Reindeer Mix
So you’ve thought of you cookies for Santa, but have you left poor Donner and Blitzen out in the cold?
Don’t worry, with only days left until Rudolph’s big arrival, this is something that you can whip up in seconds.
Make a special “Reindeer Food Mix” with one cup of oats, one cup of barley, and two spoonfuls of gold glitter…just use what you have on hand. No need to purchase anything extra for this new tradition that will literally take minutes to make with the children.
It’s a secret recipe that comes straight from the North Pole, and is just what the reindeer need to fuel them for their evening of delivering gifts. On Christmas Eve, instruct your children to leave the mix on the driveway, front lawn, or any other spot where the reindeer might want to rest and enjoy a snack.
After the kids have gone to bed, clear most of the mix away, leaving just a few oats as evidence that the reindeer have made their visit, as well as some footprints for those of you that have gotten hit by the snow (Use a split dowel rod to make tiny reindeer hoof prints in the snow…how sneaky is that. 🙂
If the kids need something to keep them busy during the next few days, have them mix up a few extra baggies and attach this sweet note. Deliver them to neighbor friends, and everyone can join in the fun!
Sprinkle on your lawn at night.
In the moon, it will sparkle bright.
As Santa’s reindeer fly and roam
this wonderful treat will guide them to your home!
The Legend of Magical Reindeer Dust
It has once been said,
That right before you go to bed.
You should sprinkle magic reindeer food,
To quickly bring Santa and his brood.
For many years the legend has been told,
To boys and girls, both young and old,
Sprinkle the food throughout your yard,
Then finding your house won’t be so hard!
The reindeer can smell the food for 100 miles,
Just do not leave it in big piles!
After you do this you must go to sleep very fast,
So Santa and his reindeer will not pass!
Gasp…you don’t have gold glitter? Purple will do just fine.
What a GREAT idea! Granted, I don’t have kids yet, but still! I will file this idea away in my head because I know I would have LOVED this as a little girl!
This is SUCH a cute idea! I love it!! Thank you for posting…I can’t wait to try it with my daughter!
Carrie
Cute!! You did reindeer poo when our kids were little. Terrible I know!
Lisa Q
Thanks for the kind comment on my blog!
Never heard of this before! Creative!
Jen, you’re so right! There’s nothing like brothers! Also, just had to tell you, I felt LIKE YOU the other day!!! I walked out of Bath and Body Works with SIX bottles of scrumptious bubble bath for only $10.32 (or something like that, 10 something). I had one to exchange the scent of and then they were having buy 3 get two free and I had two gift cards!!! So fun!
I have been looking for peely coupons and also the little machines that spit the coupons out but I haven’t seen any yet. 🙁 I’ll keep looking. Kelly
Very cute idea. I’d use it if my kiddos still believed in Santa, now I can just leave receipts lying around amongst all the gifts as evidence of Santa’s visit. 🙂
Ok, this is just too cute! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
When we don’t have glitter, we use colored sugar sprinkles. It still gets that shiny look, and is not as harmful to the animals outdoors.
I’m so glad you posted this, because I left this off my “to-do” list. 🙂
Merry Christmas!!!
Jen, wanted to wish you and yours a wonderful & Happy Christmas this year! I thought of you today when I got a smokin' good deal at Walgreens & got a $10 coupon back. My item was FREE! Love that.
Looking forward to meeting you at Blissdom & sharing more blog fun with you next year!
Thanks for another great idea, the kids will love it. I can’t believe my 10 year old still believe, he has no idea!! Merry Christmas Jen.
What a great idea! I am sure the kids will love it. :o)
Thanks for posting the little poem and the legend…what a cute gift for dd’s littl friends!
Michelle Eichhorn
I just love all the traditions and ideas you have. I’m carefully filing them away for when we have little children.
And I really enjoyed chatting with your daughters about Carl yesterday!
You have some of the cutest traditions! You are making such wonderful memories for your children. laurie
What a fun idea… I totally would have done this when my boys were little.
LOVE IT! (printing out)
Cute and great idea! I am borrowing this one! 🙂 Wishing you and your family a wonderful and blessed Christmas! ~hugs, Rhonda 🙂
Wow. That sounds great. I’d never heard of doing that before.
Have a wonderful Christmas!
Rhonda
I love this idea and have made Reindeer Dust for many years. It’s a GREAT tradition (and fun to hand out to the neighbor kids too). This year when the 11 year old figured out the truth he asked who really had consumed the hot chocolate, cookies, etc. we’ve left in the past. Of course I ‘fessed up. But when he asked who had consumed the Reindeer Dust….well I told him thank goodness he and his brothers had never looked closely because I wasn’t going to go THAT far to keep the belief in Santa going! Have a wonderful CHRISTmas!
What a fun idea! I love it! My son would think that was great.
just stopping by to wish you a very merry Christmas!
blessings,
Melissa
Merry Christmas Jen! Love this idea.
Hugs,
Liz
I love Christmas…..but I especially love Santa and have always tried to make his visit so special. The rule in our house is “as long as you believe, he will continue to come”. My kids are 21 and 17 and we’ve never had “the talk” re: Santa…….sometimes I almost wonder if they even know the truth? HA! So, yes, there will be reindeer food out on our lawn 🙂
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!
Love the reindeer dust, plus the idea of using colored sugar too. We always have one small wrapped gift to open around bedtime christmas night. It often times is tiny, but means the most..kind of like Christ coming to us in the smallest form..
Happy New Year! -ann