Stanley the Christmas Tree Blog

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 01:03:00 +0000

2013 Christmas Special

Stanley the Christmas Tree Book and Audio Book CD only $10.00 Postage to US addresses included.

visit www.stanleythechristmastree.com and click on the Buy button

Stanley's Christmas a book review

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:04:00 +0000

The following is a review by Don Blankenship:

Stanley the Christmas Tree, A Wish Come True by R. E. Hughes and illustrated by Anita Saunders is a wonderful little Christmas story that is certain to warm the hearts of all who read it.

Stanley is a small tree, growing with other trees on a Christmas tree farm and his dream is to be taken by a household with children, for as the other bigger trees are quick to point out, Stanley is certainly no large enough to be a tree chosen for a large city as the city tree. Stanley makes every effort to grow straight and tall and full so that a family will chose him as their special tree.

The day comes when the trees are harvested and Stanley finds himself in a Christmas tree lot. After being insulted, again, by other trees, Stanley is finally chosen by an older man and is on his way to his new home for Christmas. He is decorated, presents placed under his branches and his dreams seem to be coming true.

But alas, as with so many dreams and plans, much goes awry, and to make this review short, Stanley finds himself stripped of his decorations and in an alley with some rather sarcastic trash cans; and all of this before Christmas!

Despair? Well I should think so! Stanley has only one decoration left; a candy cane and wouldn’t you know it… a stray dog comes by and takes even that from our little tree, which was great for the dog, but rather a last slap on the face for Stanley.

Now I have a strict policy of never giving away spoilers in my reviews, but I will tell you that through a bit of luck, if luck you want to call it, (I personally think there was much more going on here, to be quite frank), all turns out well for Stanley and not only does he find a fine Christmas home, but helps and adds so much to several other lives, which is truly in the spirit of Christmas, when you really think about it.

This is a lovely little Christmas story and is quite well written. The art work by Anita Saunders drifts between reality and whimsy and is very well done. The entries book is professionally produced and is of good quality and even though it is paperback, it should hold up well over the years. The print quality and quality of the paper used is the best.

It should be noted that there is a CD audio version of this book, ISBN 978-0-0820328-1-7 which is a wonderful reading of this story by Paul Mackenzie and includes some wonderful and original music by Maynad Williams, in addition to the reading.

This is a great read along book and it has been kid tested. I tried this one out, along with the CD on two different classes of second grade students just a few days ago, and they loved it. I even had one parent contact me the next day as to where they might get a copy as their child liked it so well. Being endorsed by kids is about as good an endorsement that you can get for a children’s book.

Check out the website, www.stanleythechristmastree.com or the publisher's website www.pennierich.com

Christmas Trees for everyone

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:23:00 +0000

When growing up, I watched my father take the worst tree on the lot and transform it into a perfect Christmas Tree. Adding branches, trimming, tweaking until all who saw it stood in awe.

On the other hand, my brother's daughter was always sick at Christmas. Every year it was a struggle to keep her well enough to join in the celebration. Then it was discovered she was allergic to the Christmas tree and wreaths.

On Christmas Eve they were off to find an artificial tree and actually found one that was pre-lit. After that, Christmas was a fun time for the family.

There are Christmas Tree Farms in every state and in most countries that celebrate Christmas, but for those, like my niece, who cannot have a real Christmas tree, there are pre-lit trees available.

Check out www.ChristmastownTrees.com They have some great deals on pre-lit trees and some other novel lighted decorations, including Snoopy on a Dog House, Motorcycle Santa, a 3' tall x 8' long lighted train (see picture above), and many others...

Tell them Stanley the Christmas Tree sent you....

Stanley still moving... 5 1/2 months to Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:32:00 +0000

Stanley is still selling. Nearly 100 degrees around the country, high 80's here in the mountains, which is very rare, and orders for Stanley the Christmas Tree, A Wish Come True are still coming in. Today we had an order for 3 books and one was going to a family who actually sits down and reads with their child... Amazing!!! So rare these days, but there are some parents and grandparents who care and take the time to actually talk to their children and grand children.

