Christmas Traditions...for beginners

By choice, we are staying home alone for Christmas this year. We will miss our families like crazy but we (i.e. Dawnelle) thought it would be a good idea to establish some traditions and make it a magical season without the stress of travel. I know we are only 2 days into "The Benson 25 Days of Christmas Extravaganza" but I just know that this is going to be the best Christmas season ever! So far the traditions we are establishing have either come from my childhood or from my head but Joe is going to throw some into the mix. He took it pretty hard when his 25 days of football idea was vetoed...:). So here's what we have so far:

1. Making paper snowflakes to hang in the windows. (I can tell we will probably be making these every day :).

2. Christmas Advent Tree (My sister Brittany made this for me with little decorations in the pockets and they get to take one out every day. As an extra twist we put a clue in each pocket as well so that they get to go on a little treasure hunt every night. Yesterday their clue led them to a treat and today they found little snowglobes. And a shout out to my friend Jessie for the great treasure hunt idea!).


3. Candy Cane Countdown to Christmas (they get to untie a candy every day)

4. Daily Christmas Devotional (we read a few scriptures provided by the primary and take turns picking a favorite Christmas song. I think Carter is confused, he keeps calling it family home evening).

5. Christmas Lights!!!! I LOVE driving around looking at Christmas lights and we have done it 2 times in the last 3 days. The kids love it too and even if there is only one strand of lights up we stop and ooooh and aaaaah. Usually there is hot chocolate involved. Sugar free :).

6. We are going to do the 12 days of Christmas and I am super excited!! My family did this growing up and I am itching to do it again!

7. Deliver cookies/candy and sing Christmas carols

Any suggestions? I love to hear what other people do during the Christmas season. I just discovered the other day that I have a Christmas music channel on my tv. Since I live either in my car or at home we are listening to these lovely carols all day. Even Ellie has memorized a few! Here is a sneak peek at my sweet Ellie's Christmas princess dress (note the matching pacifier and the car in her hand :). I love having a girl...

On an almost unrelated topic- I made the candy countdown when Carter was at preschool and Ellie was my helper. I don't know how many candy canes she ate but I think it would probably take 2 hands to count them all! Well, I later spotted one of the candy canes stuck to her pant leg and I had to snap a picture. Probably the reason it was so funny to me was because yesterday she got a sucker stuck on the exact same spot :)!