Oklahoma City family fun can be surprisingly festive.
"Where are we going again?" my oldest son asked me. Sam is 10 and he's starting to apply new facts against what he already knows. We're getting to the age of skepticism, those pre-teen years.
"Artsy Rose Academy," I answered. I could guess at what was coming next.
"Is that a place for girls?" he stared at me suspiciously.
I assured him it's an art studio where children of both genders do arts and crafts projects. There wouldn't necessarily be flowers, unicorns or an excessive amount of the color pink, which would apparently be a total shock to our household of three boys. We're expecting a fourth baby this spring and I'm not finding out the gender because I can't deal with five months of similar questions.
Sam embraced the idea of going to try the academy immediately since, you know, it wouldn't be too girly or anything.
We joined Kimberly Scott, the owner and lead teacher, for a holiday craft session.
Here are three reasons to enroll in an Artsy Rose class before Christmas:
Create a handmade gift: Grandparents and other relatives oftentimes already have what they want and what they need. Finding a gift that's different and 
somehow meaningful gets to be a challenge. Your child can create something unique that grandma is more likely to hold onto than, say, another pair of slippers
this year. I thought about the possibility of grandparent gifts before we went to the class but what surprised me once we were there was the fact that Isaac, age 5, and Sam both wanted to give the gifts they made to their Dad. They waited up to greet him and it was really just beautiful to stand back and watch that, the perfect start to the holiday season. I also have to say that I loved the fact that the mess stays behind. My younger children were amazed that paint dribbling onto a tablecloth wasn't the end of the world at Artsy Rose. I can't say the same for our dining room table.
Make a memory: Children are more likely to remember activities if there's a physical component, a hands-on way to do something. I really want my children to remember this season, the Christmas they were 10, 5 and 2, when we were a family of five before becoming a family of six. We've tried painting projects before but they didn't go well enough to create something I would really consider a gift. The attention span and skill level required just isn't there for the age span we have. A lot of the time, if Sam can do it, Isaac can't, much less Gabriel, our toddler. Or it happens that if Isaac can do it, Sam is bored. This wasn't like that. They painted a Christmas frame and decorated a glass ornament. Pre-drawn canvases are also available if older children want to create a wallhanging.
Emphasize the arts: My kindergartner doesn't have art class. There is no art teacher at his school. I don't want him to miss out so we take instruction and do projects where we can. Artsy Rose is a space just for that. Kimberly has more than 15 years of experience and is a full-time public school art teacher just down the street from her own business. That approach, the patient one that not every teacher has, stands out. Instead of rushing us through craft time, she led each child at his own pace. She explained that her employees are all college-educated, most with degrees in related disciplines. If you're not sure how to take on art at home, there are classes as an after-school activity too.
As soon as we got to the car, Sam summed it up: "I loved that! When can we go back? We have to do a Kid Review about that place!"
I was happy he wanted to share the experience.
If you're interested in a Monday evening class at Artsy Rose, they are hosted this holiday season on Nov. 20 and 27, Dec. 4 and 11. Wednesdays are an option as well.
Click here for all Artsy Rose has to offer.
Watching my children create their gifts and give them to their Dad was just what we needed to start off this holiday season. I hope it is for you too!