Hats off to you!!

Stanley is on special, along with the pre-orders for the audio books for PJ Nickels three new books... www.pennierich.com just click on the Specials button.

TV Interview

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:33:00 +0000

We are slowly getting the TV interviews sent in that RE did last Christmas Season.

Here is one from Denver... http://video.aol.com/video-detail/stanley-the-christmas-tree-a-wish-come-true/1563879557

Stanley goes to Africa

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:40:00 +0000

Stanley the Christmas Tree is on the way to Africa. Books and audio books will be shipped to Liberia for use in teaching reading, along with other books from PrP.

Stanley is alive and well

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:37:00 +0000

Well, it is nearly summer and Stanley is still getting reviews and write ups.

Here at Pennie Rich Publishing, we have released three new books by author PJ Nickels. As with Stanley the Christmas Tree, A Wish Come True, they each have an audio book narrated by Paul Mackenzie and have music by Maynard Williams.

They also have Lesson Guides, aligned to National Standards with components for reading, writing, math, geography and contain activities, puzzles, and many other things...

A Christian Lesson guide is being released for each project as well. They are designed for Home School teaching, Christian Schools, Sunday Schools and the like.

visit www.pennierich.com for more information.

Now that I have been able to access this blog, I plan to keep it up....

I am working on a sequel to Stanley's story... where his name came from, etc.

R. E. Hughes

Christmas Markets

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:44:00 +0000

Tis the season for Christmas markets. These seasonal markets are great places to not only find unique gifts, but to also expose your kids to different ethnic foods and cultures. An outing to one of these markets is fun for the whole family, so check out some of these great ones in your area:

Christkindlmarkt in Denver, CO
Nov 28 - Dec 23, 2008
The 8th annual Denver Christkindl Market will take place at downtown Denver’s Skyline Park at the 16th Street Mall and Arapahoe Street. This market will host vendors from Germany and other European countries, with traditional German food.

Christmas Market in Chicago, IL
Nov 27 - Dec 24, 2008
The Christkindlmarket Chicago is a popular German winter holiday event. In its 13th year, they will host almost one million guest to Daley Plaza.

Festival of Gingerbread in Fort Wayne, IN
Nov 28 - Dec 14, 2008
Held at The History Center the annual Festival of Gingerbread features hundreds of gingerbread creations, from those made by area grade school children to master bakers.

16th Annual Kristkindl Markt at Stone Hill Winery in Hermann, MO
Dec 13 - Dec 14, 2008
This is a traditional German Christmas market with crafts, entertainment, food and demonstrations.

Union Square & Columbus Circle Holiday Market New York City, NY
Nov 22 - Dec 24, 2008
Union Square Holiday Market: Nov 22 - Dec 24, 2008
Columbus Circle Holiday Market: Dec 3 - 24, 2008
These yearly markets are the perfect place for unique gifts.

German Christmas Market, Dayton Liederkranz-Turner in Dayton, OH
Dec 13 - Dec 14, 2008
Visit the Liederkranz for the annual celebration of the centuries old German Christmas market tradition that originated in Nuremburg, Germany. The Christmas Market will feature authentic German food, desserts, coffee and a Christmas Raffle.

Christkindlmarkt in Tulsa, OK
Dec 5 - Dec 7, 2008
Her the German-American Society of Tulsa (GAST) provides the annual presentation of this wonderful custom where St. Nikolaus will walk among the booths. Kitchener Christkindl Market

Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem, PA
Nov 24 - Dec 31, 2008
This Christkindlmarket is located in Bethlehem's historic downtown district. It is a heart warming holiday event for the whole family featuring live holiday music, great food, children's rides and old St. Nicholas.

Mifflinburg Christkindl Market in Mifflinburg, PA
Dec 11 - Dec 13, 2008
Come find unique handmade crafts, traditional Christkindl treats, and German Lebkuchen (Gingerbread) hearts.

