Saturday, December 1, 2012

31 Days of Christmas



Reflecting on Christmas seasons of years past...

Each year, when December rolls around, I have many thoughts and plans of how I want to spend the Christmas season. And each year, when I wake-up on January 1st and reflect on the holiday, I realize that my time wasn't spent doing as many of the quality family things that I wanted to do. There was certainly quantity (hustle and bustle) but not enough quality.

This year will be different.

I want to wake-up on January 1st, 2013 with the feeling that I was my best this Christmas season. I want to feel like I spent my time doing quality things with my family instead of feeling like I need to recuperate from the hustle and bustle.


How does this shabbytrashycrafty Advent Calendar have anything to do with spending the Christmas season filled with quality family time?
...
Our advent calendar is filled with activities that we thought would give us quality time together ~ making the most of each day~ in the true spirit of Christmas.

Here is what we have on our calendar... We printed a few extra 'just in case'. The cards were put inside one of the containers and some of the them have a Hershey's Kiss inside. 


Make a chain to count down the days to Christmas.
Learn about the Christmas Angel Tree and buy a gift to donate.
Have a pajama party and watch a   Christmas movie while snuggled on the couch in Daddy’s blanket. Snuggle with Mommy and Daddy.
Roast marshmallows and sing Christmas songs while wrapped up in Daddy’s blanket by the chimnea.
Make cards for your Pre-school teachers.

Pick-up Grandma and drive around to look at Christmas lights. Everyone should wear their pajamas and bring a snuggly blanket to cuddle. We’ll bring hot (warm) cocoa to drink!
Call 1 family member and 1 friend to wish them a Merry Christmas!
Bundle up and watch for shooting stars. Snuggle up and cuddle with Mommy and Daddy!
Decorate a gingerbread house.
Go bowling and wear Christmas   colors.
Read a Christmas book together.
Make paper snowflakes and hang them on the tree.
Have a pajama party and watch Polar Express.  Eat buttery popcorn and drink hot cocoa! Ask if you can invite your cousins and a friend.
Make Christmas Cookies.
Paint or draw a Christmas picture for Grandma.
Send gifts to your cousins in Chicago.
Pick a few things from your collection of toys to donate to kids who are less fortunate.
Make handprint and footprint ornaments. Give one to  each Grandparent.
Paint or draw a Christmas picture for grandparents.
Invite Cousins to drive through   the Festival of Lights. Everyone should wear their pajamas and bring a snuggly blanket to cuddle. We’ll bring hot (warm) cocoa to drink!
Go grocery shopping to buy food to donate to the food bank.
Mail a Christmas card to a soldier.
Draw a Christmas picture for Grandparents.
Play music and dance with Mommy and Daddy. Get silly!
Make a Christmas picture for your neighbor and leave it on her door with a candy cane.
Get dressed-up, go to the mall and get your Christmas picture taken.
Get silly! Eat Christmas cookies first, and then have dinner!
Attend a special Christmas church service.

So why the 31 Days of Christmas?
Because this year will be different.

I'm not sure what we'll do after the 24 Days of Christmas on our advent calendar, but I do know we're going to create a countdown to the New Year~ 2013. This way, my family and I will send 2012 out with a true bang ~ we'll create our own new New Year's Countdown tradition ~ and I will wake-up on the first day of 2013 feeling fulfilled that we used our time in the name of family and love...quality.



What do you want to do different this Christmas? How will you make it happen?

Here we go...

On the day before the first day of Christmas, 
my true love and I 
made an Advent calendar for our man-cub.





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