Every meal is a challenge when you live with food allergies.

And no time of year exacerbates these troubles more than the holidays.

Eggnog? Not if eggs or milk trigger a reaction.

Stuffing? Only if it’s gluten- and wheat-free.

Cranberries? Sounds OK, but was that serving spoon just swimming in buttery mashed potatoes?

With a little thought and advanced planning, the holidays don’t have to be a daunting time for the millions of adults and children who suffer from food and environmental allergies.

Here are some tips to get you and your family through while keeping your spirits high.

THANKSGIVING
Plan ahead: Find out who is responsible for making what dish and have a conversation about ingredients and preparation before Turkey Day arrives. Suggest a few easy substitutions that could make the item agreeable for all.

The reality: If you aren’t absolutely certain what you are eating or how it was prepared, then come ready with your own food.

Even the slightest morsel from a baking sheet or serving utensil can trigger a severe allergic reaction. Some allergens, particularly peanuts, get more allergenic when they are baked.

Don’t feed the kids: If your child has allergies, make sure everyone knows it. T-shirts and wristbands can advertise an allergy. Teach older kids to refuse food unless you’ve approved it first. Ask everyone to wash their hands after eating.

Safety first: Always come prepared with necessary medications (epinephrine and a liquid antihistamine).

“It’s important to let people know how serious your allergies are,” Dr. Paul E. Dahlberg of Allergy and Asthma Consultants in York Township said. “Even a small amount can elicit a response. If the person is incapacitated, they need someone who can help them administer (medicine).”

HANUKKAH
Break tradition: Many of the foods typically served during the Jewish holiday can be made with safe ingredients.

Latkes can be made without egg and served with dairy-free sour cream.

Gluten- and allergen-free sufganyot (jelly doughnut) recipes can be easily found on the Internet.

Look for pareve: Pareve or parve food is made without meat or dairy and isn’t processed with heat on dairy or meat equipment.

Look for the labels from the Orthodox Union, the world’s largest kosher certification agency. OU means the products are pareve, and OU-D means they contain dairy.

If you have a milk allergy, steer clear of DE, which means the food was processed on shared dairy equipment lines.

However, it’s still important to read ingredient labels, especially if your allergy is severe.

Mint your own money: Make homemade gelt by melting down chocolate that is safe for your child. Enjoy Life chocolate chips are dairy-, soy- and gluten-free and made in a dedicated nut- and gluten-free bakery. Put it in coin moldings and wrap them with aluminum.

KWANZAA
Feast away: A karamu or African feast is held on the last day of Kwanzaa (Dec. 31).

Dishes such as jollof rice (most common ingredients are rice, tomatoes and tomato paste, onion, salt and red pepper), koki (an appetizer made from black-eyed peas) and yams can be enjoyed without worry or with easy substitution.

Don’t pass the peanuts: Peanut soup is popular but, for obvious reasons, should be avoided by people with peanut allergies. If you are planning on serving this dish, make your guests aware. Peanut allergies are one of the most dangerous, and some people can react to trace amounts or airborne allergens.

CHRISTMAS
Real or fake? According to the National Christmas Tree Association, a real tree typically doesn’t produce pollen in December.

But it can gather dust and mold and other things from being outside all year long — just the same as a boxed tree in your attic.

The NCTA recommends a good hose down, shake and air dry before it comes inside. Plus, you can find bleach recipes that will help stop mold spores from forming.

Smells of the season:
Candles and strongly fragranced items can cause reactions when they release their chemicals.

One solution is to make homemade items with vanilla, cinnamon or peppermint flavoring. Soy candles and beeswax candles are safer and less likely to trigger allergies.

Party favor:
If you are hosting a holiday party, do your guests a favor and identify all foods.

Amy Herwig of Party Belles in York suggests making a placecard to set with the dish naming the food and a list of ingredients on the back.

Another option Herwig recommends is to make a “cheat sheet” available at the front of a buffet for those with allergies to pick up and carry with them through the food line. It can be organized and color coded by allergy.

Hand-washing:
The easy solution
The easiest and most effective way to get rid of food allergens is to wash your hands with soap. Be sure to double check that the soap is free of wheat or milk — two common proteins used in beauty products. Research has shown that water and antibacterial hand sanitizer are not effective at removing allergens.

