To Advent or Not to Advent...

We've had this tradition.  From December 1st through the 24th we would celebrated Christmas with an advent calendar.  Growing up my bro and I got to pick a piece of chocolate off the calendar.  Then Hubs and I carried on that tradition before we had kids.

When the girls came, I didn't really want my 1 yr old to have chocolate everyday. (Boy, how things have changed!)  So we changed it to Christmas stickers.  One year I even made little sticker books so they wouldn't be flying around everywhere.  Still they were kind of a mess and the girls were tired of it by the 10th.

Last year, I got a wild and crazy idea.  We'd DO something Christmas-y everyday.  There were simple things like dancing to Christmas music and drinking hot chocolate.  Things that we would do anyway: baking cookies, delivering gifts to the neighbors.  And, of course, heading to Christmas Candy Lane to have a fun evening.  Well, it was interesting!  Often, I would need to go and change it due to scheduling conflict, weather, or just not having time.

As, I began to think about this year, I became overwhelmed!  With school and work it became almost impossible.  Guess, we're back to the chocolates!

Then, my daughter brought me one of her Christmas books.  It was and Advent book.  After looking through it, I decided it was what we were going to do.  Everyday has a Bible verse, a prayer, a flap to open and an advent activity.  However, the activities are very simple.  For example: discussing what in our lives could use some "smoothing".  Or, who could we visit or help out that might not have family. 

But, I also made our "bucket list" for the season. I'm excited about all the things we can do as a family! 

Bake Cookies 

Make Chocolate Gifts
Make & Take Cards to Great Grandma & friends
Address and Mail Cards
Light candles and enjoy the scent
Make Chex Mix 

Deliver Treats
Take a gift to Carter’s Corner in memory of Micah
Make a food donation 

act out the Christmas Story
Have a birthday party for Jesus
Make a Gingerbread house 

Make hot chocolate balls
Read a holiday book 

Make Wreath Ornaments
Read the Christmas Story 

Play carols on the piano
Make Cinnamon Ornaments 

Open a Gift
Go through bedrooms and donate 10 items ea
Watch a holiday movie 

Gifts for teachers & bus driver
Drink Cocoa & eat cookies by the fire 

Wrap Gifts

Should be fun!  Merry Christmas!