German-Texan Heritage Society Christkindlmarkt in Austin, TX
Dec 9 - Dec 11, 2008
Enjoy live performances of traditional German Christmas music and songs throughout the day and a special visit by Sankt Nikolaus.

Old World Christmas Market in Elkhart, WI
Dec 5 - Dec 14, 2008
The Osthoff Resort's 11th annual traditional European Christmas Market features authentic gifts, toys, ornaments and food specialties from international and regional artisans.

Holiday Season Book Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:42:00 +0000

With the Christmas season in full swing, and purse strings particularly tight, many blogs and media sources are trying to make it easier for parents and teachers to buy quality books for their kids. The holiday season book reviews coming out now have been very kind to Stanley the Christmas Tree. Check out a blog review here at Books for Kids, and an Interview with Author R.E. Hughes on Blog Talk Radio.

Dear Santa Letters

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:43:00 +0000

Dear Santa letters are a time honored Christmas tradition in many households. They are your child’s opportunity to express their wants and hopes. Being able to express their ideas to someone other than family and friends can be an exciting experience for kids.

Encourage your kids to be creative and practice their good writing skills in their Dear Santa letters. You can download letter to Santa templates from Parents.com and BirthdayInABox.com to add a festive touch. Macy’s is also offering stationary down loads and will donate $1 to the Make-a-Wish Foundation for every letter received. So while your kids are expressing their good thoughts, they can also learn about helping others.

Christmas Printables

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:39:00 +0000

Christmas printables can be a huge help for any teacher. These templates allow you to simply print off an instant craft project for your students while also allowing their imaginations to work creatively.

Here are some great holiday craft printables:

Customized Christmas Cards

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:33:00 +0000

Creating customized Christmas cards is a great activity to do with your homeschooled children. Not only can it be a lesson in holiday spirit, but also in creativity.

It is great fun to make hand made Christmas cards, and now you can get that homemade effect with the help of the Internet. Here are some sites that are great for personalized Christmas cards:

Cards with Photos – Uploading your own pictures to create a card is fun, easy, and a great lesson on the way the Internet works. The Kodak Gallery, Moo.com, snapfish, and shutterfly all offer beautiful and affordable options.
Card Templates – You can find print out templates to work on at home from FamilyFun.com, Enchantedlearing.com, and Parents.com.

Send your customized Christmas cards to friends, family, and supporters of your homeschooling efforts. But don’t forget the postage, PhotoStamps are a great way to add a festive finishing touch.

Online Christmas Games

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:49:00 +0000

Online Christmas Games are a great way to ring in some holiday cheer, while helping your public school and homeschooled kids practice how to use the computer and mouse. There are tons of different kinds of games your children can play that will serve as fun learning tools.

A great way to practice using the mouse is a Christmas game where you need to move the mouse to get points. On PrimaryGames.com you can find several easy to play games where you have to aim your mouse just right to hit targets and get points. For educational online games, you can try some Christmas quizzes on MerryChristmas.com that test your knowledge of the holiday, or go to Funschool.com for word games.

Online Christmas games can be good learning tools and are fun for the whole family.

Teacher Discounts

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:28:00 +0000

It is no secret that educators do amazing and inspiring work, often for very little compensation. In these difficult economic times, and with Christmas right around the corner, many stores are offering teacher discounts and homeschooler rewards. For anyone on a budget, you might want to check these out:

Ann Taylor Loft – Loft Loves Teachers is partnering with DonorsChoose.org to help education professionals bring their program proposals to life. Lend support, sign up, and get 15% off of each purchase.

Staples – Teacher Rewards is a free program where, when you sign up, you will earn 2% back in rewards up to $15 per quarter when you spend $200 or more. You will get free delivery on all your phone and online orders, and much more.

A.C. Moore – Offers teacher discount cards to be use in-store on your purchases.

Michael’s – When you sign up to be a member of The Knack Faculty, you'll be get access to online educational projects, a monthly e-newsletter, special offers and promotion.

Lakeshore Learning Store – The Teacher’s Club gives you 15% in saving on hundreds of classroom items.