The Big 8
Eight foods account for 90 percent of all food allergies: milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat.

Resources:

The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network:
foodallergy.org

National Institute of Environmental Health Science: www.niehs.nih.gov

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: www.aaaai.org

National Christmas Tree Association: christmastree.org

Food Allergy Initiative: www.faiusa.org

U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases: www.niaid.nih.gov

The post Allergies at the holidays: Don’t let them get in the way of holiday festivities appeared first on YorkMama.com.

Today when I dropped Noah off at preschool, he cried.

Sobbed. Threw himself at me. Begged me to hold him. Wailed. “Don’t leave, Mommy, don’t leave! Stay and play with me!” (which sounds like “stay n pway wis me!”)

Bonnie, his teacher, said he threw temper tantrums a couple mornings last week, running from door to door in the room and crying for me. He settled down, obviously, but it took a while.

Guilt sucks.

I remember this happening with Sammy when she was about this age. And it happened occasionally at our sitter’s, too.

But man, is it hard to walk out the door.

How do you other mommies who work outside the home handle this? What do you do when the guilt gets you down? And do you ever feel like you’re ruining your kids for life?

The post Ugh — I knew this would happen appeared first on YorkMama.com.

“Remember to say, ‘Yes, sir,’” Benny, my 4-year-old, told me. “And bow, like this.” He bobbed, almost falling on his head.

“Got it,” I told him as I tightened my belt.

“Kung Fu Mama,” he giggled.

We walked into Dover Dragons, the Tae Kwon Do studio where my 7-year-old daughter, Emma, has been taking classes for about two years.

Now, it’s a family affair. My husband, Jon, signed up for adult classes a month ago, and just before that, Benny became a Lil’ Dragon.

I saw Emma’s confidence soar with each new belt she earned. My little princess could break wood with a single kick. She knew how to defend herself, and understood when it was appropriate to do so.

I saw joy personified as Benny sprinted across the mat. Of course, he fell over a moment later, but I have hope future classes might help with coordination.

I saw that Jon’s classes brought the word “workout” to a whole new level. Kicks, punches, yoga-like stretching, push-ups, sit-ups, sprinting and more. It’s intense.

And I was no longer content to sit on the bench.

“Remember,” Emma told me, “just do your best. Everyone will help you. Don’t be scared.”

“Got it,” I told her, smiling at how similar this was to my pep talk to her when she started. I remembered her flushed face and jumbled nerves. Now, my stomach was clenching.

Doubt flooded me. What was I doing here? I’ve never been athletic. Never been one to join in a sport. I almost turned around.

But then I saw Benny smiling at me from the bench. Jon already was on the mat. And Emma was beside me.

“Ready, Mama?” Emma asked. This was a Saturday family lesson, so we would take this class together. She grinned again, and I knew she loved being the one who knew what to do. I could see that she was proud of me, too.

So I swallowed my nerves, bowed with my daughter, stepped onto the mat, and practiced what I preached.

Beth Vrabel lives in West Manchester Township with her daughter, Emma, 7, and son, Benny, 4.

From our Facebook fan page

What we posted: Think back: What was the best gift you got as a child, the one that kept you up all night with your fingers crossed that Santa (or Mom and Dad) got the message?

What you posted:

Erica Hamilton: Rub-a-Dub Dolly! I was so bummed when Santa didn’t bring it. Then my grandma came over later in the day and brought it! There’s a picture of me with my mouth wide open in happy surprise!

Alexandra Knaub: There were these dolls that, when you made their cheek wet, showed a kiss. When you opened the box there was the possibility that a note would be in there telling you that your doll had a twin. I wanted the doll AND a twin so bad and thought I would die when I found her under the wrapping paper and then saw the twin card!!

Kathleen Cunningham Smith: April Showers! She was a doll that came with her own tub/shower and you could use real water. Then, of course, she would go to the bathroom and you had to change her diaper. Oh, and a play kitchen!

Megan Erickson: Easy Bake Oven! LOVED that thing!! It seriously made awesome chocolate cake.

Michelle Beck: My Cabbage Patch babies. They were always my favorite, but I also looked forward to all of my Rainbow Brite stuff, too.

