Count Down to Christmas...2012

We pulled out our Nativity calendar - a creation of mine from last year (when I saw them I noticed how much my crafting skills have grown in the past year). Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus stand at the top while stars count the way to Jesus' arrival. The kids love this and were so excited when we pulled it out. 

In addition, this year we added a daily activity or prize associated with each star. It has really upped the excitement level engaging the kids interest on a daily basis. Here are more details on this Advent activity count down.

- I wrapped several of our Christmas/winter themed books which are stored with our Christmas things. These are some of the "prizes". Sometimes I pair a book with a movie, too. The books include Berenstain Bears books with a Christmas theme. Other current favorites include A Child's Christmas Story and In the Stable. Movies include Veggie Tales with Christmas themes or Rudolph or Frosty or Charlie Brown Christmas. The Veggie Tales show about St. Nicholas was a favorite of mine. It ties Christmas and Santa together. 

- Some of the activities include crafts like crafting snowflakes or making cotton snowmen. (We're still holding out to build a real life snowman but so far we haven't had much snow.

T's on the left, Lil Sister's on the right. She insisted her showman's hat be upside down to be more girlish.

- One of the favorite prizes was a felt portable Nativity set.

 

- We also selected tags off the Christmas tree downtown and purchased the gifts asked for on those tags. The kids had a great time picking out toys. They also selected several of their own toys that were in good shape to donate, too. Then they enjoyed delivering them, too.

- Our Santa visit was one of the first outings we enjoyed. Other outings include live Nativity play and a trip is planned to the botanical garden which is all "a-glow". (The Winter Garden-a-Glow is generally a posting in and of itself. Stay tuned.)

The kids wanted to see the baby Jesus after the production was over.

Brother keeping his sister warn during the show. Also comforting her - she was literally moved to tears. She's turning into a rather sensitive young lady.

- Also choosing a live Christmas tree and the later decorating it were also activities. The kids were so excited to get out their stockings and hear about how I came home on Christmas wrapped in my stocking. (I still wrap up the activities in colored envelops stating what we were going to do.) On a side note - this is the first year since we've had kids that we've had a live Christmas tree not on a card table out of reach. I have to say, the kids have been great about the tree, too.

 

- Some of the prizes are just that - prizes such as stuffed gingerbread men or stickers. Somehow they are more exciting when wrapped.

- The kids and I made a gingerbread house and then took it to our Auntie who is severely ill. That was a great visit and also on the activity list. She has been housebound due to her illness and has not been able to partake of any Christmas festivities. Thus, we took some to her. When the kids delivered the house to her T Rex  did a beautiful reading of one their favorite Christmas books which accounts the first Christmas. Auntie really appreciated it and was so proud of his reading. Later Lil Sis pulled out her tea set and she and her princess dolls had tea with Auntie. It was a great visit.

We're having a lot of fun with our count down Advent Activity event. I'll post more as the activities and prizes transpire. In the interim, we hope you are all having a wonderful season enjoying this special and magical time of year.