I have come up with a new idea, and I can't tell if it is brilliant or insane. Give me your opinion because I've still got a couple of days to back out. Here's the thing:
A couple of years ago my clever sister-in-law Erin made me this great advent calendar. It has little pockets, like 1 inch by 1.5 inches, along the bottom where little treats can be stored, I presume. Well this year, instead of the regular treats, I am going to put in activity prompts, so that everyday we do something together as a family that will help us celebrate the season.
Here are some examples:
1. Sing Christmas carols around the piano.
2. Make snowflakes.
3. Learn about Christmas in another country.
4. Go iceblocking.
5. Send Grandma's and Grandpa homemade Christmas cards.
6. Take treats to our neighbors.
7. Make doughnuts.
8. Drink hot cocoa out of our Santa mugs.
9. Make red and green paper chains.
10. Read a Christmas story.
11. Watch the movie The Nativity.
12. Watch the movie Elf.
13. Buy candy canes and eat them.
14. Drive around and look at Christmas lights.
15. Play a game together.
16. Do something nice for somebody else.
17. Look at the temple lights.
18. Gather around the tree and read the scriptural account of Jesus' birth.
19. Write an entry for our Christmas journal.
20. Make Christmas angels.
So you can see, some of them are simple and some a little more elaborate, but here's the thing: Is it going to make us happy or overwhelmed? I can't tell.
The problem with me is that I am an eternal optimist. In my mind this adventure is going to be amazingly warm and memorable, something that will turn into a tradition to be repeated for years to come, but I've become familiar enough with real life to know nothing works out in reality the way I picture it in my head. Two words spring to mind: Miniature golfing.
What do you think? December 1 is eminent. To advent or not to advent, that is the question.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
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8 comments:
I am totally flattered! I'm glad you like the advent calender. I love the evolution of the advent. I think if you keep in mind that it is all about spending time together as a family then it will all be good! It is such a great idea I think we will be doing it too!
Every time I just see the words 'Miniature Golf", I laugh out loud.
That's a tough one. On the one hand, I totally got the warm fuzzies as I started to read you list. I think it is a GREAT idea. On the other hand, it could totally be too much. It depends on how stressful this month is looking. If you don't have a lot going on, it may be great. I would say go for it and just be willing to be flexible and not feel obligated to do everything every time.
I LOVE the idea. My December is never too crazy though. (I do that very much on purpose.) I'll make you a deal...if you do it, then I'll do it. (Only if I can steal your ideas though.All except ice blocking. No can do in freezing Iceburg.)Let me know what you decide. I'll get going on getting mine together. Though, I have no cute advent, I may have to find one (I wouldn't be too sad) or just stick the ideas in a jar and draw.
missed you...been away from blogging for a while. I love all your ideas and I think you should do them! Give yourself a few easy ones to break up the more elaborate.
Sounds fun... and yes some days do seem a little elaborate...but the point is doing it together as a family... I love it!
I say go for it. Just don't feel pressured by it. I think it's a great way to instill the true meaning of the holidays in your kids and help everybody get the Christmas spirit.
Oooh! That sounds WONDERFUL!!
But, I won't be doing it. Unless the list is something like this:
1. Clean the kitchen
2. Clean the bathroom
3. Clean the kitchen, again.
4. Pick up toys and threaten to throw them all away.
5. Laundry.
6. Laundry.
7. Laundry.
8. Try to put clean laundry away.
9. Trip over pile of clean laundry on closet floor.
10. Clean kitchen.
11. Iron shirt that has been sitting on floor of closet for 3 days now.
12. Wonder how the bathroom got so filthy so fast.
13. Finally put laundry away.
14. Pick up more toys. Make dramatic show of throwing them in the trash.
15. Go back to trash and retrieve thrown out toys.
16. Pray that baby sleeps through the night FOR ONCE!
17. Be a grumblebutt for the day because baby did NOT sleep through the night.
18. Clean kitchen - wonder what's growing in the Tupperware dish in the back of the refrigerator.
19. Laundry, again.
20. Ask Hubby to please remove science project from back of refrigerator.
21. Panic because I haven't yet bought hubby Christmas present.
22. Finally have some hot cocoa!
Hey... I know I'm late with this comment so it's probably too late but I'm totally with Amanda.
Though you could make it interesting by adding adding special household chores... you know... the ones that never get around to getting done...
8 - Clean out the garage
9 - Repaint the porch
10 - Clear out wardrobe and donate old clothes to [insert charity here] (which could be followed by...)
11 - Buy new clothes
Then add the treats back... the family completes the chore, the family gets the treat.
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