Become a fan of SmartMamaPA.com on Facebook and follow us @smartmamapa on Twitter, too!

The post Smart Mama: Kung Fu Mama appeared first on YorkMama.com.

By KATY CARPENTER for Smart

Thanks to some new rules and regulations, your credit card bill has a lot more to say these days.

Are you listening?

The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 — aka the Credit CARD Act — took effect in stages this year, with the final changes becoming law in August.

Kristen Garrett, spokeswoman for the nonprofit Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Harrisburg and York, says the act offers more protections and disclosures for the consumer.

However, she said, “it is still up to the consumers to educate themselves.”

But, Garrett warned, “All of these changes don’t mean that people don’t have to pay their bills on time.”

With Garrett’s advice as well as information from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, we’ve prepared this sample revamped bill to help you understand what’s changed.

More notice
Your bill must be mailed or delivered at least 21 days (up from 14 days) before your payment is due.

In due time
Your due date will be the same date each month. “If your credit card payment is due on the 17th of the month, it will always be due on the 17th of the month,” Garrett said.

Your company must accept payments made by 5 p.m. (up from noon) on the due date. If your payment due date is on a weekend or holiday, you’ll have until 5 p.m. the following business day to pay.

Fair warning
Bills must disclose the amount of a potential late fee and the date it would be charged. Plus, it must include a notice that one or more late payments can trigger an increase in your interest rate, and it must show the penalty rate.

Reality check
Your bill now must tell you how long it will take to pay off your balance by making only minimum payments. Plus, it must show what your monthly payment would be in order to pay off your balance in three years. “This is going to be a real wake-up call for a lot of consumers,” Garrett said.

Rate rights
If your company ups your APR, it must give you 45 days’ notice (up from 15 days) in writing (with few exceptions). Plus, it must re-evaluate that rate increase every six months, and if appropriate, it must reduce your rate within 45 days of the evaluation.

You must also get 45 days’ notice if the company is changing certain fees (i.e. annual, cash advance and late fees) or other major terms.

In all of these cases, the company must give you the option to cancel the card before the changes take effect.

The key here, Garrett said, is to make sure that you open and read all of your mail from your credit card companies.

“If you don’t read it, it’s not going to help you,” she said.

Add it up
Your bill must include how much you’ve paid in interest and fees so far this year. If these totals startle you, Garrett hopes it can motivate you to pay off your balance as quickly as possible: “Look at this and think, ‘What else could I have done with that money?’ ”

GOOD TO KNOW
Some highlights from the Credit CARD Act:

For newbies
Your interest rate on a new account can’t increase for the first 12 months (with a few exceptions). If your company does hike your rate after year one, the new rate will apply only to new charges.

Under 21? You’ll need to show you can handle making payments or you’ll need a cosigner to open an account. If you have a card with a cosigner and want to increase your limit, your cosigner must agree in writing.

The goal here, Garrett said, is for fewer young adults to face the double whammy of student loan AND credit card debt.

Know your limits
Your company can’t charge fees for making a purchase that would put your account over its credit limit unless you “opt in” (agree) for the company to process over-the-limit transactions and charge a fee.

If you do opt in — Garrett strongly advises against this, by the way — an over-the-limit fee can be imposed only once during the billing cycle when you exceeded the limit, not for each transaction that exceeds the credit limit. And if you remain over your limit but don’t make any more transactions, another fee can be charged only once during each of the next two billing cycles.

Fee control
Your company can’t charge you inactivity fees (i.e. for not using your card).

Your credit card company can’t charge a late-payment fee that is greater than your minimum payment. So, if your minimum payment is $20, your late payment fee can’t be more than $20.

Similarly, if you exceed your credit limit by $5, you can’t be charged an over-the-limit fee of more than $5.

Payments
If you make more than the minimum payment on your bill, your company must apply the extra to the balance with the highest interest rate.

If you’re late making your payment, your company can’t charge you a fee of more than $25 unless:
1. One of your last six payments was late, in which case your fee may be up to $35.

2. Your credit card company can show that the costs it incurs as a result of late payments justify a higher fee.

SMART TIP
Having trouble making payments? On the back of your monthly statement, you will now find the number for a reputable, nonprofit debt-relief agency.

