~ 25 days of Christmas ~

Advent: n ~ A coming; appropriately the coming of our Savior, and in the calendar, it includes four sabbaths before Christmas, beginning of St. Andrew's Day, or on the sabbath next before or after it. It is intended as a season of devotion, with reference to the coming of Christ in the flesh, and his second coming to judge the world. {Webster's 1828 Dictionary}

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What traditions do you have for Christmas?  What about for Advent?  Are there traditions just for the month of December?

As of right now, I do not have a formal plan of activities, movies, books, laid out for each day in December, but here are some things we've done in the past, movies we've watched and books we've read.  I also hope to add a few new things in as well.

Movies:  Most of these movies are ones for the kids.  For some reason, I love to watch "While You Were Sleeping" during the holidays, probably because it begins around Christmas.

• The Nativity Story (2006)
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
• Polar Express (2004)
• The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey (2007)
• The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (2005)
• Elf (2003)
• Little Women (1994)
• While you Were Sleeping (1995)
• Miracle on 34th Street (1947 version)
• Santa Clause (1994) and subsequent movies
• White Christmas (1954) 
• A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
• Check out this link to ABC's Family 25 Days of Christmas ~ lots of movies to watch, some of what I have already listed.  Check it out down and set up the DVR!

Books:  For these books, I have listed the original author.  For "A Christmas Carol" we may end up reading an adaption of one, which might be a different author.

• Gospel of Luke - the birth of Christ
• Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
• One Winter's Night by John Herman
• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
• Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck (plan to preview this one, haven't read it but looks good)
• Who is Coming to Our House? by Joseph Slate
• One Wintry Night by Ruth Graham Bell
• Stopping By The Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Activities:

• Christmas Mad Libs
• Attend Children's Christmas Show at Burke Community Church
• Attend Adults Christmas Choir at Burke Community Church
• Drive around and look at Christmas lights
• Go to National Mall and see the decorated trees
• Christmas Party through our Co-op
• Polar Express Evening:  tickets, hot chocolate/mug gift early, new pj's early
• Advent Scripture chain
• Christmas Camp-Out ~ once tree is up, sleeping around it for the first night

Baking:

• Oreo Truffles
• Christmas Pretzels
• Mint Brownies
• Hot Chocolate (not really baking, but totally home made)
• Cookies
• Coffee Cake Christmas morning or Monkey Bread in a bunt pan for a birthday cake for Jesus

Homework pre-Thanksgiving:

• figure out 25 scriptures related to Christ's birth (have seen a few links to some on Pinterest, but would like to get them from particular versions of a Bible)
• make letter mugs
• decide if traditional Christmas Eve PJ's will be given early
• map out some of the more difficult things to do ~ like going into Washington D.C. or Christmas shows that have specific dates