The Things I Love Most

Tips To Enjoying Life With Your Family

25 Days of Christmas 2010

by

*For those looking at this post in 2012 I have my new and improved

The Things I Love 25 Days of Christmas 2012

I am so excited for this post!  I have been anticipating it for a couple of months now, and now it’s finally here!  Let me start off by saying how much I love Christmas!  I love everything about it.  I put my tree up tonight.  I LOVE putting up the Christmas tree.  It brings a peace into my home every year.  I love to put my kids to bed and go and turn out the lights and with just the tree lights on, read, eat a yummy snack or watch a show in the peace and quiet of the night!  Yeah for the holiday season!!
25 Days of Christmas | The Things I Love MostFor the next 25 days I will share with you what our family does to have fun in December!  And also what we do to remember the the real meaning of Christmas, and make it more of a focus on Christ instead of Santa.  I am a firm believer of the magic of Santa, fun, presents and all, but I really wanted to “Put Christ back into Christmas”  this year for my families sake to help teach my kids the true meaning of the season.   
To start here  are a few traditions we have…

25 Christmas Books…family 018 I have collected Christmas books over the years and last year I was able to start this tradition with my kids.  I got most of these books at garage sales and the DI, but some I bought because they are really special, and I wanted to have them to share with my children.  One of my favorite is The Giving Chest by Dick Van Dyke.  It is a sweet story that my kids love to hear each year.  We also love the simplified story in the My First Story of the First Christmas.  We have lots of fun ones and also some more spiritual ones!  I like to mix them up and trade off nights! I wrap these books and put them in a basket by the tree and let the kids trade off picking out a book to read each night!

Gift Giving and Gift Exchange…
This year we are doing something new.  My kids will each receive 3 gifts on Christmas morning {Plus what is in their stocking}.  Three to remember the 3 gifts given to Christ by the Wise men.  One that Santa will bring, one picked out by Dad, and one from Mom.  I don’t want to spoil my children, but I also want them to have something nice.  Since we NEVER buy our kids anything extra except for one present on their birthdays I think that 3 gifts is just perfect. 
Also, tonight we had a little family home evening how we can serve others and that during this time of season we need to think more about what we want to give others than what we want to receive.  So we are having our kids spend their own money on the cousins that they have picked this year.  We are also going to pick a family member for them to get a gift for and then on Christmas Eve we will do a small gift exchange between the 5 of us.  We are mostly trying to work with our 5 year old that thinks because he cut out ever single toy that he liked out of the Wal-Mart  Toy Catalogue that he will get it.  We want him to forget about that and focus on a family member and something they might really want.  We will have a $5 dollar limit,, and let them totally pick it out.  I am really excited about this new one!

25 Days of December Fun + 25 Days of the Spirit of Christmas…
25 Days of Christmas | The Things I Love Most
 In Christmas’s past I just had 25 fun things to do in December with my kids.  This year I added 25 Days of the Spirit of Christmas with it.  We will do that part of it during school, and the December Fun part in the evening when It’s dark, but not yet bed time.
25 Days of Christmas | The Things I Love Most
 
25 Days of Christmas | The Things I Love Most
I was very excited to find Discover Christmas through Discover the Scriptures for only $7.99.  It has 25 days of great stuff to help bring the spirit of Christmas into your home.  It also has stories, memory verses, recipes, crafts, hands-on projects, service ideas and hand-made gifts. I downloaded it, printed it and made this book to go along with our December Fun activities.    Here are the two quick sheets I made to go with the book I printed.  Every day we will open the book and see what two activities we will do.  Like I said, one during school and one in the evening before bedtime. 
I will share the details with you for the 25 Days of December Fun  and a few fun things from the Discover Christmas-25 days of the Spirit of Christmas each day this month, but I highly recommend just buying the program so you have it, I can’t really share it because of Copy Right stuff!    I will also have about 2 giveaways going on per week leading up to Christmas.  Yeah!  Are you excited? I hope so!  I am. 
*Also exciting news, I am going to offer a giveaway prize pack to someone that leaves a comment telling me that they told their friends, family, facebook friends, whoever, about this fun month on my blog.  You can use the picture at the top of my blog and use it on your blog!  Just come back and tell me how you told your friends!
The Prize Pack will include Candy, Candy Corn, Candy Canes, and Syrup {just kidding, but if you can guess what movie that is from you will get another entry because it is one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time!}  But really the prize pack will be a surprise from me that will be full of Things I Love in it!  I will pick the winner on the 12th.  So you have time to tell your friends and they can tell their friends and so on!!  I hope you are all ready for this because it is going to be fun!
Come back tomorrow for the first day of the 25 Days of Christmas!  Thanks for stopping by!