The post Paying with plastic? Understand your credit card statement appeared first on YorkMama.com.

Check out the coy smile from Amelia Burkey, born July 24. It's her mama's reward for all her hard work.

By LAURA BURKEY Smart Mama

I’m a first-time mom.

My daughter, Amelia — Mia for short — was born during a record-breaking heat wave July 24.

I returned to work when she was 10 weeks old. Now, I’m a sleep-deprived full-time editor stumbling through meetings and production deadlines on a weekly basis.

But Amelia is still my real boss. She determines when I sleep, eat and bathe.

I’ve even forgotten to shower for three days in a row.

I don’t wear much makeup to work, although it would help to hide the ever-growing bags under my eyes.

And I admit that I’m still wearing my maternity pants, complete with the full stomach panel.

Sour-smelling spit-up adorns my shoulders most days, reminding me of my new profession.

At home, dismantled baby bottles now fill the drying rack, where wine glasses once sat.

And those pleading eyes on our beagle, Lucy, look even more forlorn as laps to snuggle on are few and far between.

My husband, Brent, and I thought we had the 411 on our newest addition. We took the classes — infant CPR, baby massage, breastfeeding, labor — and we fixed up the nursery, complete with a hanging monkey decal.

And now that she’s here, all of the advice has flown out the window with my mascara. It’s now Amelia’s world, and I’m just along for the ride.

My goal in life? To keep her happy.

I spend hours rocking, feeding, shushing, playing, diapering. I run through the gamut of what-could-it-be when tears spill from her hazel eyes.

And I finally receive my paycheck when a coy little smile spreads across her face.

Because we both know who is really in charge.

Entertainment editor Laura Burkey is mom to 4-month-old Amelia and 5-year-old beagle Lucy.

From our Facebook fan page

What we posted: What’s your favorite holiday movie? For me, it’s “Love Actually.” For my children, “Home Alone.” — Beth

What you posted:

Carol Shafer: “Christmas Vacation”

Ellen Brenneman Feldman : Hubby and daughter: “Elf,” myself: I love “Miracle on 34th Street” and “The Polar Express”
Towanda Lorenz: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”

Sherri Barley: “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Christmas Vacation,” Miracle on 34th Street”! Love them all!

Deslynn Ropp: I would have to go with “Polar Express” and “Christmas Vacation”!

Become a fan of SmartMamaPA.com on Facebook and follow us @smartmamapa on Twitter, too!

The post Smart Mama: Who’s the (real) boss? appeared first on YorkMama.com.

Beyond the feasts of food, hectic schedules and family visits, you’ll know the holidays have arrived when you find yourself standing knee-deep in a room filled with crumpled wrapping paper.

Americans throw away 83 million tons of paper trash, including tissue paper and cardboard boxes, according to an Environmental Protection Agency study in 2007. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the amount of household garbage in the U.S. increases by 25 percent, the EPA’s website states.

If everyone wrapped three holiday gifts with recycled or reused materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields, according to a Use Less Stuff Report published in 1996.

If every family reused just 2 feet of holiday ribbon, the saved ribbon (38,000 miles) could tie a bow around the entire planet, the ULS Report states.

While there are some options for 100 percent recycled wrapping paper, you can likely wrap all of the gifts on your list with materials you already have in your home.

Choosing the right eco-friendly options can personalize your gift in a way that mass-produced store-bought gift wrap can’t match.

Here are some ideas for wrapping gifts the Earth-friendly way.

For travel lovers:

Use a map from a summer -vacation or favorite location to wrap the present. Or pick up some extra maps from your local AAA location. Make a gift tag with some ephemera, such as a brochure, ticket stub or postcard from a recent trip.

For nature lovers:

Incorporate some natural elements such as pine cones, evergreen branches or holly. We used pine cones along with dried sunflowers and sorghum from Roots Cut Flower Farm in Carlisle (for more search on localharvest.org). If you’re using fresh greens that will brown over time, be sure to wrap the present within a few days of giving it.