Fun Christmas Facts

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:51:00 +0000

We all love a bit of trivia, so what better than to share some fun Christmas facts with your classoorm, or homeschooled children and families. Teachers and parents can make flash cards with the history of Christmas and use them for a fun quiz show night.

Santa Claus – Also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, and Kris Kringle, the origin of Santa Claus begins in the 4th century. Saint Nicholas lived in what is now present day Turkey and was Bishop of Myra. Everyone thought of St. Nicholas as a generous man, and particularly devoted to children. After his death around 340 A.D. he was buried in Myra, and his generous ways inspired the gift giving of today.

Christmas Stockings – According to legend, in Myra where Saint Nicholas lived, a nobleman left his three young daughters without dowries. The generous St. Nicholas, went to help them, but wished to remain anonymous. So he threw three small pouches of gold coins down the chimney where they were caught by the stockings that the young women had hung by the fireplace to dry. This was then interpreted into the present day stockings filled with gifts.

Christmas Trees – Starting in 16th century Germany, fir trees were decorated indoors and out, with apples, roses, gilded candies, and colored paper. The popularity of the Christmas tree grew further in the Middle Ages, and continued to spread across the globe.

Mistletoe – Druid priests 200 years before the birth of Christ used this plant in their winter celebrations. They revered the plant because oddly enough it didn’t have roots, yet remained green during the cold months.

Candy Canes – During the 17th century, craftsmen created white sticks of candy in the shape of shepherds' crooks at the suggestion of the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The candy treats were given to children to keep them quiet during ceremonies. The candy cane's symbolism became that the color white represented Christ's purity, the color red the blood he shed, and the three red stripes the Holy Trinity.

Christmas Cards – The first form of Christmas card began in England when young boys practiced their writing skills by creating Christmas greetings for their parents. But it was in 1843 when the first commercial Christmas cards were commissioned by Sir Henry Cole who found himself too busy to send individual greetings so he got John Callcott Horsley to illustrate some for him.

Stanley the Christmas Tree Review

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:55:00 +0000

Stanley the Christmas Tree was just reviewed by Bobbi's Book Nook blog. Bobbi's Book Nook is a blog dedicated to reviewing the latest books out there. Many of the books reviewed on this blog can be found in libraries, making it a great place to go before heading out. Go check out our fantastic review and read up on what you should take out of the library on your next visit.

Family Tree Project

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:34:00 +0000

Christmas is about coming together and enjoying family. For this reason, it’s the perfect time of year to introduce a family tree project to your homeschooled kids.

A family tree is a literal diagram of your family history, dating back to as far as you have records. It can be small, with just your immediate family, or larger to include very distant ancestors. To get started with your homeschool family tree project try Genealogy.com for some preliminary background research on your family and tools to create a tree. If you can trace your family back to their immigration through Ellis Island, find them with a passenger search. Once you have gathered all your family information, print off a family fan chart from MarthaStewart.com, and you’re ready. Add family photos and a frame for a lasting centerpiece.

Learning about where you have come from, the accomplishments of those who came before you, and the love that bonds your family together, is an invaluable lesson. History can come alive once you can visualize it in a diagram.

Healthy Holiday Eating for Children

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:31:00 +0000

With Halloween around the corner, Thanksgiving right after, and Christmas soon following, it can be hard to get the whole family to eat right. Healthy holiday eating for children, and the whole family, is especially important to maintain during the festive upcoming months because good habits, once broken, are even harder to get back on track. Everyone likes to splurge a bit during the holidays, but here are a few tips to help you enjoy the holiday season without derailing your healthful eating habits:

Don’t go hungry – Too often people skip the other meals of the day when they know a big holiday dinner is coming. Try eating like you normally do, with a full breakfast, lunch, and snacks, not only will you be filling up on nutritious food, but you won’t be ravenous once your at the holiday table.

Bring a Dish – It is always polite to bring a dish when you’re invited over to someone else’s house. Why not make that dish a healthy one? This way you and your kids can fill up on food you know is healthy.

