The Advent Countdown Is On

Yikes!  We are already into the second week of December and boy is it busy!  I haven’t had a chance for any Christmas crafting this week and the remainder of the week will be filled with preparing for Matthew’s camping birthday party this weekend.  No matter how hard I try to organize, the first two weeks of December are always chaos!!  Hopefully I will get a chance to post my two completed Christmas projects at some point!Well, I am finally getting around to posting all of the fun little treats I have planned for the kids advent calendar.  If you missed my advent calendar, here it is: The pockets are now filled and ready to go!December 1-Read Elf on the Shelf.This is our 4th year with our little elf, Paint {I have no idea why Matthew picked this name!} Each day Paint finds a comfortable spot to watch the kids and then flies back to Santa each night to report if they should be on the Naughty or Nice list.  

December 2 – Cuddle up in your new Christmas P.J.s. I always like to get the kids some matching Christmas pajamas.  I know most people do the p.j.’s on Christmas Eve but I like seeing the kids in them for the month (and they look cute in Christmas pictures!)  

December 3 – Write a letter to Santa.  We have a little Christmas mail box set up in our house.  I always photocopy their letters before we mail them off to the North Pole and place them in our mail box.  Each year, we can look back at the old letters.  Matthew thinks it’s pretty funny!

December 4 – Go to elf school and meet Santa at North Pole, B.C.For those who are local, this was a really fun activity for the kids.  The kids learn how the North Pole mail system works, make a teddy bear in the elf workshop, read stories and sing songs with Mrs. Clause, and then get a private visit with Santa in his cottage.  It was definitely on the pricey side but I’m sure the kids would tell you that it was worth it!

December 5 – Go and cut down a Christmas tree. We found a cute little Christmas tree farm in town.  The kids got to drive the tree back in a tractor and thought that it was the best thing ever!  

December 6 – Find out how Mater Saves Christmas.
My boys are HUGE Disney Car fans so when I saw the book Mater Saves Christmas, I had to get it!

December 7 – Watch a Christmas special. {We ended up watching a Charlie Brown Christmas}

December 8 – Buy a toy for the toy drive.

December 9 – Dress up in your new Christmas clothes.
I must admit, this is the one that they are usually least impressed about!  I get them a new Christmas outfit each year.  It is Matthew’s Christmas concert tonight so we won’t really have time for a Christmas another Christmas activity anyways.

December 10 – Go to the mall and get your picture taken with Santa.
We go to the same mall every year as the kids are sure that he is the real Santa (not one of his Santa helpers!).  The kids get a lot more 1:1 time with Santa and this Santa “magically” knows what school they go to and what activities they play.

December 11 – Sing a Christmas Song.
Matthew’s birthday party is going to be this day so there won’t be a whole lot of time for Christmas fun!

December 12 – Visit Bright Nights in Stanley Park
This is a fabulous light display and Christmas train set up by the firefighters to benefit the Burn Fund.  We have braved snow storms and rain storms in the past so I have my fingers crossed that the weather will cooperate this year!

December 13 – Watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Max.
Kohl’s had the little dog Max from the Grinch on last month for $5.  We already have the book but I picked up a couple of the stuffies.  Not the kids really need another stuffy but he was so cute I couldn’t resist!

December 14 – Make a gingerbread house.
After a couple of collapsed gingerbread houses in the past, I always buy the pre-assembled houses now!  I take the kids down to the grocery store and they pick out all of the goodies they want to eat add.

December 15 – Make a delivery to the food bank.

December 16 – Read The Polar Express.
I really do love this book!

December 17 – Make some Christmas crafts.

December 18 – Drive around to look at all the Christmas lights and pick up a hot chocolate.
Okay, I added the hot chocolate bit more for me.  I LOVE Tim Horton’s candy cane hot chocolate!!

December 19 – Make some reindeer dust.
Each year, we make up some reindeer dust to help guide the reindeer to our house.  At the end of the trail are a few carrots for them to munch on.

December 20 – Watch the movie Elf.

December 21 – Have some Christmas fun at Grandma and Grandpa’s.
Kids have fun and Mommy gets a little break to get going on the Christmas wrapping!

December 22 – Go to Grouse Mountain.
We are going to be heading up to Grouse mountain with my Dad for a little skiing, a visit with Santa, some skating, and a viewing of the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

December 23 – Make some cookies for Santa.
Santa loves some good cookies!! {and maybe some of that candy cane hot chocolate!}

December 24 – Make a big Christmas Eve breakfast.
Every Christmas Eve we do a big breakfast up – yummy!  We’ll be making some Christmas tree pancakes.  Nothing like some good food to get Christmas rolling!

I hope you are all enjoying your holiday festivities!  I sure have been loving all of the Christmas posts around blogland.  {I only wish I had some more time to make some of those wonderful projects!}   I will post some pictures of our Christmas decorating once the birthday party is done and, hopefully, I will get an odd project or two posted soon!

Have a great day!!!