For eco-geeks:

Use a gift bag that can be -easily folded and used again. Or make your own recycled wrapping paper by using a paper bag or the pages from an old book, newspaper or -magazine. Add ribbon, dried flowers or a recycled-paper star to top it off. We used a lunch bag, crumpled to add texture, and dried straw flowers from Roots Cut Flower Farm.

For music lovers:

Print out sheet music from a website such as www.noelnoelnoel.com. Select a favorite song or a Christmas carol, and print it out on your home printer. Or use any sheet music you might have from the budding musician in your home.

To give the paper an antique look, boil a few cups of water and add a tea bag. Allow the tea bag to cool before handling, then brush it across the page like a paintbrush to get a marbled look.

For an even color application, allow the cup of tea to cool and pour into a jellyroll pan along with the sheet music pages. Allow to soak for about 30 -minutes, then remove the paper and lay flat to dry. To avoid wrinkles, secure the paper while it dries with an old towel and several books on top.

Top the gift with cardstock cut into the shape of a treble clef. Tie a ribbon strung with jingle bells around the gift to add an audible musical element.

For the prepster:

Use acrylic paint or rubber stamping ink on the end of a pencil eraser to stamp on polka dots.

Personalize the top of the gift by -adding a monogram of the recipient’s -initials. Use a word processing program to -create the monogram and then cut it into a circle.

Or cut card stock in the shape of the recipient’s first initial. Brush the cardstock with white craft glue and sprinkle with glitter. When the glue dries, shake off the excess glitter and use in place off a bow.

Throw a gift-wrapping party.

Invite some friends to hang out for a group wrapping party. Have everyone bring a light snack to share as well as wrapping supplies, such as gift bags, wrapping paper, tags and tape — and gifts to be wrapped, of course. Prepare the kitchen or dining room table with extra supplies, and be sure to keep any curious family members clear of the “wrapping zone” so no one’s surprises are spoiled.

Play some holiday music to inspire a festive mood and chat the night away while you all get your wrapping accomplished.

SMART TIPS

Wrap the top and bottom of a gift box separately so the box can be opened without tearing the paper to unwrap it. Then encourage the recipient to use the box.

Turn last year’s holiday cards into gift tags by cutting out a section of the card and gluing it to card stock.

Use just the right amount of wrapping paper by measuring first to avoid bulky corners. You’ll conserve paper and have crisp corners.

Use fabric ribbons instead of paper curling ribbon. It makes for a lovely presentation and gives you the satisfaction of opening something even if you’re not tearing the paper into shreds. Plus, fabric ribbons are much easier to untie and reuse.

ONLINE RESOURCES

The Use Less Stuff Report offers tips to help you trim your trash while trimming your tree with their list of “42 ways to trim your holiday wasteline” www.use-less-stuff.com

The Environmental Defense Fund gives advice to help shoppers spend their “greenbacks to make the world a greener place.” www.edf.org

Green American Today offers 10 tips on how to plan ahead and reduce your waste during the holidays.
www.greenamericatoday.org

The California Integrated Waste Management Board gives ideas on how to “deck the halls with less waste.”
www.calrecycle.ca.gov

The post Green your gift wrap appeared first on YorkMama.com.

Noah’s first day of preschool yesterday went swimmingly: no biting, no tantrums, plenty of lunch- and snack-eating.

Let’s talk about how much more worried I could have been yesterday, and why.

Our first try at finding new day care for Noah was to visit another in-home day care provider. She was nice; not Linda — not even close — but nice. And the hour we spent at her home talking with her wasn’t unpleasant.

But things started to stack up against her.

First, she wasn’t licensed. Which meant my ability to claim what I paid her for child care on my taxes was limited, if not nonexistent.

Second, she had an unneutered male dog who looked slightly malnourished and wasn’t vaccinated (and, according to this woman, had fleas she couldn’t seem to get rid of).

Third, she had gotten toys out for Noah and Sam to play with while we talked, and all of them were much too babyish. They were bored in fewer than 20 minutes.

