Every year I put out lots and lots of Christmas books and DVD’s/VHS movies. They are put around the tree and on top of the TV and around our den. It used to be contained to a small basket, but in the years my collection has expanded.  This year I sadly noted that many of the books we have outgrown.  Part of me wants to keep all the books forever, but I have to be realistic of my space.

After reading Firemom’s book advent activities I have decided to let the girls wrap up some of our books when we pack up the Christmas decorations this year.  I will buy some more books in after Christmas sales to make it a pile of 24 books and we will give it to my niece next Thanksgiving so she can have an advent of books next year.

A few books I will keep forever.  Here are a couple of them that I just cannot bear to give away:

You Are My Miracle By Maryann K. Cusimano Love

Little Drummer Boy  By Ezra Jack Keats

If You  Take A Mouse To The Movies By Laura Numeroff

There are a few more of course by those are a few off the top of my head.

I thought I would pass on my Christmas idea to help other mom’s who also have families outgrowing the good old traditions.  If you have any ideas about older kids and traditions please share them!

(Disclosure: I was not asked to write about these books, nor are they affiliate links.)

This Christmas, the Christmas of 2010, felt a bit different. More settled than the last few years.

December 2007 we were anxiously awaiting a referral from our adoption agency.

December 2008 was our first Christmas with Mita and Enu and in our new home.

December 2009 was our grand trip to Disney for Christmas.

This  December  all was calm (as calm as a house with four girls can be anyway).  We are in our traditions solidly.  Settled in our home.  Fully a family.

Elle and her new BFF Kit.

Meg dramatic as always.

Mita is allowing me take pictures of her...sometimes.

Hubby and his new drill.

Enu was hyper as ever!

Thank you God for your many blessings.

The key part of my collection is that I only have the books out at Christmas time (Thanksgiving through New Years) so the books seem new again and it is exciting to see old forgotten favorites.  Every year I tend to add some great $1 deals from Scholastic (my favorite book place!) and I try and pick out one special hardback book as well.  This year I have not found the book yet, but to be honest, I haven’t been to a books store to browse just yet.

Last years special book was:  The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats The pictures are gorgeous and  I love the dark skin tones on the people. We tend to forget that people in the holy land aren’t Caucasian!

A few other favorites:

Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer by Robert L. May illustrated by David Wenzel  This particular edition has beautifully subtle illustrations and  I love it!

Clement Clark Moore and Jan Brett’s The Night Before Christmas is another fond one I read every year.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson is one that I read to myself almost every year. My kids have never gotten into it but I adore it and laugh every time!

I cannot list all my Christmas books, but I also read the Little House Christmas stories and American Girl Christmas themed books to the girls or just myself.   I  should try some big-girl Christmas books sometime, but to me Christmas time brings me in the mood for childhood books and favorites.

My Christmas books and Video/DVD’s are set out under the tree and on top of the TV in the den.  They get a bit messy I agree, but hey a book mess is a good mess!

Do you have any favorites Christmas books to suggest for my special book 2010?

(Disclosure: The photo and links above are from Amazon.com and are not affiliate links.)

When it finally came I was totally prepared.  We did crafts, stories and songs.  The advent quilt event of the day was always done.  You have to remember that at this time I was perfect mom with one child!

Over the next few years I was able to maintain this perfection and the Advent quilt became a tradition. In 2004 Elle’s due date was December 21st and we had just moved into a new house in November. The advent quilt was somewhere packed and I couldn’t find it.  We still did our Christmas traditions, but the advent quilt was not there to oversee it all. I missed it.

Fast forward to 2008. I had four kids and was still on an adrenaline rush after the Adoption and had energy but didn’t focus to well.  I tried the Advent quilt and failed miserably. I couldn’t keep up with everything. Remember, I HATE crafts but feel an impulse that I have to do them! The advent quilt became more of a nuisance than a fun thing. Last year, I did even less with the quilt although we still put it up.

This year I’m doing it differently. There is not one craft on the quilt line up. The activities are simple, easy to switch around and bring our true meaning of Christmas into view.  For all of you craft lovers out there I assure you that the kids will have plenty of opportunity to get messy with  paint and glue between scouts and school! I want to have fun with my advent quilt and not be ruled by it.  I have also learned that the advent quilt activities have to grow with your children.  Make it fun for them or there isn’t much reason to put in all the work. 

With the holiday season starting after Halloween, many of our typical Christmas activities are already done by December. We put up our tree Thanksgiving weekend.  Our sponsored child’s gifts have to be turned in by December 1st.  There is also the fact that somedays have two activities scheduled. Then of course we have a birthday to throw in!  With all of these factors in mind here is my list, in no particular order:

Christmas lighting at our local courthouse/Concert with Meg and Mita

Elle’s birthday

Making Christmas Cookies

 Wrapping Gifts- is “more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35 (NIV)

 Caroling for the Grandparents

 Elf someone

 Story starter:  A few days before Christmas the elves were scurrying around the workshop finishing up on the toys when the lights went out…

 Matthew 1:18-25

 Luke 2:1-14

 Luke 2:15-20

 Santa Letters

 Local Concert all four girls are singing in

 Go out of your way to be nice to someone today and then tell us about it at dinner tonight.

 School Parties

 Elle’s Daisy Program

 Elle’s Birthday Party

 Story starter:  It was the night before Christmas and Selena Gomez had yet to start her Christmas shopping…

 Christmas Day Rocks! Happy Birthday Jesus.

 Write Christmas Cards to kids in the hospital over Christmas

 Christmas movie marathon

 Tell a Christmas joke at dinner tonight. You have all day to find one!

 Deliver gifts to the neighbors.

 Drive around and see the Christmas lights.

 Story Starter:   Bella was getting ready for Christmas Eve when she heard the cat calling out.  Going outside to investigate, Bella notices tiny footprints in the snow…. 

Hot chocolate party!

 I’m most excited about the story starters as my kids love to tell tales right now and are so dramatic.  Four girls dramatic. Who would have thought!

Check out some other Advent themed posts:

StopDropandBlog

Quiet Fish

Next year your hair will be as long as you want it to be. Keep growing it out!

Dear Mandy,

Christmas 2009 was great and we made a lot of great memories.  I just wanted to let you know a few ways you can make 2010′s Christmas even better.  You need to stop stressing on the stupid things, let go and live in the moment.  This is easier said than done and you have done better this year (e-cards saved time and money!) but next year try and remember a few things:

1) Don’t buy matching Christmas outfits.  It was a miracle they all wore them ONCE this year, and that miracle won’t happen again until they are older and trying to make their geriatric mother happy.

2)Don’t ask them to be in the Church Christmas play.  Wait for them ask to be in it and then have them sign a contract swearing that they will go to all the practices without whining. They were so cute this year and I am very proud of them.

3) Bargain more.  Tell them they will get a bigger Christmas gift if we skip some of the Christmas “fluff” activities like Breakfast with Santa and Santa’s Secret shop (Sorry PTO).

4)Don’t expect them to love and cherish your favorite Christmas book, song or activity. It’s not worth the energy and they will like it better without your endorsement!

5)Don’t begrudge your Hubby to much for being right on more things than you would like to admit.  Maybe he has it right that matching hair bows just aren’t life and death and the fact that Elle wore snow-boots two years in a row to see Santa isn’t all that bad.

Mandy, I hope you remember to read this next year and do as I say.   If you don’t maybe someone will remind you and save the season.

Take care and drink a lot of Chai.  Enjoy the season while you can and remember that one day you’ll be asking to join them in their family’s celebrations someday.

Love,

You