Comments

  1. Kendra! This post is so so so awesome. Wow! You are one amazing mom! Your kids are soooo blessed to have you. I love all of your ideas and I just might have to steal a ton of them. Thanks so much for sharing these ideas!!! Looks like your family is going to have one amazing month!

  3. Seriously- you are adorable! Where do you find time girl?? I’m excited for your 25 days of Christmas. You are quite the inspiration! Thanks for sharing.

  7. I am so excited for your 25 Days of Christmas. I have been wanting to buy the Discovery Scripture Christmas set–I think I will need to do it!!! I just shared this link on FB with a link to your blog too!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
    erinropelato (at) yahoo (dot) com

  8. i love it! Actually, we do ALOT of the same things!It’s such a fun time of year! Yes, I am linking you to my blog and “liking” it on FB too! Elf is one of our favorite christmas movies too!

  10. Thank you for all the awsome things u do and share! I love all the great ideas I get and I always love to share with all my other friends. I love the 3 gifts idea this yr my kids are getting one gift simple to represent christ ( it also helps the budget 🙂 and the food listed is from elf of course

  13. Just posted your link on facebook! Kenj your amazing and thanks for all the fun ideas, i’ve been wanting to do this with my kids for a long time!! Oh and of course the movie is Elf, my all time favorite Christmas movie as well!!

  18. I am SO glad I came across your blog as I was looking for ideas for the advent calendar! This year is the 1st time I am making one instead of buying one at the store!

    Anyways … I posted your blog on my blog (although my blog is private)!

    Oh and the movie is Elf! 🙂 One of my favorite Christmas movies as well! 🙂

  19. I am introducing my mother-in-law to the world of blog giveaways and she’s amazed that such a thing exists! Thanks for inspiring me with so many ideas. I am having a baby any day now so I’ve been trying to get all my Christmas duckies in a row and your lists are a big help!

  22. I love the idea of the books I read that on another blog too and we are going to do it this year. I also love the Giving Chest. I’m hoping to add to my collection and always keep my eyes open. I’m sharing this on Facebook and the movie is Elf (shh!! the only way I know is because of all the other answers).

  24. I just found your blog – so great!! I posted a link on my facebook and the movie reference was to Elf – a great movie!! Thanks for the ideas. I wrapped our christmas books tonight!

  25. I posted a link in a blog post talking about your 25 Days of Christmas. I also have a link on the side of my blog for all who read mine to check out yours. I really appreciate your blog. I always look forward your posts. Thanks again, Kendra!

  29. Posting your blog site on my facebook page right now.. Going to download “Discover Christmas” too! Love the 3 gift idea! So important to instill the TRUE meaning of Christmas to our kids, starting at a young age!

  30. I just recently found this post through pinterest, which I then repined onto my Christmas Board! I couldn’t stop reading this post and am so excited to try to implement some of the fun ideas you have shared! I don’t have any kids yet, but this will help my husband and I draw closer to the spirit during this special season. Thank you for sharing, and I’ll spread the love through my blog!

    thejohnsonfam2010.blogspot.com

  33. Love! Love! Love! I will be passing this on to my son and daughter in law for my grandson. This truely is what Christmas should be about. I am so looking forward learning new things about Christmas! Thank You Kendra