Fourth, she didn’t have reliable transportation. Her SUV had been at some guy’s shop for two months, and he never fixed it, so they took it back and her husband was gonna work on it that weekend and it was probably the fuel pump but he wasn’t 100 percent sure so he was gonna just put one in and see if that fixed it, although he’d never put in a fuel pump before but it shouldn’t be that hard and in the meantime she hadn’t been out of the house in three weeks and boy, haha, was she starting to go a little stir-crazy, and if putting in the fuel pump didn’t work then they were gonna hafta shop around for another car but that could take a few weeks to find one, so she wasn’t sure if she’d have any transportation for at least a few more weeks.

Fifth, I ran the couple’s names through UJSPortal, an online, searchable database of Pennsylvania criminal records. I discovered she hadn’t filed taxes in two years, had a problem with repeated bad checks and had, for some unexplainable reason, gotten the same weird parking ticket four days in a row in 2008.

And then, the final ax: Her husband had been convicted of simple assault in 1991.

Ding-ding! Thanks for playing, folks.

The post Catastrophe avoided appeared first on YorkMama.com.

Vincent Dellinger, 6, wants his independence. His mama wants some piece of mind.

By SAMANTHA DELLINGER
Smart Mama

My 6-year-old son, Vincent, is growing faster than I like sometimes.

I will admit it’s nice that he can climb into his car seat and fasten the buckle.

He helps set the table at mealtime. And, if you can believe this, he keeps his room cleaner than his 17-year-old sister keeps hers.

But, along with his newfound grown-up responsibilities, he’s also requesting more independence. And it’s a little bittersweet.

“I want to walk home by myself,” Vincent announced to the family recently.

My immediate response was a flat “No.“

“Why?”

My next immediate response — and not a good one — was the “Because I said so” bit.

Vincent whined another “why” and turned toward his dad. That’s what kids do. If they don’t get the response they want from one parent, they move on to the other one.

“We’ll see,” William said.

I gave William my silent death stare.

Vincent flashed a smile and left the room.

I protested to William that there was no way we were letting our 6-year-old son walk several yards from the bus stop to our house alone. Of course, when I was about Vincent’s age I walked much farther on my own from school to home, but Vincent doesn’t need to know that.

“We can’t always protect him all the time,” William said.

“Why not?”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let him walk home alone,” he said.

When I came home from work the next night, Vincent greeted me with a big smile.

“Mom, I walked home from the bus by myself!” he said.

“You did?” Trying my best not to sound too aggravated.

“Yeah!”

“OK, well, go play,” I told him, thinking that I was going to find my husband and have a few choice words with him.
“How could you let Vincent walk home alone?” I asked William.

“I didn’t,” he said. “ I drove the car to the bus stop. I followed him in the car a couple of paces behind and let him walk to the house on his own.”

“Oh.” I said.

“See, I told you I wouldn’t let him walk home alone. And I should tell you, at one point he stopped and asked me which way to go.”

It turned out to be a good compromise for both son and mom.

Vincent got his independence, and I got my peace of mind back.

Samantha Dellinger is the graphic designer for Smart. For more Smart Mama columns, visit www.smartmamapa.com.

From our Facebook fan page

What we posted: What’s the best children’s cough medicine for kids? I gave my 7-year-old Delsum last night and it didn’t seem to help.

What you posted:

Staci Wise: Just a spoonful of honey (assuming the child is over 1 year) is the best thing we’ve found, as well as warm liquids like decaf tea with a little added honey. The honey coats their throats and helps with the coughing. A bonus is it tastes good, and you don’t have to worry about drug interactions or spacing dosing!

Megan Couch Southwel: Vicks VapoRub on feet and put socks over that.
Carol Shafer: Are they coughing because of postnasal drip? If so, you may want to try something that will dry up the nose or sinuses and use a humidifier in their bedroom. Oh, and also check the organic section in Giant. They have a good selection of organic teas for all sorts of cold symptoms. We love “throat coat” for sore throats

Shannon Faircloth: Honey! My son just got over a cough, and I was giving him cough medicine, and it wasn’t working. I gave him a teaspoon of honey and *poof* it stopped til a few hours later and then I just gave him more!

Become a fan of SmartMamaPA.com on Facebook and follow us @smartmamapa on Twitter, too!

The post A child’s independence vs. a mother’s piece of mind appeared first on YorkMama.com.

By JENNIFER VOGELSONG for Smart

These days, it’s hard enough to get the whole family together for an evening meal between basketball practice, music lessons and work functions.

