Decorations are Going Up!

Ahhh....  It's Christmas season!  I just LOVE this time of year!  I am chomping at the bit to have the decorations up so we can all enjoy them as long as possible.  We aren't doing a ton of gifts this year - we are getting back to basics with Christmas.  Decorations help usher in the warmth, joy, and peace of the season (in stark contrast to the crazy lines at the mall). 

I was inspired by a Martha Stewart photo to create an advent calendar myself.  We haven't celebrated Advent (a season of waiting) in several years.  Our churches just didn't celebrate Advent.  Our current church hasn't but is doing a special Advent series this year to help us focus on Jesus during the Christmas season.  Our new Advent calendar will help us carry those lessons with us through the week!

There are 24 socks and one sock will be "opened" each day.  Each sock has a Bible verse plus something else inside.  The "something else" is either an activity or small gift.  Some examples:

• Sing happy birthday to daddy
• Go for a walk outside no matter what the weather and marvel at God's creation
• Build a tent inside and tell the Christmas story by flashlight
• A little book for Little Man
• Pieces of the Nativity  to set up (different pieces for different days)

I know Little Man won't understand much this Christmas, but it will set the groundwork for Christmases to come!  I love creating new family traditions!