A Christmas Tradition

If you are here from Kimba's Holiday Open House, Welcome! I thought I'd link up to a favorite Christmas tradition we have.

One of our family's favorite Christmas traditions is a great big one that encompasses many little ones: The Advent Book. I know people who do the 12 Days of Christmas, but at our house we do 24 days partly because I couldn't limit our fun activities to 12, and partly because I have an unusual addiction to advent calendars.

So here's how it works:

Preparation: I made a little paper book called "The 24 Days Before Christmas". Every year toward the end of November (okay, November 30th at 11:59), I sit down and look at our calendar to plan an activity for each day from Dec. 1-Dec. 24. Now before you start to think I'm a crazed version or Martha Stewart, I have to tell you that. . .

a) many of them take only a few minutes to complete
b) we recycle most of the activities from year to year, and
c) some are things we would be doing that day anyway like going to a family party.

Deciding which activity to do on what day actually takes the most amount of time. After I've made a plan, I slip a note in each pocket that tells what we'll do that day. And if there is a day where I just can't make a gingerbread house, then I have been known to move or change the tag.

Application: Once the tags are in place, we are ready to go. Each morning in December, in the true spirit of Christmas, my children fight over who gets to pull the tag out each day. Just kidding--I know fighting isn't in the true spirit of Christmas. But after my kids are done fighting, we clean up any spilled blood, read the tag, and jump for joy at the day's activity.

Some days are just plain old fun activities (reading The Grinch or making cookies), and others are service-oriented (baking a treat for a neighbor or purchasing and delivering food for the food bank). Some others are: tell your favorite story of Jesus, make a list of your blessings and hang it in your bedroom, do a secret act of service, watch a Christmas movie--so many possibilities!

Tonight's activity is a family favorite: Have a pizza picnic by the tree and listen to Christmas music. We spread out a blanket and eat our pizza by the lights of the tree while listening to our favorite songs. The first time we did this, I wasn't sure how it would go, but the kids loved it! I think they like it because it's fun to eat pizza on the floor using our Christmas china, and I like it because I don't have to cook. Besides, you always win with pizza. I'm pretty sure a broccoli picnic wouldn't be met with as much enthusiasm.

We've done this for long enough that the book is getting ragged. So next year I think I'll put a gift box under the tree and put a new tag inside each morning. What are some of your family traditions?

Merry Christmas!