Is it me or has this year gone by extremely quickly? Christmas is just over 4 weeks away and I shudder at the thought. I will admit though that I’ve been pretty organized this year. I only have immediate family gifts to buy. All gifts for the extended family are bought and wrapped. I think this is in part to becoming more comfortable with online shopping, and the fact that if I saw something that would be appropriate, I would pick it up.

The house decorating has begun. I like to have my house decorated one month prior to the big day, so typically by the 24th, a good chunk of the holiday stuff is up. Since my daughter celebrates her birthday on the 1st, I leave putting up the tree and the bigger items to later on in the month.

One of my favourite part of the holiday season is the advent calendar. We do it every
year and the kids really enjoy it. This year my oldest asked me if we were going to do it because for his birthday he received a chocolate one and the lego advent calendar. In true mom form, I answered the question with a question: “Do you want to keep doing that?” My answer was a resounding YES!

So, after much thought, here’s a list of our activities this year, in no particular order.

Make edible Christmas trees
Let’s go buy our tree!
Go visit Santa

Shop for gifts for other children (Toy Mountain)

Unwrap a book to read

Have hot cocoa and cookies

Open your special ornament and put in on your tree

Make a craft with Mom

Write a letter to Santa

Make Christmas cookies

Go to the church to admire the nativity scene

Go sledding (if weather permits)

Have a family Christmas movie night with treats

Make a giant floor painting

Make cookies and deliver to the neighbours

Decorate our tree

Take a Ride on the Polar Express

Family game night

Take turns reading Christmas stories

Chocolate hunt

Paper snowflake making

Watch a Christmas movie

Decorate cookies

             Read the story about the birth of Jesus

I always have a few backup ones just in case. Let me know if you will be doing the same at your place!