1. Nan always sends the kids advent calendars at Thanksgiving. The kids love opening them each day and counting down. This year both Charlie & Annie did great counting themselves - They were very good at reminding us if we didn't bring it up after dinner each night.
2. Duke - our special elf. Nan sent the kids a book, The Elf on the Shelf, a few years ago that came with a little elf Doll. Well our kids named our elf Duke. Duke arrives the day after Thanksgiving and each morning the kids have to find where he is hiding. Duke watches everything that goes on in the house and then reports back to Santa each night. The kids love waking up each morning to find Duke. Many a morning either John or I is rushing down the stairs before the kids to help him find a new hiding place.
3. Letters to Santa. The kids love writing letters to Santa. This year we were out front on a Saturday and the mail man came by our house. Charlie ran and got his letter and gave it to the mail man before mom & dad got a chance to read it. Every time we asked him what was on his list he would tell us that he didn't need to tell us because he already told Santa!
4. Gingerbread house. When I was in the hospital after having Audrey John got a gingerbread kit at Costco and did it with Charlie and Annie. Now every year they have to have one and they decorate it with John. It is fun to watch them have a tradition they do just with dad.
5. Christmas Tree. When John and I were first married he never wanted to go and cut down a tree. He finally talked me into getting a fake tree a few years after we were married and as much as I hated it after that first year I became a believer - it was wonderful, (no watering, no mess, easy to clean up). Well last year John decided we needed to get a real one and the kids needed to help cut it down. This year we had the best time going to Apple Hill to a tree farm that John went to as a kid to cut one down. The owner even remembered John's family and asked if we were going to get a short, fat tree also - we laughed and said no - we got a really tall one - we had to cut off about 3 feet to fit into our front room with a 14 foot ceiling!
The kids love helping to decorate the tree and the house. I have a beautiful Nativity I always set out near the tree and I love watching the kids pick up the pieces and talk about them (even though they are not supposed to touch it). We hang all our stockings that are like the ones I grew up with that Grandma made for all of us. We have a train that John and the kids love to put out under the tree. This year Oreo went crazy every time we turned it on.
6. Driving around and looking at Christmas light! We love this one. In years past we would pile the kids in the car and drive around the neighborhoods looking at lights a few times a week. Living so far away from other developments we only did it a few time this year but we had so much fun every time we did!
7. Baking!!! As the kids are getting older they are starting to help but one of my favorite things to do the week before Christmas is to bake and make candy to give out. Growing up I had a friend named Danielle Ferguson whose mom made tons of Candy. I remember they would put ply wood tables in their garage for all the candy she made. As young as 9 & 10 I remember her mom letting Danielle and I mix candy and form balls, she even let us dip it in chocolate. This year I tried not to go over board but it is hard - Homemade peanut butter balls & english toffee - Yummy~ I could go for some right now!
8. Christmas Eve. In our house we make homemade pizza on Christmas eve. Each kid gets to make their own and we have Peppermint Ice cream with Hot Fudge Sauce. We put a plate of goodies together for Santa and we leave out celery and carrots for the reindeer. Annie wanted to leave out a water bottle for Santa this year because she thought he would be very thirsty. The kids each get to open one gift and play with it for a while. Then it is off to bed for the kids in their new Christmas pj's. This year they amazed us and were all asleep by 8:30! Can you believe it - no one even came down the stairs. After that Santa & I put out all the presents. I don't know who is more excited for Christmas Morning, John & I or the kids!
9. Christmas Day - the kids wake us up and we all rush down stairs to start opening presents. I don't know when my kids will catch on but I always wake up super early to brush my teeth and run down and turn on the Christmas Tree lights. I also herd the girls into the bathroom before we can go down stairs to quickly do something with their hair (am I a bad mom because I want them to look cute in all the Christmas pictures?) We always have such a great time opening presents! After that it is a mad dash for the kids to start playing. At this point John & I usually try to gather up the wrapping paper and make some reasonable order of the chaos. We always have eggs & ham and Monkey Bread for Christmas breakfast. I don't know how it came about but I think we have been having Monkey bread for 5 or 6 years now. In years past we have family over or we go to families for dinner but this year not everyone was feeling great so we had a big turkey dinner at home.
Some how the holiday take forever to get here then flies by, but what fun we have while it is here!
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