25 Days of Christmas!!!

Okay so I know it so out of character for me to post 3 times in one day but I have been trying to get all caught up because starting tomorrow we are going to be doing 25 days of Christmas.  Ahhhh.  Can you feel my excitement???  I got the idea for this from Pinterest (my most favorite idea I have gotten from there yet!!).  I was going to make one of the super adorable advent calendars that I saw on Pinterest but then I found this one (picture below) at Target in the dollar spot (the $2.50 section of the "dollar" spot) and picked it up instead. 

 I had seen on Pinterest the idea of putting a Christmas-type activity in each day of the advent calendar and l-o-v-e-d it.  I just love Christmas and love making memories with my family and know that this will be a tradition we will all look forward to and remember fondly.  I also found this great blog post on 50 things to do at Christmas-time.

 So I used some of those, put it in what I already had planned, and came up with a few more ideas until I had our 25 activities (will post the list at the end).  I cut up some Christmas scrapbook paper I already had and wrote them on there, got out our schedule so I could plan what activity for which day.  (You know, I didn't want to plan a long activity on a night when we have small group and won't have the time to do it.)

 Then, viola!  Also, at TJ Maxx-I found the perfect book!  I am convinced God placed it there just for me!  It is called My First Read and Learn Countdown to Christmas by Mary Manz Simon.

For each night of December 1-25, there is a page, a scripture, a prayer, and something you can do (sometimes it is a craft, sometimes it is a dance, all are pretty short).  We will do this before bed each night. I love it!

Our 25 activities (in no particular order) are...

1.   Decorate Tree--Lilly and Reid both have their own small tree with ornaments that they will freely decorate.
2. Read Christmas story and play with Little People Nativity set.
3. Take Christmas Photos.
4. Pick an angel from the angel tree and shop for him/her as a family.
5. Go to Branson to look at lights and go to see Dixie Stampede show.
6. Make Christmas Cards--we will be turning the kids artwork into Christmas cards.
7. Make a Christmas card for soldier.  (If you don't know a soldier you can mail a Christmas card to Holiday Mail for Heroes, P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD  20791-5456)
8. Christmas Craft--we are making a banner for the fireplace mantle
9. Make a treat (Snowflake mix or Reindeer munch) and watch a Christmas movie in our sleeping bags in the living room. 
10. Ornament Party--we are making all kinds of ornaments!
11. Shop for sibling and parent.  We will split up and go to somewhere like the dollar store and let each child pick out a gift for their sibling and the other parent.  Then we will meet together and pick out a special ornament for the year.
12. Cheap dinner and drive around looking at Christmas lights.
13. Gingerbread nativity and/or village.
14. Candlelight dinner with chicken nuggets and fries along with a candlelight bath (for the kids and obviously the candles would be away from the tub) or glowstick bath.
15. Decorate wrapping paper.  The kids are making their own wrapping this year.  (:
16. Dance party to Christmas music.
17. Cookie decorating party.
18. Special breakfast and night on the square. 
19. Make a fort and read Christmas books in it.
20. Make candy and take to neighbors.
21. Bake dinner and a treat and take it to my Aunt. 
22. Pajama Express Train!
23. Watch Polor Express on our way to visit family.
24. Make Jesus's birthday cake!!
25. Read, "It's Jesus's Birthday!", sing happy birthday Jesus, and have some cake!   

We may not get to everything, I know "life" can happen but I am so looking forward to a month full of special times with my family!  I plan on blogging each day so you will be able to see how it is going!  (: