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If you're looking for a short bio about my life at the beginning of each blog post, you came to the wrong blog.
Let's get to it!
1. Advent Calendar
I am SO excited to start an Advent calendar tradition!! This is my first year so I may be going just a bit overboard but my motto in life is go big or go home. The main reason I love an advent calendar is not for the gift giving, but the amount of memories this one tradition can make together.
I am planning on adding:
Activity cards
Holtziger animals
Maileg mice
SO much dollar tree (crafts, toys, stickers, toothbrush, anything I can get my hands on that I think will be cute or fun).
This is the advent calendar we went with for this year. Warning it is HUGE, I love that since it fits so much both kids can share one calendar. Seriously though I am not exaggerating when I say it is huge. What I also love about it is that it comes with an amazing set of activity cards.
I have a few ideas on my amazon store front for advent calendar fillers.
2. Matching pajamas on Xmas morning
What can I say, I am a sucker for the corny matching pajamas Christmas morning. I love the tradition of taking pictures after your kiddos have wrecked havoc all over the home with wrapping paper and boxes everywhere, right after cinnamon rolls are placed in the oven, a hot pot of coffee is brewing in the background and you are all waiting and ready to have a yummy breakfast together, the wind down after the madness. And while you are waiting, snap a picture in your matching jammies!
3. GET A REAL TREE!!!
Ok maybe I didn't need to be so dramatic with the all caps but ya know, it's me.
I know there are some amazing artificial trees on the market but here me out on this one. Imagine driving together on a cool crisp day, unbuckling your kids from the car seat and have them jump out to see all the trees. Imagine the smell of pine in all of your noses. Imagine letting your kids run around and gaze at these gigantic beautiful pieces of nature. After running through the lot and you all deciding on that special tree together it gets tied to the roof top of your car and now you get to go home and decorate it. Now imagine creating those memories together year after year. Here is my final pitch, it is so much better for the environment! For more on that read a great article I found here.
For an added bonus let your kids pick out their own ornament every year to add every single year, and when Christmas comes around they get to put up their special ornaments.
4. Local favorite
Every city is unique and has that one special thing to do around the holidays. It might be Christmas at the zoo, or maybe a special tree lighting or perhaps an ice show. Dive into the culture of your community while making memories with your loved ones.
5. Elf on the shelf
Last but not least, Elf on the shelf. This was hard to end the list with just 5 things, there are so many traditions I want to do. Drive around and see lights, watch Christmas movies, make hot cocoa and bake cookies. But the real magic of Christmas is joy in your children eyes. There is something so fun and special about anticipating your child waking up in the morning running through the home searching high and low to find that silly elf and see what they were up to. And if it makes your child believe in behaving just a little bit, DO IT!
That is all!
Let me know what traditions you and your family will be doing this year.
xoxo