Plan for Christmas As a Tween/Teen

Looking for ways to get ready for Christmas? Well, this article gives ideas from planning gifts for your family to decorating your room, and everything in between! Let's get started!

Planning Gifts for Family and Friends

 * 1) Ask them what they want. It's helpful to know what they will actually want to receive when you're planning the gifts. It would be awful if you got them an extraordinary gift, but then they hate it and never use it![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 1.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Think about the items they want. Try to come up with ways to add a personal spin or a homemade touch to their present. For example, if they want a whiteboard, you could paint the rim of the whiteboard or cover it in pretty fabric, decorate it by fastening memorable photos to it with magnets, make homemade magnets for on the whiteboard, or come up with other customizations.[[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 2.jpg|center]]
 * 3) Come up with a plan for earning and saving money. You can't buy a gift with no money! If your parents don't give an allowance, look for change lying around on the ground in stores, at home, etc. Every penny counts![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 3.jpg|center]]
 * 4) Wrap the present. But, wrapping accessories cost money! Buy a Christmas gift bag with a little tissue paper as an easy fix. Dig in closets or in the attic (if you're allowed) to find wrapping paper. You could also use a friend's wrapping paper.[[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 4.jpg|center]]
 * 5) If nothing else, make an awesome card. You can do a lot more with homemade cards, fun to make, and also are cheap to make, using household items! Older people appreciate homemade cards more, and they'd love a long, sincere letter rather than a short, funny letter. For siblings or friends, consider their personality to find which type of card they want![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 5.jpg|center]]

Spreading Holiday Cheer to the Community

 * 1) Bake Christmas treats and hand them out in your neighborhood. Everyone loves classic Christmas cookies! You'll have fun baking them, too![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 6.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Talk to your parents about caroling with a group of family friends. Christmas songs is sure to brighten anybody's day![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 7.jpg|center]]
 * 3) Look around for service project opportunities and ways to give gifts to homeless shelters, orphanages, etc. There are kids just like us with no families or homes, and they deserve a Christmas just as much as we do![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 8.jpg|center]]

Planning your Christmas Outfit

 * 1) Look in your closet, and pull out things you like that are fitting for Christmas. Christmas only comes around once a year... take the opportunity to dress in a totally new outfit! Some of you boys might not understand, but it's important stuff! But, you don't need to spend money on a new outfit... it's more fun to get creative with your own wardrobe, and you should put your money towards more important things, like presents for the family![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 9.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Keep the cold weather in mind, if you live in a cold winter climate. You may have a beautiful red dress that you love, but if it's non-sleeved, you'll get sick, or get very cold. Layering is very helpful for this, and often it's very stylish, if done correctly! Find a cozy, pretty sweater for over a dress or shirt, or a long sleeved shirt for under.[[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 10.jpg|center]]
 * 3) Finish it off with Christmas accessories. Find festive earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet. This doesn't mean that they have to have a snowman or a candy cane, they could just be a Christmas color, or just match your Christmas outfit! Also consider adding a cute scarf and/or hat![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 11.jpg|center]]

Decorating Your Room for Christmas

 * 1) If possible, get a tree for your room. This would be if you already have one, or if money isn't a concern. Decorate it with lights and ornaments![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 12.jpg|center]]
 * 2) If you're saving money, consider making a string, paper, or felt tree on your wall. You could also use a combination of supplies that you have at home, too! Draw or make fake lights on the tree, and create a garland with string, pipe cleaners, or whatever you have. For the ornaments, you could glue pom pom balls onto the tree, or you could make homemade ornaments just like you would for a real tree, and "hang" them on the tree.[[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 13.jpg|center]]
 * 3) Buy or create holly to hang throughout the room. Line shelves with it, wrap it around your bed, lay it on your dresser, and line the outside of your door frame with it! Don't be afraid to put a ton of holly in your room![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 14.jpg|center]]
 * 4) If you have a stand-up light in your room, you could wrap it with holly, but you could also wrap it in red paper or string to create a spiral effect, like the north pole![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 15.jpg|center]]
 * 5) Make or buy a wreath for your door. You can buy them cheaply, but you can make them cheaper![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 16.jpg|center]]
 * 6) Create a "workshop" place, where you store all of your wrapping paper, bows, string, and presents. Especially if you own a desk in your room, this can become even more organized. You can get really creative with  how you make that look![[Image:Plan for Christmas As a Tween_Teen Step 17.jpg|center]]

Tips

 * Have lots of fun!
 * Don't buy everything that's on their list.
 * Look in the dryer -- many coins fall out of the pockets and end up in the dryer.
 * Make sure you wrap your presents in Christmas wrapping paper -- not birthday, wedding, baby shower, etc!

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