Fun Frugal Family Christmas Tradition #8 – Talent Show
December 11, 2009 by Missy
Warning: I am starting with a personal memory, so if you just want the ideas, skip now to the bottom of the post.
This picture brings back a hilarious memory that completely depicts my kids at that particular time in our lives. This was taken at a family talent show. And yes, the only talent we could come up with involved my son’s addiction to swords associated with Star Wars. He even had my then two year old thinking she was his padawon learner who would faithfully follow him around the house with her hooded (pink) towel on her head trying to use the force on everything. So when I told them we needed to come up with a talent for a show at Grandma’s house, they plotted out a Star Wars fight scene complete with darkness and glowing swords, hooded towel costumes, using the force on each other, and the dramatic Star Wars theme music playing in the background. Talent, I tell you.
My point being, you don’t need to sing exceptionally or play a musical instrument without fault in order to enjoy some sort of talent show.
The audience (cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents) completed my kids Star Wars “talent” with clapping, laughing, and a huge dog pile. My kids LOVED it and on the way home started plotting out next year’s show. Bingo – TRADITION!
Here are some other ideas:
Have everyone come up with their own lip sync performance, complete with costumes and air guitars.
Blast some music and have a dance contest (or at least let each person have his/her time in the spotlight)
Read a well known story together letting each person take a turn or character.(The Grinch, or the Night Before Christmas come to mind) OR - turn the reading into a game by drawing out of a hat different styles by which the person must read his or her part. (opera singer, cowboy, robot)
Create memories!
Just don’t forget your camera so you can remember them!
What are your “talent show” ideas?
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Performing in front of siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins is such a great way to build confidence and self-esteem in kids. Our family hoots, hollers and cheers after every “performance,” whether it be a piano piece, a song, a dance, a recitation or whatever the cousin comes up with.
I liked your story, Very funny! What a great idea! I have great memories of talents shows in other settings than the home. It would be great to do this with family and close friends. I loved the “skits” people come up with. Always a hit!
This is a tradition at our home for Christmas Eve, following a fancy dinner. We keep it Christmas themed, though, and have had nose-flute duets, lip synch, poetry, singing, guitar solos … always with some caroling and a visit from Santa. It has been one of my favorite “new” traditions as my siblings and I are now more grown up and not as interested in acting out the nativity. The little ones get involved too, of course. It fits everyone.
OMG my brother and I used to do things like this!! We were only 13 months apart – my girls are 8 years apart, so they never did anything like this!
Thanks for the memories!
~TidyMom
Thanks!!! I’m looking for some fun (and definitely frugal) Christmas traditions to start with my little girls. Love this stuff!!!