...who tend to be the hardest to get donations for.
An easy way to give is with the click of a mouse through their Giving Program, including delivery of your gift to the Centre. It's as easy to give as a 'Click of the Mouse"
If you have gently used items that you can donate they will accept them at The Dress Shop (see website for times to donate) .
Click the above image to see their Giving Program Christmas Catalogue.
Thank you for reading our eZine!
HOW TO PICK THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE!
If you are like us, we love the smell of a real Christmas tree and it is a family tradition for many families.
I was chatting with Brad Eshpeter, Superintendent of RedTail Landing Golf Club, who offered some tips to get the perfect tree. Some people prefer an artificial tree, but for those of you who love the look and smell of a real tree, here are some tips on how to pick the right one:
1. Make sure the tree is fresh. Hold a branch in your hands and pull towards you, most of the needles should stay attached.
2. Pick the tree up and drop it. Most of the needles should remain on the tree. If the ground gets showered with green needles it is not a good tree.
3. Smell the tree. The tree should have a nice fresh fragrance.
4. The tree should have a nice green color and the branches should be pliable and bend with ease.Look for tree farms or think about going out and cutting your own tree to ensure freshness.
Permits for cutting your own tree are $5.00 and they direct you to the areas that you can legally take trees from. So pack up the family...hunting for that tree that is going to make you holiday season perfect.
TRIVIA TO SHARE WITH THE KIDS...
Famous Trees
1. Rockefeller Centre Christmas Tree – The first Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center appeared in 1931 during the construction of the Rockefeller Center when construction workers decorated a small balsam fir tree with tin cans, paper chains and strings of cranberries. The world’s most famous tree tradition has continued since 1933, when a tree was adorned with 700 lights and place in front of the C. The lighting ceremony is now viewed from coast to coast. In 1966, Canada gave a tree to the US in honour of the Centennial of its Confederation and it was the first tree from outside the US.
2. Where can you find a 30 ft tree made of more than 250,000 tiny green blocks? LEGO LAND. And it is decorated with more than 240 ornaments and 100 candles. But warn your spouse not to undertake this project...it will take one person over a year to build, and you might need a bigger house for it. If you put together these 250,000 blocks, you would have the biggest LEGO Christmas tree in the world. The tree would measure nine metres, have a diameter of five metres and weigh 6,3 tons.
3.. Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree - In 1965 this tree captured hearts of 15.4 million viewers and is now world famous.
Charlie was sent to find a big aluminiate tree and came back with a scraggly little pine twig. He soon found out how the love he has transformed this twig into the symbol of what Christmas is really about.
GET YOUR OWN TREE: You can purchase an excellent replica of Charlie Brown's tree from Urban Outfitters, click here. OR, you can find the Charlie Brown Christmas Story Book and Tree Kit at Chapters Indigo. This irresistible kit includes a small, pathetic Charlie Brown Christmas tree, one red decorating bulb, Linus’s blanket to wrap around the tree’s roots, and a full-color mini edition of A Charlie Brown Christmas. OR, if you're crafty, you can create your own tree using the instructions given here.
4. Did you know that an estimated 80 million homes are lit up for the Holidays & 150 Million boxes of lights are bought each year, which is enough to go all the way around the earth 28 times?
FINDING SANTA
My son asked, “Does Santa sleep?”
"Why would you ask that?" I replied.
His response, “Well, I see him on TV, at the store and so many places I wondered if he sleeps.”
This time of year it is sometimes hard to explain to the little ones how every where they look they see Santa. And so we have found a few places you can share Santa with the little ones:
1. Letter from Santa – Send a letter to Santa from Canada Post. Get it in early and they will reply in the language in which it is written...even Brail. The address is: Santa Claus, North Pole, HOH OHO Canada
2. Your child can email Santa and get a certificate, letter or postcard back from Santa. Must be in by DECEMBER 14th. Click here
3. Email Santa and hear your email "go live". My suggestion is to have your kids with you, or send the email themselves, as it is very cool to hear this email. To send your email click here.
4. Things to Google – North Pole, Santa’s Workshop, Christmas, Elves...and any other key words to do with the Holidays.
5. Follow Santa’s Trail. Watch the video from Last’s year up until Christmas. Click here. The countdown has begun; kids can check this site out daily for updates from the North Pole and scroll the mouse over their town – very cool for kids. You could even make this a new family tradition or part of your Advent Calendar daily duties.
6. Get a Phone Call from Santa - Who has been naughty and who has been nice? By going to ChristmasDialer.com you may enter a telephone number and select from various messages. The first call is free, which is a great way to motivate your child to move on over to that good list. If you need a little more motivation, subsequent calls are just $1.00 each.