Host a Healthy Holiday Dinner – If you are the host, you control what food is served. Make your nutritious favorites, and you might even convert some of your friends and family to be healthy eaters too.

Eat Healthy First – There are plenty of healthy holiday foods. Try filling up on the steamed green beans and baked sweet potatoes first.

Don’t let bad habits come back to stay – If you find yourself at the holiday table, tempted to go off your healthy eating plan, you don’t have to be perfect. Just don’t throw up your hands and fall back on your old habits. Jump back into it, and eat healthfully for the next few days. Your one bad meal becomes insignificant in the big picture, but only if you don’t let those old bad habits come back for good.

Set an Example – Eat healthy during the holidays and serve your children the nutritious food at the table. If they see you’re leading, then they can follow your good habits.

The holidays are a time to celebrate friends and family, so enjoy. Focusing on the great family time can help take your mind off of scarfing down 10 cookies.

Homemade Christmas Tree Ornaments for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:15:00 +0000

Homemade Christmas tree ornaments for kids are a fun and personalized way to celebrate the holiday. Collecting ornaments over the years and buying new ones at the store is great, but sometimes it’s nice to make your own. It’s a great bonding experience for the whole family, and can specifically reflect the year’s milestones, hobbies, and your unique interests.

A homemade Christmas tree ornament is only limited by your imagination, so be creative. Non-edible ornament dough can be a pretty and fragrant addition to your tree. Try the different ornament dough recipes at Allrecipes.com and run wild with different shapes and endless decorating ideas, just don’t forget to put a whole in the top of each ornament for ribbon to hang. For great ideas that won’t break the bank, try some of the crafts at AllFreeCrafts.com, were your everyday household items can suddenly become beautiful decorations. A Q-tip snowflake or homemade snow globe are festive touches.

Homemade ornaments are uniquely yours. Your kids will find a sense of great accomplishment at having created them, and decorated the Christmas tree themselves.

Sick Day Movies for Children

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:05:00 +0000

Everyone hates being sick. Sick day movies for children can be just the pick-me-up they need to relax and feel better. Sometimes, there is no better remedy than to curl up on the couch, with a nice cup of hot tea and a good film. Here are some suggestions:

Monsters, Inc. (Rated G) – The odd couple of the monster world, Sully and Mike are two friends who reform their lives of scaring children. In the end, it’s really the monsters that are the big scaredy-cats.

Shrek (Rated PG) – Any of the 3 movies are a great choice. Shrek the Third comes out on DVD Nov. 13th, so look out for this tale of friendship, acceptance, and self-confidence.

Finding Nemo (Rated G) – The tale of a little fish finding his way in the big world, overcoming obstacles, and making friends is a classic.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Rated PG) – This updated timeless classic is sure to have your kids laughing. A cup of hot chocolate can quench those candy cravings.

Harry Potter (Rated PG13) – With 5 movies out to choose from, these popular films will excite the imagination. Harry Potter is an unlikely hero, it’s thrilling to see him take on bullies and make new friends.

March of the Penguins (Rated G) – A riveting and groundbreaking documentary on the life of penguins, this movie is sure to entertain and educate.

Ratatouille (Rated G) – A lovable mouse with a passion for food, finds his way to Paris and doesn’t let anything stand in the way of his dreams of cooking.

Of course it’s very important to choose sick day movies for your kids wisely. Check out FilmRatings.com first for information on the content of the films you show, and go to The Internet Movie Database for even more fun ideas.

Fund Raising Events

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:22:00 +0000

Giving back is essential to furthering child literacy, education, and family values. Often times, for example, if money is needed to expand the school library or to institute an after-school reading club, the most effective way to fund raise is by getting people together in the same room at an event, rather than send out a mail campaign.