A family portrait?

Well, that might challenge even the most expert event planner.

Not only do you have to get everyone at the same place at the same time, but you have to coordinate clothing, negotiate accessories and poses and make sure the little ones are well-fed and rested.

Still, there’s something about this time of year that pushes families large and small to pull their gang together and head to a local portrait studio.

“A lot of (our customers) are coming in because they haven’t gotten a photo together in a very long time,” said Joan Wilt, owner of Byron Wilt Photography in Paradise Township. “People have so many things going on in their lives these days that if they can get together as a family, they treasure that. It’s very sacred.”

While some families have fun dressing up in Santa hats and Christmas sweaters and heading to chain studios, others seek something more unique.

Carol Schintz said customers at Schintz Studio tend to go for a simpler, more timeless look for their holiday photos. “They’re thinking more long term because they are investing in the pictures.”

The studio is in an old house in downtown York. A fireplace and sled in the backyard are popular backdrops for -photos. The Schintzs have boxes wrapped as gifts that can be used as props, but Carol Schintz said fewer people are using such things. “We don’t throw in a lot of props unless they ask for it.”

Wilt said outdoor photos are -popular at their studio because of the nearby Conewago Creek — especially when snow begins to fall.

Some families will sit on a dune of white sand that simulates snow, Wilt said. Or they gather in front of an old barn hung with a holiday wreath or wagon wheel. “Our clients like the old-time -natural scenery look,” she said.

Wilt said despite the classic look of black-and-white photos, most families opt for color when they order holiday prints: “Color is vibrant, and when you see it, it makes you feel great.”

Ideas for themes:

Sleepover: Have everyone wear pajamas, and bring along blankets and pillows. Cuddle on the floor.

Ugly sweaters: Head to a thrift shop and pick up less-than-trendy attire for everyone. It could be a fun outing and cost less than pricey dress clothes for your family.

Act out: Have Mom and Dad don a “kerchief and cap.” Someone could dress up like Kris Kringle. Doll up the kids as elves. Put a bow on the baby.

Get sporty: Show your team love by having everyone dress in their favorite game-day attire. Warning: This might not be a good idea for families divided in their team loyalties.

Things to consider:

Location

Indoor portrait or outdoor shot?

Natural and authentic scenery or backdrop?

Holiday scene or something more timeless?

Props

Are there any personal items you want included in the shot?

Will they work with the overall feel you want for your photos?

Clothing

What will show your personality best?

Should everyone in the photo wear jeans or khakis? Do you want everyone in the same color shirts?

TIPS

Look at portraits you like and think about whether you want a formal shot or something more casual.

Consider poses that will show your family dynamic and personality.

Try on all clothing before the day of your photo shoot.

For large families, consider asking each immediate family to wear a different color shirt to create subgroups.

Think about the number, size and type of prints you want to get before you go to your appointment.

Source: www.searsportrait.com

A Q/A with a photo expert

Jason Plotkin, photographer for the York Daily Record/Sunday News and Smart, works with families each year to get adorable holiday photos.

He shares some of his tips for capturing moments that will last a lifetime:

What should you do when a child refuses to smile for the camera?

There are a few things you can do to help a child smile. First, don’t force it. If they don’t want to smile, they won’t. They’ll feel your stress, and if you get angry, it won’t work out.

Maybe schedule some extra time to get the child used to the situation. I like to have a photographer who my kids know to take our picture. Sometimes that familiarity can help relax a child.

Also, don’t be so strict about the kind of photo you want. Be flexible. If putting your child’s favorite stuffed octopus doesn’t fit in your idea of a holiday photo, don’t worry about it. If they are relaxed and happy, it will work out.

How to you handle reining in unruly family members?

Have multiple plans for family photos. Have some in your mind that you would like to take, but realize that others have their ideas, too. If there are a limited amount of poses you are allowed with the photographer, you could split the difference. If other family members are still being unruly, remind them this is about the family, not just them.

What’s your favorite part of shooting holiday photos?

I love the unpredictability of children. Some will smile, some won’t. I like the process. If a child seems uncomfortable at the beginning but eventually relaxes and has fun, it makes the end result that much better.

What elements make up a great holiday picture?

