Myhomeideas.com has a list of "10 Cures for Cabin Fever" - ideas for those spending some intensive time with extended family over the holidays, or just lots of extra time with kids at home and off their regular schedule. There are a few duds, but others bear repeating:

Never underestimate the power of a talent show. It can be a great way to harness the energy of a cooped-up extended family and you might be surprised at the results.

Time capsules are a great activity for any times the family is together. It's basically a way of slightly formalizing how you'd like to remember your time together, and getting the elements in place - doing a funny family video, taking pictures of everyone, recording a story or two from family members (oldest / a recent "married in" member / youngest one who can carry through a narrative or answer questions) - can be a lot of fun as well as rewarding.

Next year's holiday tasks can be this year's holiday fun. Designing gift wrap or cards for use next year is a great idea. There must be other ways to get ahead of next year's holiday crunch!

ZRecs.com photo by stephendi, shared via Flickr.