Effective fund raising events are usually tailored to the interests of your community. There are two significant ways to get people involved when they come to your event. One is to sell products such as cookie dough or auction off goods, with a portion of the proceeds going to your cause. Sites like JustFundrasing.com make it easy to get products tailored to your event that can be sold with a high margin of profitability. A second way to get people involved in giving is to offer an interesting activity at your event, such as a book signing or lecture on a hot topic. Pennie Rich Publishing, is a Monte Vista, Colorado, based company that offers their services and support for these kinds of fund raising efforts. They are the publisher of the Stanley the Christmas Tree book and audio book CD by local resident R. E. Hughes. R.E. Hughes can provide his services for book signings. Company founder Pennie Hughes, also has years of experience in education as a school principal, and can speak on a wide variety of topics concerning education, literacy, and the writing process at your event.

Holding a fund raising event is a fun and practical way for schools, communities, associations, and other programs to drum up support that makes their activities possible. It is essential to the success of fund raising events that the activities going on are interesting, enticing, and set the tone for patrons to give support.

Library Book Late Fees

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:20:00 +0000

Homeschool teachers can rack up a lot of library book late fees. While public libraries can be our best asset, providing free books, keeping track of your due dates can be a hassle and result in otherwise unnecessary costs.

Homeschooling on a budget is especially important these days. In the face of high oil prices and a struggling economy, the Elf system can be a great way to avoid library book late fees. This free service will send you email, text message, or RSS news feed alerts before your library materials are due. It also allows you to consolidate your family’s library loans and allows for real-time updates. The Elf system works with many libraries across the country, and you will need your library card number and PIN to set up an account.

Library book late fees can now be a thing of the past. Libraries are a great resource for homeschool curriculums, teaching materials, and support, so take advantage without any worries.

Christmas Traditions for Children

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:56:00 +0000

Celebrating time honored Christmas traditions, while creating some of your own, can get your children more involved in the holiday. Christmas traditions for children can be new or old. Because these rituals and lessons are passed down from one generation to the next, they can be new ones you start for your family, or they can be old family staples.

Creating a new Christmas tradition for your children can be a great way to get them to understand the meaning of family and the holidays. It can also give you the chance to customize experiences for the tastes of your child. One great place to start for ideas is eHow.com. Here you can find all kinds of how-to guides for everything from Christmas cards to how to celebrate Christmas all year long.

Once you start thinking about all the different Christmas traditions for children, you can add your own creative touch and keep it going for years to come.

Stanley The Christmas Tree’s Lesson

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:52:00 +0000

In this day and age, the lives of our children seem more complex than ever. Childhood bullying has taken on a new form with advances in technology, and the media more than ever can bombard kids with images and stereotypes of how they should be or look. Stanley the Christmas Tree’s lesson is focused on staying true to yourself, being self confident, and following your dreams.

Stanley is a tree growing on a farm, with the dream he will find his way to a family to be the Christmas tree in their home. He is taken home by one family only to quickly find himself in an alley on Christmas Eve being teased by the trash cans. Stanley still does not give up hope, even though the lifelong dream he realized was taken from him suddenly. Stanley the Christmas Tree’s lesson is important for all ages. To persevere in the face of life’s disappointments and make something else good from them, to always know who you are inside, and not let anything get in the way of your dreams even if you are discouraged.

These are the life lessons we want to teach our children. Reading is just one great way to convey to your children this broader meaning. Literacy encourages an adventurous spirit like Stanley’s.

Welcome!

noreply@blogger.com (PJ Nickels and RE Hughes) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:47:00 +0000

Stanley the Christmas Tree is a book with a story of perseverance, holiday spirit, self confidence, and tradition. This blog is dedicated to being your resource for bringing these lessons into your own home for your children.

Stanley is a Christmas tree who had a lifelong wish that a “Special Family” would pick him to spend Christmas in their home. His dream seems lost when, on Christmas Eve, he finds himself standing in an alley with the Trash Can Family, instead of in a home decorated.

In this blog, you will find ways you can approach your children about what the holidays mean, and tips for teaching good values every day to your classroom and homeschooled children. Here you will find activities that can be aimed at building traditions such as decorating for the holidays, baking cookies, making candy, researching Christmas tree farms and other fun learning tools.