Christmas Traditions

Every year Nana Way gives Owen and Adam their own advent calendar.  It's not your average advent calendar. It's wooden and every day the boys get to open a drawer. 

Inside each drawer she usually has a piece of chocolate, money, and on most days a tag with a sticker on it.  They have to match the sticker on the tag with a present in their wicker sleigh. 

This is probably their most favorite Christmas tradition.  They can't wait to get up each morning and open the next drawer. 

I decided this year to include a few things that we have to do for other people.  Owen and I talked a lot about how it's really fun to receive gifts, but it can feel just as good to give to other people.  If you type "Random Acts of Christmas Kindness" in Pinterest you'll find a ton of great ideas that kids (and families together) can do for other people during the Christmas season.  Yesterday Owen got his first "task" and it is to buy a gift for someone less fortunate.  Our church is always asking for volunteers to buy gifts for other kids.  My school also has a lot of needy families that need assistance over the holidays.  I love love love helping out kids in our school, especially in my classroom. 

 

Sam, our elf, is back again.  The first day back he wrote the boys a note and gave them a movie about Elf on the Shelf.  He hasn't done anything too mischievous... yet.

 This past week the boys made gingerbread houses at Linda's house.  They look forward to this each year. 
Adam dug right into his and if we hadn't stopped him, he would have eaten his entire house in one sitting.  Owen, on the otherhand, picked a few things off and was done.
 
Tomorrow is the much-anticipated Breakfast with Santa at the Sacred Heart Church.  Owen is excited that Santa will be in Cornwall and Adam seems excited too.  We'll see how it turns out.  Last year Adam was terrified!