My Christmas Advent

I love the holiday season. It is such a magical month! Its the season of giving, caring, sharing, loving, and believing. To help my family remember the reason for the season I've put together an advent calendar to help us celebrate everyday.

My idea is each morning or evening they can take turns opening that days "to do" advent. I also have put a piece of candy in each day.

Here is our list of mini adventures for this special month:

Bake and decorate cookies
Paint an ornament

Drink hot cocoa and read Polar Express

Play secret Santa, and do something nice for someone

Read the story of baby Jesus in Luke, and act out Nativity

Watch the movie, The Nativity

Play a Christmas game

Watch your favorite Christmas movie

Decorate the Christmas tree

Go look at lights in the neighborhood

Go to the temple to see the lights and the nativity

Sing Christmas songs

Make tags to go on presents

Wrap presents

Have breakfast for dinner

Have a picnic dinner

Play in the snow

Christmas church party

Make someone a gift (sibling, grandparent, teacher...)

Christmas shopping

Deliver goodies to neighbors

Sleep under the Christmas tree

Put out cookies and a carrot for Rudolf

What is your favorite thing to do this month?

Tinsel Town

i know its a little early to be getting ready for christmas. i am sure that by the time it actually rolls around i will be so ready for it to just be over. kinda like how i feel about all the holidays. its just so fun to decorate though, i cant help myself. this year i am hosting a progressive dinner for a bunch of women in early december and since we will be gone the two weekends before, i feel totally justified to start setting up the tree even before thanksgiving.

i've always wanted to make a little christmas village like this one. i just made it out of milk cartons that i have been saving for the past several months. and then put twinkle lights inside. super easy. it was fun to be a little creative, its my stress outlet.

i am making advent calendars this year for family gifts, for my family. i want to put in all the holiday traditions, like looking at lights, reading polar express and drinking hot cocoa, and building a gingerbread house. on some days i think i will just put in chocolates, i am sure some days will be to busy for an extra thing to do. but i need a few more ideas. whats your favorite holiday tradition?