7. Santa himself doesn't make an appearance, but Elf Yourself, is still a fun and humorous online activity. Add pictures of up to 5 people...friends, family...to this ELF dance and watch yourself do the Charlston, Disco and more. It is FREE FOR EVERYONE...and after, you can send it as an eCard!
FABULOUS FINDS
This week we share one of our favorite places to take kids when the weather doesn't let them play outside. It’s time to start thinking about “what to do and plan over the Holidays”. We suggest visiting The Creative Kids Museum in Calgary.
The Creative Kids Museum, located at TELUS World of Science – Calgary, enhances children’s creativity and learning through hands-on discovery. This museum is a space that brings art-based learning opportunities to children of all ages, because art plays an important role in the development of a child’s tolerance, self-confidence and individuality. Through interactive exhibits children can, among other things, explore the different ways to make music in Sound and Music, stage a puppet show in the Theatre and draw or paint in Scribble Dee Dee. For visitor information or to learn more about the exhibits and programs please visit www.creativekidsmuseum.com or www.telusworldofscience.com.
On Boxing Day, your family can come see “Fly Me to The Moon”...a great way to explore place you’ve never been before. Click here for times and from December 17th – Jan 16th your kids can see artistry that used the ancient art of stone carving and...then they can give it a try.
Be sure to check out more on The Creative Kids Museum in our Fabulous Finds Creative Kids Museum |
WHAT TO DO WITH THE KIDS OVER THE HOLIDAYS
...That is a question you’ll be asking yourself. Plan to register early, lots of these camps fill up quickly. Be sure to tell them where you found out about them from
1. West Edmonton Mall Marine Life Camps: The kids will love to get close with the penguins, reptiles, sea turtles, sharks and sea lions.
Camps run from Dec 22, 23, 24 and Dec 29, 30, 31 and January 2 from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm daily. 4 days $150.00, 3 days $120.00 2 days $90.00 and 1 day for $50.00 For more information call 780.444.5320 or send a email to marinelife@westedmontonmall.com.
2. Calgary OutDoor Centre www.calgaryoutoorcentre.ca
403.220.5038
3. Calgary VRRI Recreation Centre
Register your kids for days of fun at the VRRI Winter Camp! Daily activities include gym, pool, craft and outdoor activities, plus creative and cooperative games. Sign up for a day or a week…Ages: 5 to 12 years
Before Care: 7:30 am – 9:00 am | $3.00/day
After Care: 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm | $3.00/day
Hot Lunch: $8.00/day
Cost: $31.00/dayDates: Dec. 22, 23, 29, 30 and 31
Times: 9:00 am – 4 pm3304 - 33rd Street NW
Calgary, AB
403.284.1121
www.vrri.org
4. Fort EdmontonPark
Pioneer Vacation for 6 –10 years old
www.edmonton.ca/ereg
5. Mill Woods Recreation Centre
Day Camps for ages 6-8 and 9-12
www.edmonton.ca/ereg
6. Valley Zoo
Junior Zookeeper for 7-11 years old
www.edmonton.ca/ereg
7. Snow Valley
Holiday ski and snowboard programs for ages 4 & 5 (ski) , 6-12 and 13-17
www.snowvalley.ab.ca
8. Rabbit Hill Snow Resort
3 days of ski/snowboard lessons and full day lift passes.
www.rabbithill.com
9. Sunridge Ski Area
3 lessons for ski/snowboarding.
www.sunridgeskiarea.com
10. Edmonton Ski Club
Ski and snowboard day camps for ages 7 and up.
www.edmontonskiclub.com
11. Servus Credit Union Place – St. Albert
One day multi activity programs for ages 6-12
www.playitup.org
12. Canada Olympic Park
Skiing or Snowboarding Camps. Ages 6-15
www.coda.ca
13. Village Square and Southland Leisure Centres
Preschool and child Holiday Days Camps
www.calgary.ca/recreation
14. Talisman Centre
Multi – Sport Camps for 6-9 yrs and 10-14 yrs. Fit kids – ½ day camp for 4-6yrs.
www.talismancentre.com
If you have any ideas or family traditions, tips or ideas that you would like to share with us, please email Sharon.
Enjoy everything this Holiday Season has to offer you and your family,
Seasons Greetings from all of us.
Mom, Fun Finder, Publisher
P.S. Our List is growing, but we learn more when we have more moms sharing, so if you loved this article, can you please pass it on to 3 of your favorite friends? They will receive great tips, affordable cool places to go, and they may even lose their Boring MOM Status when they sign up at www.MomsDadsandKids.com Thanks a million!