Countdown till Christmas - Part 1

The girls are SO excited about Christmas this year. We made an Advent calendar last year, that we use to countdown the days. Each morning, Allie takes the corresponding number off the calendar and finds a piece of candy and a special activity for the day.



So far, our Advent activities have been:
1 - Make a Snowman Centerpiece

2 - Color a Christmas Picture
3 - Pick out a Christmas Book at the Library
4 - Decorate the Christmas Tree
5 - Have Lunch with Santa
6 - Make a Christmas Craft (ornaments)
7 - Sing Christmas Songs
8 - Make a Christmas Craft (door hanger)
9 - Presents for the Grandparents
10 - Have a Special Christmas Lunch (pb&j Christmas Tree cut-outs)
11 - Christmas Cookies and Crafts with Chicago Friends

12 - Read and Watch "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
13 - Christmas Pancakes



Katie is less excited about the activities, and more excited with the tree, the decorative Christmas pillows and the Christmas stuffed animals that we have out. She loves pulling the ornaments off the tree and handing them out to each of us and then keeping some to play with herself. She also loves carrying the stuffed animals (or "baybays" as she calls them) around and making beds for them with our dish towels. Both girls also love playing with the Little People Nativity that Grandma and Grandpa M. gave them this year. It has opened up wonderful dialogue with Allie about Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the true meaning behind the holiday that she is so excited for.

As for Alex and I, our excitement for Christmas comes from watching and experiencing the magical-ness with our children. Many people ask Allie what she wants for Christmas and she kind of stares at them blankly. She knows she will get gifts on Christmas day, but we haven't introduced the idea of making a wish list and ASKING for certain things. For her, and for all of us, the true excitement of Christmas comes from the special moments we share as a family leading up to the day. Singing songs in the car, baking and decorating cookies together, reading Christmas stories, cuddling on the couch and watching a Christmas movie, and sometimes just staring at the pretty Christmas tree.


We're going to savor these days while we have them. Yet, even as our children grow and do start making wish lists, we want to keep the focus of Christmas about love and family, while always remembering the true meaning behind the holiday. If we do this, then hopefully our kids will grow up valuing the experiences we share and the memories we create together during the holiday season much more so than the gift-giving and receiving!