I think showing your personality makes up a fun holiday photo. I’ve photographed families who have come in with themes, and it stands out much more than a traditional “We will dress nicely and wear nice smiles.” Wear goofy hats. Have everyone dress in their favorite sports jerseys. Have the adults sit in a wagon and have the kids try to pull them. The real struggle and expression of a child trying to pull their mom or dad will be much more memorable.

What’s your favorite part about the holidays?

My wife, Melissa, is my favorite part of my holidays. Her enthusiasm is infectious. From decorating the tree to wrapping the presents, it’s the time of the year that really lights her up.

The post Snap into the holidays with family-themed photos appeared first on YorkMama.com.

It’s been almost a year since my Samantha lost her first baby tooth.

Since then, we’ve managed to finagle only one more out of her mouth — thanks to a little brother slamming his head into her by accident — even though she has at least four loose teeth.

She won’t wiggle them because she hates the feeling. And that obviously precludes our being allowed to wiggle them for her.

Even getting her first tooth out was a production. Here’s what happened early on the morning of Thanksgiving eve last year:

Sam and I got up, got dressed and tumbled out the door. When we got to the dentist’s office, Sam was antsy, trying unsuccessfully to distract herself by coloring.

When it was time, we went back to one of the chairs, her gums were numbed with rub-on anesthetic and an ice cube, and the dentist snuck the forceps up to her mouth without her being able to see them.

And then — YANK! — the tooth was out.

She didn’t like the blood. But oh, was she excited. “Look, Mom! Look how little my tooth is!” she said over and over. “It’s so cute! It’s just a baby! Aw! Look, Mom!”

She even made it to school on time.

That night, we prepared the tooth for its trip to Tooth Fairyland. We’d been reading books about the Tooth Fairy and losing teeth, and Sam was sure she knew just where her tooth was going to go. “Right to the Hall of Perfect Teeth,” she said confidently.

The tooth — or Toothie, as she named it — didn’t go under her pillow. As we’d read and talked about the Tooth Fairy, she’d clearly stated that she didn’t want a fairy coming into her room and poking around under her head as she slept. She wasn’t even totally OK with the idea of a magical flying creature coming into her room at night, but she at least agreed to put the tooth beside her bed.

So we put a cotton ball into the porcelain tooth-shaped box Nana bought her a few years ago. “It’s a good thing we lost the lid to this, Mom,” Sam said, “because the Tooth Fairy is way too little to lift it.” Then I pulled up Sam’s covers and went to kiss her goodnight.

“Wait!” she said. “Toothie looks cold.”

So she grabbed a tissue from her nightstand and covered up Toothie, leaving just the tip of it sticking out.

“OK,” I said. “Time to go to sleep. I love you.”

Kisses and hugs, then I went downstairs to watch some TV.

Twenty minutes later, there were footsteps on the stairs. Sam’s face, marked with tears, appeared.

“What’s wrong?” I said, already knowing where this was going.

“Mom,” she whispered, “I’m really going to miss my tooth.”

I beckoned her over to the couch and held her. When I suggested that she write a note to the Tooth Fairy to ask if she could leave her tooth behind, Sam nearly rocketed out of my arms.

“YEAH!” she said. “That’s a GREAT idea!”

We wrote the note together — on bright green paper so the Tooth Fairy couldn’t miss it — then Sam ran upstairs and put it on top of the tooth.

By then, she was wide-awake and needed time to decompress. During the next 20 minutes, she asked at random intervals: “Do you think the Tooth Fairy came yet?”

“No, Sam,” I said every time. “The Tooth Fairy is like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny; she only comes when you’re asleep.”

Finally, FINALLY, we both got to bed. I, however, had to write a reply from the Tooth Fairy — who has very curlicued handwriting, in case you’re wondering — and find a way to sneak it and the 50-cent piece up to her room as she stayed glued to my side.

One year later, the Tooth Fairy has made only that one return visit. A recent trip to the dentist yielded no concerns and brought only mild “you better get wiggling!” comments.

Yes, she better get wiggling. Because this Tooth Fairy is starting to feel a little rusty.

The post Confessions of a rusty Tooth Fairy appeared first on YorkMama.com.