the best Christmas gifts

This Christmas we started a new tradition with the girls, which quickly became one of my favorites. I stole the idea from one of my sisters who has done this for years with her kids (thanks SBBBB). I think it helped the girls focus more on gifts they were giving rather than gifts they were receiving. Of course the girls are going to be excited about their 4 gifts under the tree (something to wear, something to read, something you want, something you need- thank you to whomever I got this idea from!!), but we want them to also be excited about the birth of our Savior, and we want them to learn to be grateful and generous.

A week before Christmas I took Belle and Bug to buy presents for their sisters and Dad. We got a bag full of quarters out of their piggy banks, and then I took each girl by herself to the Dollar Tree to pick out some gifts. I had so much fun on this one-on-one shopping trip with the girls. They both loved looking through the aisles to find something their sisters or Dad would like, and they loved giving their quarters to the clerk at the check-out. Afterward they loved helping me wrap the presents, and they loved watching everyone open them and play with them. I was so impressed with how well Belle knew her sisters... she picked perfect gifts for both of them. She picked two gifts for Bug, and those were 2 of Bug's favorite gifts. I also enjoyed watching them pick gifts for their Daddy. Everything Belle found that her Dad might actually use she very practically pointed out that he already had it... "he already has socks", "he already has a candle", "he already has tools".... so instead she got him a giant coloring book (he didn't have one of those). These 2 trips to the Dollar Tree with my girls were my favorite Christmas shopping, and it was definitely the best $7.00 our family spent all season.  I look forward to doing this each year with my girls. I'm so glad I got this idea from my sister, and I thought I'd share it in case anyone else was looking for an idea to encourage some generosity at Christmas.

I really think these might have been the Officer's favorite presents. A giant coloring book and an alligator hat that Bug knew her Daddy would just love.

Another shot of the alligator hat, because it is just too good

Preparing for Christmas

One week until Christmas, and today was my last day of school! Our Advent has been pretty hectic, but wonderful, and hopefully the girls are feeling the great anticipation of Christ's birth. Today our beautiful Nativity finally made it out of the attic, and the Advent candles arrived last week, so it's looking a little like Christmas at our house. I love all of our Christmas traditions, and the girls seem to be enjoying them too.... 

We started Advent with a fun family evening decorating the tree and listening to Christmas music. This year the girls were old enough to really decorate the tree with only a few directions from me. I did the fragile ones and they took care of the rest with some reminders that it usually looks better when there aren't 3 ornaments on the same branch. I have so many fond memories of tree decorating with my family growing up, and I hope that my girls will some day too. 

Of course St. Nicholas arrived on his feast day with a few pieces of candy for the girls, and my mouth watered while they ate their Reese's. 

Then we made a surprisingly successful trip to visit St. Nicholas. Last year neither of the girls would sit on his lap, but look at the picture we got this year! I made a huge deal about them showing their baby sister how to do it, and man did they deliver. They happily walked up, sat on his lap, said cheese, and walked away. This is our 4th year going to this Santa at Bass Pro Shop, and he is the best. We also go on a weekday afternoon when everyone is in school... there was 1 person in front of us in line, the whole thing was free, and then we got to go visit the fish afterward. 

Some women collect shoes or purses, but I collect Advent calendars. Every year the Officer has to remind me that we don't need another one, but I always find an excuse to get a new one. We currently have 4 in our house that the girls get to do each morning. This is our new magnetic one that the girls like to use as a backdrop for their Nativity.  I'm obsessed. 

Another of our favorite traditions is the tacky light tour in our city. Every year after dinner we load up the car and spend 2 hours driving to different houses on the tacky light tour. Last night we got to do this with the girls, and they loved it! 

Tonight I'm taking the girls out individually to buy presents for their sisters, and then we are visiting family, wrapping presents, and relaxing until Christmas. It's the most wonderful time of the year!!