Christmas Season

I am trying something new with the kids this Christmas season, in light of reading various blogs and talking with friends (thanks, Marjie!). I am trying to celebrate Advent.

Growing up, we did not generally have an advent calendar or do any activities associated with advent. I think we once had one of those boxes with the cut-outs that has chocolates behind each date...but I could be wrong. Anyway, I thought it sounded like fun, and after reading the different things people were doing with it, I thought, "hey, I can do that!"

We aren't doing anything fancy, and we're not giving gifts like some do for advent. That would have required more than that the 1.5 hours of planning that went into this project. I kept it simple, just making one small activity or fun thing each day...a little something for the kids to look forward to and a concentrated effort to spend time as a family.

Since we started yesterday, December 3, I labeled slips of paper that I stapled shut starting with "3" and ending at "25" when Christmas arrives. The little slips of paper are in a very un-fancy cookie tin on our table, but next year I hope to take more than a couple of hours from my school day for planning and actually wrap things and activity explanation in little boxes. It just wasn't happenin' this year.

Here is our list...if you see Connor, keep it quiet! Every day is a surprise. Grant totally doesn't get it, but will get in on some of the fun with us.

December 3
Watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and make a Christmas Chain



December 4
Wrap Gifts for teachers to put under the tree and gifts from the Gingerbread Shoppe



December 5
Get picked up from Kindergarten—no Kids’ Country in the afternoon…then have a sleepover at Grandma’s!



December 6
Go See Christmas In the Park

December 7
Watch a Christmas movie and eat popcorn


December 8
Pick out a gift to give off the Angel Tree at Wal-Mart

December 9
Craft: Create Christmas cards for your teachers


December 10
Read Christmas stories


December 11
Make Christmas cookies for sharing


December 12
Go see Christmas lights


December 13
Go see Mr. Stinky Feet’s Christmas concert at Crown Center


December 14
Bake blueberry loaves for your teachers, wrap them up to take
the next day


December 15
Watch “I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown” on TV


December 16
Bake Christmas cookies for sharing


December 17
Deliver Christmas cookies


December 18
Camp out in front of the Christmas tree and read Jesus’ Christmas story

December 19
Mom and Dad celebrate being married for 10 years! Special dinner


December 20
Trip to McDonald’s!

December 21
Go see Christmas lights


December 22
Sleepover at Grandma’s


December 23
Family game night


December 24
To Aunt Marsha’s to celebrate Christmas eve…you may open one of your gifts


December 25
Breakfast at Grandma Pam’s for Christmas day, spend the afternoon at Grandma Gayle’s