If your holiday celebration with your grandchildren is limited to a single day or even from far away, why not extend it with added endeavors, and make it even more memorable. To get closer to your grandchildren (with that holiday spirit of course), we recommend these fun activities.*

1. Share holiday storybooks.
Here’s a gift that’s better given before the holidays: storybooks. Family favorites are Mr. Willoughby’s Christmas Tree and Santa Mouse. Of course, you can’t go wrong with a special edition of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

For long-distance grandparents, these books can be shipped directly to the grandchildren. A Hallmark Recordable Book is another option. (All The Ways I Love You Recordable Book). Record the book before sending it off, or let your grandchild record it. A lasting record of those childish voices is a great gift for all.

2. Send a special family photograph.
Sharing vintage holiday photographs is another way to bring family members closer together. Periodically send your grandchildren pictures chosen from the family archives. Of course, you won’t want to part with your last copy of a photograph, but it’s easy to scan a photo and print a copy. Grandchildren especially like seeing photos of their own parents enjoying their childhood and special times!

You don’t have to be a long-distance grandparent to use this hint. Grandchildren love getting things in the mail, even if they live only blocks away.

3. Make a gingerbread mansion.
Making gingerbread houses with the grandkids is great fun, and it’s really easy now that there are kits. If you’re sending one to a grandchild who doesn’t live nearby, we recommend the pre-baked ones, as sending a kit that requires baking right before a holiday might send a stressed-out parent over the edge.

If you’d like to create something more lasting, there are gingerbread housecraft kits that use materials such as cardboard or clay. They are not as yummy, but they are a bit more durable, and easier to assemble.

4. Send cozy pajamas.
It’s a shame to wait to give children a gift of holiday pajamas. Give them early in the holiday season, and they will be able to enjoy them all winter. Also, they will be suitably garbed for those morning photographs. Footed pajamas are extra cozy. 

If your grandchildren aren’t nearby, order the pajamas online and have them sent directly to the grandkids. That creates another pleasurable experience–the delivery of a package!

5. Help out our fine-feathered friends.
The holidays are also a wonderful time to remember the other creatures that share our planet. Children enjoy decorating a tree to serve as a feeding station for wild birds.

If your grandchildren don’t live nearby, the Wild Birds Unlimited (http://www.wbu.com/) nature shops have bird feeders and bird food items for shipping. The knowledgeable staff whether dealing online or via the phone,  will be able to advise you about what type of feeders and food are appropriate for your grandchildren’s location.

6. Write a holiday poem.
A poem written especially for someone is one of the best gifts for giving and getting. If you’ve had experience writing poetry, you do not need any assistance. However, if you’re a novice, you can still write special poems for your grandchildren. What’s even more enjoyable is to write poems with your grandchildren. Create a tribute to a grandchild or create a poem with the “Holiday” theme in mind. If you’re a long-distance grandparent, you can mail or email your poem to faraway family members.

*Portions of article reprinted from: http://grandparents.about.com/od/celebrations/tp/Item_count-Cool-Christmas-Activities.htm