25 Days of Christmas

     I love Christmas. It is my favorite time of the year. I love all the family togetherness, the gifts, the food, the music and singing, the lights, the movies, the traditions, the cold weather that makes bundling up and crowding around the fire that much more special, and so much more! I love how the season makes everyone pause to think about and appreciate others. 
     And I love what Christmas is all about. God's amazing love for us that he would come to be with us in such a tangible and humble way. He - our King and Savior - chose to enter the world as a sweet baby. And that was just the start of a bigger plan to offer us forgiveness and  salvation. Wow! 
    Because this time of year is so special to me, I love to celebrate it by taking part in a lot of Christmas activities and fun. So I'm making a list of 25 things that I want to do this Christmas season with Tim and Owen. Last year we were so wrapped up in moving across the country that we didn't do a lot of the things that we love doing during the holidays. And this year I want to make sure we're making memories and starting family traditions with Owen that we will do for years to come. So here's my list.


1. Take Christmas photos of Owen - November 29

2. Create a Christmas mix CD or buy a new Christmas CD - November 27 and December 14 - Tim bought me Michael Buble's newest Christmas CD. Yay!
3. Design and mail Christmas cards to family and friends - December 7
4. Watch some of our favorite Christmas movies. (I love Elf and White Christmas)

5. Visit a tree farm and cut down our own Christmas tree - November 26
6. Have a tree decorating "date" after Owen goes to sleep - November 27
7. Decorate the house - December 3
8. Drive around and look at Christmas lights with hot chocolate in thermoses
9. Have pictures taken of Owen with Santa - November 26 

10. Read the Christmas story in Luke - December 16
11. Make Christmas cookies - November 27, December 8

12. Make a Christmas ornament - November 5
13. Do a Christmas craft with Owen - December 9

14. Participate in a charity drive to give to others -December 1
15. Make a Christmas wreath - November 22 

16. Buy new pajamas for the three of us (or at least Owen) to wear on Christmas Eve night
17. Cook Christmas dinner for our little family of three - December 16
18. Get a babysitter and go on a Christmas date - December 10
19. Make a Christmas decoration - November 22
20. Attend a local Christmas event - December 10
21. Surprise Tim with a Christmas treat - December 7

22. Make a Christmas treat for the neighbors or friends (Elf them!)

23. Find a way to display Christmas cards that we receive - November 15
24. Try out a brand new Christmas recipe - December 8

25. Go to a candlelight service
    
    And there you have it! As wives and moms, a lot of times it is up to us women to give our children and families joy and peace at Christmas. My goal this year is to try to provide a fun and unstressful Christmas for my family.