December Bucket List

Newsflash! Christmas is less than 7 weeks away. With December creeping up on us faster than we can say "cottonheadedninnymuggins", I decided to make a December Bucket List with all of the things I am adding to this year's Activity Calendar. Feel free to use some of these ideas or share some of your own! 

Simple Christmas Activity Calendar Banner-Style

This year's Christmas Activity Advent Calendar came together quickly. I was able to get this done in under an hour! 

This was a very simple project:

 1. cut even strips of Kraft Paper

  2. fold in half

3. stamp numbers and stars on the front

 4.write the activity of the day inside

  5. close with Washi tape

 I then pinned them onto some twine that will hang somewhere in the house where my son can take them down each day to read the activity. I am excited to try this more simple version out this year.

A lot of the activities are the same as last year's Activity Calendar, but I changed around a few - we have a couple of events this December and I wanted to try out some new activities. too.

1. Decorate the House and Make a Decoration

2. Write a Letter to Santa (we use the Mega Monkey Mash printable) 

3. Take a Family Photo

4. Order and Make Christmas Cards

5. String Lights Outside

6. Go Ice Skating

7. Visit Santa at the Company Christmas Party (or the mall)

8. Christmas Family Game Night

9. Make Presents (my son makes small things for his Aunts and Uncles. Last year he painted ornaments)

10. Watch a Christmas Movie

11. Make a Christmas Craft (this year I am thinking of some hand and foot print crafts)

12. Dinner Date

13. See the Light Show at our local farm 

14. Decorate the Tree

15. Bake Cookies

16. Check out the lights around the neighborhood, pick out our favorite house (maybe leave a prize at their door!) 

17. Another Christmas Movie Night

18. Write and Draw a new Christmas Story

19. Christmas Date in the City (we live near Philadelphia)

20. Decorate Gingerbread House

21. Winter Walk in the Park 

22. Make a New Ornament for the Tree

23. Wrap the Presents We Made

24. Cookies and Milk for Santa! And go to sleep early of course.

Do you have any fun Christmastime traditions? Please share! I am always looking for something different to try. 

Elf on the Shelf Calendar

Today I am sharing my Elf on the Shelf calendar I plan to follow for 2014. I have been feeling so busy lately I thought it would just be easiest to make my own calendar so I don't even have to think about what to do each night with the Elf. This is only my second year doing the Elf on the Shelf tradition. Last year I tried to stick to my plans but I didn't always follow through - no big deal. There is no pressure in my opinion - do what you can! 

Our elf is getting just a little mischievous this year, but not making too much of a mess. Do you have any elaborate Elf ideas this year? Or does your Elf like to stay put on one shelf? 

Christmas Traditions: A Book a Day

I cannot believe Christmas Eve is only a month away. I am in the middle of moving to my first house so I feel a little lost for time! This year I wanted to keep my book tradition simple.

 I did not buy any new Christmas books and I wrapped everything in brown package paper. After I wrapped all the books I stamped the date I want my son to read the book on the paper- simple and fast. He absolutely loved opening and reading the books last year and I plan to keep it going for many years to come. 

I am working on my activity advent calendar next. I'm trying to figure out how to make a quick and simple version. Here is last year's Book list and Activity Advent Calendar. Have you begun working on any projects for the holiday season? 

Christmas Book Countdown and Activity Advent Calendar

I'm excited to share some things I'm doing this year for the Holiday Season. In the past few years I've noticed that Christmastime wasn't the same as when I was young. It feels like Christmas sneaks up on me and I'm thinking, "is Christmas seriously this week? Definitely doesn't feel like it!" Then I feel panic and stress trying to cram traditions and shopping all in one week. This year I have a plan. I am going to make every day special by making some advent calendars! I've planned a Book Countdown and an Activity Advent Calendar. I'm also doing Elf on the Shelf for the first time this year.  I'm going to photograph everything and make a scrapbook album of the holiday season. 

Book Countdown:

Beginning Thanksgiving night, we are going to read a holiday book each day until Christmas. I gathered all of my Christmas books and went to the dollar store to purchase a few more. 

I wrapped all of the books and using a paper punch and some extra Thickers (alphabet stickers), I made tags so you can clearly see which books go with each day. I then put all of the books on an empty book shelf in the living room where the tree will go in December. I think my son (4 yrs) will really enjoy it and he's already been staring at the packages wondering which book will be first! 

Here is the list of books I have for this Book Advent Calendar: 

1. Elf on the Shelf

2. Thomas' Night Before Christmas

3. The Polar Bear Express

4. Sesame Street Snowy Day

5. The Sweet Smell Of Christmas

6. Frosty the Snowman

7. Un Nino Dios 

8. Woody's White Christmas

9. Disney's Christmas Dreams

10. The Poky Little Puppy's First Christmas

11. If You Take a Mouse to the Movies

12. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer- Santa's Big Day

13. Land of Snow and Ice

14. Dora's Christmas Carol 

15. The Little Christmas Elf

16. King of the North Pole

17. Jingle Wheels

18. Guess Who's Coming to Santa's for Dinner?

19. The Animals' Christmas Eve

20. Dora's Counting Christmas

21. Elmo's Night Before Christmas

22. Beauty on Ice

23. The Christmas Story

24. I've Seen Santa! 

25. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Rudolph Helps Out

26. Dinosaur VS Santa

27. The Night Before Christmas

For the Activity Advent Calendar, I used a ton of my Christmas Scrapbook Stash that has been sitting around begging to be used. I also used a lot of envelopes. Basically, I came up with different activities that we can do throughout December, starting on the first. Some of the activities are small, free, and don't require leaving the house. Others are events that we've planned or places to go. I'm excited to give this a try and really make it feel like Christmas all month long!

Here is the list of Activities:

12/1- Decorate the House and Make a Decoration

12/2- Write a Letter to Santa using the Mega Monkey Mash Printable

12/3- Take a Family Photo

12/4- Make/Order Christmas Cards 

12/5- Hot Chocolate Day

12/6- Make a Christmas Craft 

12/7- Visit Santa at the Mall

12/8- String Lights Outside

12/9- Christmas Family Game Night

12/10- Watch Christmas Movie

12/11- Dinner Date 

12/12- Go Ice Skating

12/13- See the light show at the farm

12/14- Decorate Tree (we get a real tree so we do this in the middle of the month)

12/15- Bake Cookies

12/16- Check out the Lights in the Neighborhood

12/17- Watch Elf

12/18- City Date 

12/19- Christmas Carols and Dance Party

12/20- Decorate Gingerbread House

12/21- Winter Walk in the Park 

12/22- Make a New Ornament for the tree

12/23- Wrap Gifts

12/24- Cookies and Milk for Santa

I hope this gives you some ideas to make your holiday special this year! Do you have any holiday traditions?