The Countdown

There's no denying it, Christmas is my favorite holiday, and I love the month of December that builds up to this special day. Our decorations were up before Thanksgiving this year and Christmas music is playing constantly through the ipod speaker in the kitchen. Last year I downloaded all of my very favorite Christmas CD's and it is on perpetual shuffle. The kids are giddy with excitement each day to find our old friend Mr. Peeps who makes an appearance after Thanksgiving and moves each night to keep an eye on the kiddos until Santa comes. Through the years we have also acquired several count downs to Christmas that the kids fight over doing each morning. It adds so much to the anticipation of Christmas morning and I may love it as much as them.

Here is one of those block count downs I made at Enrichment last year. Cameron changes this one first thing in the morning before any of us even realize.

You stick an ornament on this tree every day and there are little saying on some of them and a star that plays Jingle Bells. (We have some Christmas cards already!)

We always had one of these old fashioned advent calendars growing up, sent by my Nana. I remember as a child always guessing what was behind each door. Who needs the chocolate ones? These are more fun and now it's my kids who do the guessing. Thanks mom, for finding it! See where Mr. Peeps is today?

Last year Grandma Johnson sent us these adorable mittens stuffed with candy, games, and other fun goodies to be opened each day until Christmas. I struggled with ideas to fill them this year, but we came up with activities to fill them with and each has some fun Christmasey thing to do. Some are as simple as reading a Christmas book or watching a movie, to making cookies, putting a gingerbread house together, visiting Santa, going to the temple lights, or making ornaments for our tree.

During this time of year I just want to hold my family close and sit under the tree and bask in the Spirit that Christmas brings. It seems it comes more quickly every year and parties and activities pull us away from that which is most important. Christmas is at the peak of magical for our kids right now and watching the glee on their faces as we celebrate together makes me want to pack up and move to the North Pole tomorrow. I'm trying to savor every moment before it's gone again until next year.