A few of our favorite things....

Once again advent season is here! I love this time of year! Maybe because it starts right around my birthday :) or maybe because its the anticipation of the best gift of all time!

Either way thought I would share a few of our Christmas traditions:

• each of the 25 days until Christmas we put an ornament on our Jesse Tree to and read a short scripture, telling of the journey to Jesus. (this year we are a bit behind but I hope to share some of the stories with you as we go along)
• opening a new window each day on our Advent calendars
• lighting the advent candles
• Reading about Jotham, Bartholomew and Tabitha in an EXCELLENT advent series
• wrapping up Christmas story books and each day getting to open a gift of a special story to read! Some of our favorites: Crippled Lamb, Mary's First Christmas, Who is coming to our House?, The Christmas Tapestry and for adults Skipping Christmas, Unafraid
  
• staging the happy family Christmas picture (I just cant give it up!)
• delighting in opening cards from far away family and friends with pictures and updates
• putting candles in each of our windows
• making gingerbread houses ( fun for both the big and little kids)
• hanging stockings by the chimney (this year we may put out our wooden shoes :))
• Getting together with family!
• setting out our manger (instead of a big tree) and placing gifts all around - helping to keep us focused on real meaning of CHRISTmas!
• Having warm cozy fires snuggled up together
• of course making cookies, decorating them AND eating them!
• and Christmas music ~ especially hearing the kids play it!
• Mary Did You Know that song is one that always touches my heart!
  
• Making family memories we will treasure for years!
  

This season may God be near to you may you receive His wonderful gift, the gift of his son Jesus. More Christmas ponderings soon!