Christmastime

I almost thought Christmastime couldn't get any better - but it does, with kids! I love trying to create the same magical Christmas feeling that I grew up with and yet it is still hard with an infant and Chris working so much. I just know that each year it will get easier and easier and that I don't recall any specific traditions that my mom did with me as much as just the overall season. Obviously having a Christmas tree set up in the living room helps but what I'd like more is to reach out to others and really have the kids feel the Spirit more wholly throughout the season. I guess as long as it is still a magical and reverent holiday for me, I can continue to instill those feelings in my kids with my own enthusiasm for it.

We are doing an advent calendar this year that helps us to read parts of the Christmas story from the New Testament. Each day we've also tried to do a fun activity like:
Wait for Santa (the local police dept.)
Write letters to Santa
Bake a tree cake and decorate it
Play the present game (find and give things to one another and practice thanking them)
Taking a walk to see Christmas lights
Going to gmas' house for activities
Make crafts
Being peacemakers
Watching a Christmas movie together
Unwrapping/reading Christmas books

It makes me so sad that Chris can't be more a part of our holiday season and I hope the kids are not lacking because of it. Fortunately it is easy for me to be excited about the season and everything it entails.