Having children means that we have to be creative in trying to make their childhood memorable. It seems like each year we add onto our Christmas traditions and we have a full month jam packed full of fun things! Here is a list of all the things that we do in the month of December that make it so wonderful:
1) Advent box - we have an advent box with doors on it and every morning they wake up and get to open the door to find a treat in it (marshmellows, gingerbread men, pencils, etc.).
2) Advent - We do advent with my family each weekend (it is supposed to be on Sundays, but schedules prevent us from doing it then). This is one of my all time favorite Christmas traditions. We have a wreath, light a candle each week, sing Christmas songs, eat cookies and read stories. It is a wonderful way to bring your focus weekly onto the true meaning of Christmas.
3) Tree decorating - we love decorating our tree at night together and then having fresh baked cookies afterwards - they are required to be hot!!!
4) Christmas campout - we started this last year and it was a hit. We set up a tent in the living room, I read them Christmas stories, and then they get to fall asleep next to the beautiful Christmas tree.
5) Santa - No, we do not tell them Santa brings them presents, but we do take them to the mall to get their picture every year. Nichole and I actually started this tradition with Connor when he was a baby, so we always go together to see Santa. The girls love watching home videos of when they were all little and they screamed their heads off! We now go to Concord Mills and see that Santa so that we can ride the train afterwards.
6) The house with singing lights - there is a house in Lakepark that has the lights syncronized with music, so we always go and sit in the car and snuggle and watch the lights dance. (We do this one a couple of times)
7) Shoe boxes - our favorite way to kick off the holiday season.
8) Gifts for others - We make sure to go shopping for others (sometimes we have a family we buy for with our Sunday School class or we will donate to toys for tots). I want them to know that there are so many people that don't have much and they can make a difference.
9) Dollar Tree Shopping - We take the kids to the Dollar Tree a couple days before Christmas and let them shop for everyone in our family. I love watching them pick out what they think each other will want. (Especially the year that the girls bought each other the exact same thing in the exact same color). Then they come home and wrap everyone's gifts. Those are always the first ones they want to distribute and open.
10) Family Celebrations - we get together with my family Christmas Eve Night and with Matt's family on Christmas morning.
11) Jesus's Birthday Party - Christmas Day night we have cupcakes and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. I like to end the season with this, so that is the last thing they remember from all the events and the day's focus is off the presents for a while and solely on Jesus.
I am sure I am forgetting something! We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and take time to remember the true reason for the season!
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