Christmas Spirit: Advent

I LOVE December 1st.
At our house, it is now the official first day of the Christmas season and we enter in full speed and whole heart.

I've blogged in the past about what really matters to me at Christmas time, but in the four years since that time, that message has been driven, quite literally, home. 
You see, two years ago, on December 16th, in the midst of shopping, baking, wrapping, appies and Christmas do's, we found out my Mum was dying.
It changed everything about that Christmas. Every carol we sang was sacred. Every lit up house was magical. Christmas Eve, that most sacred of family times for us, was spent stunned, aching and somehow still grateful. We ate, and laughed and cried through our last holiday together.
So you can imagine, last year Christmas came as an ungraceful herald of all we had lost. Part of me wanted to skip the whole shebang. And then this other voice inside of me just sang her heart out and said we should celebrate. And celebrate, we did. It was our best Christmas ever.

Homemade goodies, a veritable cornucopia of gifts under the tree, train rides and parties, turkey, potatoes and peanut butter balls dipped in dark chocolate. I threw myself into it with delight and new family traditions sprang up!
My favorite "new" tradition is a very old one. An advent calendar.
I made it, of course, and spent hours planning it out. Instead of a daily chocolate or gift, I alternated a combination of family activities, crafts and small presents. It was such a success! We loved it!
Each day is represented by a white mitten on a red string. I held each date marker on with a clothes pin. And in the mitten is either a little gift or a paper saying what the advent activity or craft will be.
It was such an inexpensive way to make the Christmas season even more magical for my children, but I have to say my husband and I were caught up in it, too!
Here, in no particular order, are just a few of the things we'll be doing this year for our advent:

-The Minter's Mini Train
-Homemade Peanut-butter Balls
-Family Candle Light Dinner
-Spiced Dough Ornaments
-Christmas movie night (this year it'll be "White Christmas")

But today, December first, is one of my favourites. Today we bust it all out and decorate the house and tree. Christmas CD's! Twinkle Lights! Garlands! Home made ornaments! The Nativity!

Speaking of decorating, I must run - IT'S ALMOST TIME!!!!!

Love,
Victoria