This year, I somehow managed to get all of my Christmas shopping done by Thanksgiving, leaving the month of December for us to concentrate on things other than worrying what to give to others. Yes, I love giving thoughtful gifts, but adding that on top of an already busy month makes it less fun than just shopping alone.
This year will be the first year that LE will start to enjoy the festivities of the season. I have a calendar [almost] full of activities for every day as well as an Advent scripture-based reading to do. There are some free Jesse Tree resources that I thought we'd do, but then I came across Truth in the Tinsel, which is aimed at kids closer to LE's age. It has a daily craft and scripture reading. I'm really looking forward to it.
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We will be doing Elf on the Shelf (see last year's roundup if you're doing that, too) for the first time, but with a little different twist than it's intended. Instead of the elf doing naughty antics or reporting back to Santa, she'll be a clue to what we're doing for the day. For example, if we're planning on watching a Christmas movie together, the elf will be on the DVD player reaching down to push play. Or, if we are going to do snow angels outside, LE will find the elf making a snow angel out of flour on the counter. If we are going to do a painting craft, the elf will be holding the supplies. Hopefully, the elf will be a fun game of hide and seek that LE will enjoy playing every day with the added bonus of an activity.
Here are some of our planned activities:
- Cut down/choose our Christmas tree
- Decorate the tree
- Decorate coffee mugs using porcelain pens
- Watch a Christmas movie together in Mommy & Daddy's bed
- Make snow angels
- Go sledding
- Make snowman
- Make mint scented playdough
- Make cornstarch ornaments (like salt dough but comes out bright white)
- Decorate Christmas cookies with church
- Drive around to look at Christmas lights
- Make s'mores in our fire pit
- Decorate gingerbread houses or ice cream cone Christmas trees
- Shop for a kid on the angel tree
- Make footprint Christmas trees and reindeer faces
- (Truth in the Tinsel has daily crafts that correspond with the reading, too)
Do you have a favorite tradition or activity for this time of year? Be sure to let me know if I missed something!
I was actually just thinking about doing ornaments like those you linked to! Any idea if you can keep them year to year? Or will they get gross?
ReplyDeleteBtw I am glad you are back to blogging. :)
Ash- I think they'll last just fine and would prob clean up well with a damp cloth if they got dirty. I'll have a better idea after doing them. Will let you know!
DeleteAsh- I read the comments at the original recipe, and it sounds like some people have been making these for decades without issue or them getting gross. There are ideas on there about sealing them to make them glossy. Apparently it's a big key to knead the dough really well and flip them daily or else they'd crack and curl.
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