Leading up to Christmas, we usually try to do one special thing each day in the month of December along with receiving an Advent gift. I really like the idea of doing something because it serves to keep us entertained during one of the first months of cold weather when we can't spend as much time outside playing.
We successfully did one fun, different, or new thing each day-and all but one were Christmas-related. Dawson had a blast, and I enjoyed knowing we had a little activity for each day. Here are some of the things we did (although not in order)...
Dawson built Santa's Toy Shop
with a little help from me.
Dawson made this Snowman ornament.
We saw Santa!!
Here's our sweet Carter opening
his first Advent gift!
One day our little activity was to
decorate this button Christmas tree.
Dawson loved putting them on,
and Carter loved taking them back off!
Each year Church Street UMC in
Knoxville has A Walk Through Bethlehem
where they convert part of their church
to look like Bethlehem. Everything except
the large animals is inside. Dawson enjoyed
seeing and petting these camels outside though.
Inside the church they transform their fellowship
hall into Bethlehem by covering the ceilings with cloth
and lights to look like stars in the night sky, the
floor is covered with truckloads of wood chips,
stone, and hay. Everyone is in costume. There is a synagogue
where we attended a short service, and there are also
shops, merchants, storytellers, inns, shepherds, goats,
sheep, and a census form and box for everyone to complete.
We all really enjoyed this, and I think it will be something we
try to do each Christmas.
Dawson got to make this star out of clay
in Bethlehem.
Another day we went to Chickfila
for dinner and to make Christmas
ornaments with the cow!
(Dawson LOVES the Chickfila cow.)
Dawson and I made Christmas cookies!!
Here are some of the cookies we made and decorated!
Dawson enjoyed making them, AND
he especially enjoyed driving his John
Deere Gator to our neighbors' houses
delivering the cookies.
We also made this Christmas tree
cake and some gingerbread men!
(blue-eyed gingerbread men, at
Dawson's request!)
Dawson helping me mix frosting!
Carter enjoyed relaxing and eating
Cheerios in his high chair while
Dawson and I worked on the cookies!
One day we made this Christmas
necklace.
So fun! One day our activity was to go to
Dawson's friend Colt's Christmas party!
Colt's mom made each boy (even Carter!)
these adorable gingerbread man aprons
with their names on them! They got to
decorate cookies and play. Dawson had
a great time, and so did John and I!!
We went to Chickfila to see
Santa Cow and Elf Cow one day!
Dawson decorated this Christmas
mug to drink out of!
One day's activity was to name this
door hanger.
Making gingerbread man pops!
The finished product. :)
Dawson had fun!
Decorating our gingerbread tree!
Several time during December
we drove around looking at Christmas lights.
The Blount County Court House has
trees sponsored by different businesses and
groups on their front lawn. Dawson had a
blast walking through these trees with us several
times!
This was our one non-Christmas-y
activity! Dawson is always interested
in this when we're at the mall. He was thrilled
to get to do it. He was so brave, and
he loved jumping this high!
We had the meetup group over
for a little Christmas party.
The kids decorated cookies, did
some finger paints, and made
hand print ornaments. They also did
A LOT of playing!
It's hard to get a picture, but these
are the hand print ornaments they made.
Their fingerprints go up the sides
and look like cute little snowmen.
Dawson's ornament
This activity was more for me, but
I got their footprints and decorated this
plate!
Another day's activity as making these ornaments.
One day we turned this pine cone
into an elf!
Dawson made these two reindeer!
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