Our Advent Calendar-What Are You Doing This December?

I am known to procrastinate many things, Christmas preparations are not excluded.  It seems like I am having a hard time figuring out a perfect time to start my prep.  If I prep too early, by the time Christmas comes, the tree looks a bit tired, the Christmas decorations have collected dust, and the gifts have been opened.  If I prep too late, I face the risk of what happened two year ago.  You can read about it here.  I laugh every time I read this.

The other day, I read Tsh's post about an easy Advent calendar that she created and was inspired to begin planning our December!  The kids had a day off today, so we wrote our list of supplies and headed to a thrift store and Joann's (there are great coupons for that place online) and bought the stuff for this craft.  Now, I am NOT very crafty at all.   When I look at the handmade things Alyssa makes, I let out a deep sign as to acknowledge her skill and lack of mine.  But this project turned out a success!  I loved that all of the kids participated with Ab's leading the whole thing!   We found a huge frame for $5 at the Salvation Army and purchased the rest of the supplies at the craft store.

It took a while to come up with a list though.  I wanted something doable, fun, stress free and cheap.   We decided to splurge on one activity- The Singing Christmas Tree.  We justified our purchase by making this be our Christmas gift to each other and the fact that with our new arrival in February, we will probably not be able to attend this event for a few years.   Here is our December at a glance:

1. Continue decorating the house
2. Attend Follow the Star
3.  Add some ornaments to the tree
4.  Attend Singing Christmas Tree
5.  Sing Christmas carols
6.  Make paper snowflakes
7.  Read Christmas/winter Jokes
8.  Check out books about Christmas at the library
9.  Christmas and birthday gift shopping
10. Attend Appostolic Faith Church's Christmas Celebration
11.  Bake and decorate cookies
12.  Drive through Winter Wonderland
13.  Make and send greeting cards
14. Read a Christmas story
15.  Complete a random act of kindness or two
16.  Celebrate in winterwonderland   :)
17. Make stove-top popcorn and watch The Nativity Story
18.  Celebrate hubby's B-Day
19.  Make hot chocolate and watch The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.
20.  Decorate a gingerbread house
21.  Attend Grotto's Festival of Lights
22.  Read one of the four Gospel versions of the nativity story
23.  Open stocking stuffers
24.   Christmas Eve
25.  Christmas Celebration in church

I will most likely be writing these on a post-it note because I want to have the freedom to change things around and not feel guilty about it.  What are some things you'll be doing with your families?  Please share but know that I might steal your idea or two!