The weekend after thanksgiving is typically set aside for getting and setting up the tree. Though I think we'll start holding off on the tree in years to come. It's difficult to keep a real tree fresh and happy here in Texas, not to mention the length it had to travel to get here.
Once the tree is done, and December finally arrives, come the crafts and decorating and the counting down. I know there's beauty in simplicity and I don't want to overdo the season or overwhelm my kids so some days all we do is watch a holiday movie or listen to seasonal music while we play with princesses and Legos. There are a few specific things we do to help make this season special such as make and decorate cookies, paint or create a ornament, attend the library's christmas storytime and see Santa, look for lights any time were in the car, buy and wrap presents, and attend the town's tree lighting festival. Every year we discuss what traditions we want to keep alive and what we want to leave in the memory vaults of the previous years. This list seems to hold true.
I am searching for ways to help make each season just as special. For example, finding ways to count down to the beginning of Spring, or May Day, or midsummer. Feel free to shoot me ideas and I'll keep you posted on our seasonal forays.
So here's what's been happening around here as we count down to the big day.
Day 1: decorate tree
Day 2: go ice skating (week before national thanksgiving. Our November activities were a bit early and sporadic this year.)
Day 3: paint an ordament
Day 4: notice the neighborhood is starting to light up and only one house has a menorah, talk about Chanukah
Dec 1: paint a picture of Santa Claus
Dec 2: hang the lights
Dec 3: watch Polar Express for the first time ever
Dec 4; make a "wreath" and attend company party
Dec 5: begin working on Aoife's stocking
Dec 6: attend town tree lighting festival
What have you been up to?
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