It’s December and officially the beginning of Advent.
Now we can really prepare for the big day!
Advent Calendars
Today we can open our advent calendars. I still need to get our activity calendars down from the attic but luckily I bought all the kids a chocolate one last week, so they can open them after tea!
If you need ideas for advent calendar activities, Polly from Enchanted Pixie has a great post full of fantastic family advent activities.
Letters to Santa
The kids have an idea of their lists and are written their letters to Santa. We then posted ours in our local post box to Santa to which he always replies (full post coming soon).
If you don’t have a local Santa post box then you can send your letter via the Royal Mail Letter to Santa service. Remember to include a stamped addressed envelope and to send your letter by Sunday 6th December.
Christmas Tree
Our Christmas Tree is ordered and will arrive on Friday. This means I have to clear a space and get the decorations down- exciting! You can get £10 off a Christmas Tree from Pines and Needles by using my exclusive code: EVAN .
Christmas Decorations
The tree will be decorated on Friday but meanwhile we are starting to make new decorations. Activities in our advent calendar will include making snowflakes for our windows (I love these with some fairy lights) and paper chains to hang from our ceiling. Then we will need to put our other decorations up over the weekend while playing Christmas Tunes.
Christmas Plays
I love getting costumes ready for the Christmas plays. My favourites are when they have traditional parts like an angel or shepherd. This year, Izzy has an alternative “Family Activities Day” instead of a play so I’m not sure if she will get to wear a costume or not (fingers crossed she will be an angel!). Caitlyn is “Mum” and Rebecca is representing a “Chinese Girl”, so not traditional costumes at all. I love hearing the kids practice their lines and sing their carols.
Christmas Food
Many people will be ordering their turkey around now but not me. I’m vegetarian but we will be going to my mums for dinner anyway. We normally enjoy a Quorn Roast but I am considering ordering a Tofurky Vegan Roast this year for a change…I wonder which one is best.
Preparing for Guests
At the moment, I need to prepare to be a guest rather than host guests. But when we have a bigger house and have a spare room I hope to make the most of the space and be able to put as many people up as I can. A Shire Beds’ divan bed saves the sleeping arrangement dilemma by offering an extra bed by pulling it out at the bottom, this bed also gives a hint of luxury as opposed to normal standard of guest bedding which can range from a mattress to the sofa. Bedstar, a leading online bed business offers Divan’s as well as a breadth of other options to suit all pockets. I always remember staying at my aunty’s house when we were younger. She had twin beds adorned with her childhood teddies. I loved staying there. Imagine, two of these guest beds in a room would mean a family could sleep there comfortably.
Christmas Cards
Instead of sending cards, I donate the money to Little Hearts Matter “Lights of Love”. The kids like to send cards to their school friends though (oh the excitement of posting Christmas cards in the school letterbox!) so we are asking for class lists this week ready to write these out.
Presents
I am certainly not one of those organised people who buy all their presents in July (where is the fun in that?) but I have certainly made a start to my Christmas shopping now so make sure you’re on that “good list”!
Our town lantern parade is taking place this weekend. Unfortunately, the girls are on Brownie Camp. They are going to have an amazing time but I will really miss them at these special Christmas events.
Happy advent everyone! How are you preparing for Christmas?
I love those nativity Russian dolls. So cute xxx