Countdown to Christmas

Tomorrow begins our Countdown to Christmas! I have had a number of people ask me what all I am planning on doing so I thought I would share. A little background.....growing up the highlight of my day from December 1st to December 25th was trying to beat my sister to the countdown calendar each morning to move the mouse one day closer to Christmas. It was so much fun. I bought a countdown calendar when Brody was little in hopes that he would enjoy it as much as I did! Then last year I was reading in a Family Fun magazine about incorporating a daily activity into the Countdown Calendar. So last year I attempted this but he just wasn't as into Christmas in general and we were always tired from work and Gingerbread to be able to really enjoy it. But this year Meg and Brody are both into Christmas and he is already asking how many days it is until Christmas so I think this will be perfect! Each day we will either do an activity, make something, or they will get a present. Here are just some of the things we have planned......

1. Go snowtubing in Bricktown

2. Write a letter to Santa and get picture taken with him

3. Decorate sugar cookies

4. Make snowball surprise and deliver it to our neighbors

5. Make Christmas ornaments for the grandparents

6. Go ice skating and/or horse carriage ride in Bricktown

7. Breakfast with Santa at Orr Family Farm

8. Make a Gingerbread House

9. See a play at the Childrens Theatre

10. New Christmas movies

11. A toy manger scene to play with

12. Christmas books

13. Go to Build a Bear and make a Christmas stuffed animal

14. Go buy toys and take them to the Moore Fire Department

15. Take our old toys and donate them to a hospital or doctor's office waiting room

16. Pick out our tree and giving them new ornaments

17. Make reindeer food and spread out on Christmas Eve; make cookies for Santa
18. Go look at Christmas lights

I love Christmas and I hope by doing these activities we will focus on spending time with each other and magic of the season and not get caught up in too much of the hustle and bustle. I also hope they will look back and appreciate and enjoy our traditions just like I do on all the things my parents did! Here is a great website if you want to do primarily crafty things. I am sure we will do a number of these as well Activities.