This year is the very first year that Little M got excited about Christmas. Previously, we just decorated the tree and opened gifts on Christmas day and enjoyed some family time. This year she wanted to write a letter to Santa and asked for a horse and a dinosaur for one of her school friends. She even admitted she was a little naughty…..
I came across this sugar-free advent calendar from Ditch the Carbs and totally loved the idea. So we designed our very own count down calendar for this year. Little M couldn’t wait to take down each days little flag, to see what fun activity we had to do. She helped us to decorate each little flag and daddy made the wooden frame to hang our count down flags.
We added a range of arts and craft and we did include one or two “sweet” activities for her. The idea was to create some extra decorations for our Christmas tree and of course have some extra family time. I selected activities that will only take 15 – 20 minutes so that we can all sit together and have fun. The sweet treats were all allergy free and we tried to limit them to only 2 out of our 24 flags.
I’m not sure who enjoyed it more – Little M or us….. It was priceless to see her face every evening ,when she got to open the little flag to reveal what we will be doing. Adding the decoration to the tree was even more fun as we have a small self-made tree so finding the right spot for each items turned into an activity on its own.
I have come to the realization that kids don’t care about how big the gift or surprise is, as long as you sit next to them on the floor, sharing in their joy and getting your hands (legs and face) dirty or full of glitter, they are in heaven. Sure, it takes some time and effort to get everything together and making sure you have all the “craft ingredients” but once its all done, you will have hours of fun and plenty of memories.
We will carry on with this tradition, and as she gets older the activities will also change to include special outings or even a charity event or two.
What is your family tradition? Do you have a special way to count the days until Christmas?
From our family to yours – have a blessed festive season and remember it is about family and memories – no need for expensive meals and extravagant gifts. We are looking forward to make 2019 an unforgettable year and hope you will enjoy the journey with us!
For the love of...... 
Reblogged this on Geloof droom skryf.
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