Hello, December

So happy you're here. You're my very favorite {with September running a close second}. Sure, you book up fast and tend to throw in curve balls every year {like the sickies}, but I fell in love with you ~ the 12th and last page of the calender ~ as a young girl and that's not about to change now.


For me you conjure up the most vivid thoughts of giving and giggling, family gatherings, fresh evergreen scents, baker's twine, ice cream cake, Sunday sermons, instrumentals, greetings, dessert tables, glitter glue, jello with marshmallows, heaps of snow, photo projects, cousins, and friends. I want for my two itty bitties to share these associations and to make more of their own.


Our current to-do lists are pretty much the same as last year and filled with great anticipation from top to bottom. Per usual, I'm making an effort to simplify, plan ahead, and take more time to enjoy YOU this season. Hopefully with fewer late nights, long lines and mad dashes to the market. So far. So good. Here's where we are as of December 3.



Holiday Prep

• Cut down a tree.
• Decorate the tree.
• Light the outside.
• Deck the halls {2/3 floors get decorated}.
• Place electric candles in front windows {finish today}.
• Tie velvet bows to fence and hitching post {finish today}.
• Hang stockings on the brick.
• Carry empty bins back up to attic.
• Pull out the big musical snow globes for the kids.
• Bring holiday CDs into the car, playroom and kitchen.
• Make a mini holiday organizer.
• Clip craft-store coupons.
• Check sites, catalogs + gift guides for inspiration.
• Make a list of WHO and WHAT.
• Plan our week in Family Land {party dates, house visits}.
• Photo projects!
• Ask Aunt Mary who is coming to Christmas Eve.
• Buy holiday outfits for Buby + Bleu.
• Replenish ribbon, wrap and tissue paper supply.
• Ship a lil' surprise out to AZ.
• Print Christmas card photos at home.
• Buy holiday stamps.
• Address and mail cards {fyi: I lost my address book last March}.
• Bring down the snowballer and snowman kits from the attic.
• Find snow pants and snow boots for the kids.

Christmas Traditions

• Hang handmade advent sacks and fill with lil' treats each night.
• Wrap 24 books for the annual holiday book basket.
• Snap a Christmas card photo at the tree farm.
• Drive to a winter parade and fireworks celebration on the 4th.
• Check out a local festival of lights on the 5th.
• Celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas at home on the 6th.
• Have both kids crayon letters for Santa.
• Attend our town's annual tree-lighting ceremony on the 7th.
• Decide on various craft projects for the kids and buy the supplies.
• Craft, craft, craft {on Tuesday and Thursday mornings}.
• Attend Buby's Winter Concert at school on the 10th.
• Treat Buby to a big-screen movie {Princess + the Frog opens on the 11th}.
• Visit Santa at Village Hall on the 12th.
• Flip through cookbooks with my lil' chef and pick two new cookie recipes.
• Bake, bake, bake {for neighbors and hostess gifts}.
• Begin our nightly "twinkle light tours" {we circle the village to ooh + aah at lights}.
• Pack for all of us to spend a week away from home.
• Shop for 14 children, 4 adults, 4 Yankee swaps, 1 teacher, and 3 birthdays.
• Buy, wrap, and bring as many gifts as possible to Family Land at Thanksgiving.
• Talk to the kids about making sibling gifts. Bleu starts this year.
• Spread reindeer food {oatmeal + glitter mix} all over the yard on our Christmas Eve.
• Adopt a family through Buby's school and contribute one new, wrapped gift.

End of Year

• Snack helper at school {every parent is assigned a month... ours is December}.
• Purge all closets and drawers.
• Clean out both bathroom pantries/med cabinets.
• Reorganize playroom to make room for 2010.
• Prepare annual adult clothes donation to The Salvation Army.
• 4 bags are filled and labeled... at least 10 more to go before the 18th.
• Prepare a big home goods/toy donation to The Salvation Army.
• Wrap up all the furnace estimates and make a decision.
  

Post Edit: Green items finished on or by 12.7.09.