Category Archives: December Daily 2010

Several people have asked me how the December Daily project is going…so I thought that I’d give you a sneak peek to a couple of days.

Day 1 Advent Action – Buy a new ornament for our family tree.

Every year the day after Thanksgiving we go and pick out our Christmas tree.  We spend all weekend decorating the house.  This year while putting the lights on we found a bird’s nest (I’d like to think that’s a good omen).  Our new ornaments are a D and an M.

Day 2 Advent Action – Play in the snow

This year for our Christmas card, I had the great idea to dress the kids in their Christmas Eve jammies, take them outside, and take their picture while throwing snow at them and watching them laugh.  Davy loved trying to catch the snow, Matty was more interested in throwing the snow or running around the Golf Course.  :O)

Day 3 Advent Action – Finish making ornaments with mom

Each year mom and I make Christmas ornaments.  We’ve made Angels, Bears, Elves, Snowmen, Penguins, and this year decorative balls.  It took us three days to complete them.  Each one is different and unique.

Day 5 Advent Action – Make some special cookies for your teachers to say Thank you.

Davy made Oatmeal Scotchies.

Day 8 Advent Action – Did you find where the Elf is hiding?

This is our Elf.  He first appeared the morning after Thanksgiving bringing the boys a new pair of pj’s and the Polar Express.  The boys have been so good that each morning he returns to a new spot to be found and sometimes he even brings books and candy.  Today he flew in on his very own sleigh.  Can’t wait to see where he will be next.  On the next page is the Elf on the Shelf story.

Day 12 Advent Action – Go visit Santa tonight

After waiting in line for an hour and a half at Citrus Park Mall, we finally go to see Santa.  Davy was a little overwhelmed and forgot to ask for his big gift; however he did ask for a bucket, a calendar, and a new hat.

The other night my friend Johanna was over with her family and we got into an interesting conversation about holidays.  Earlier in the week Davy asked me, “why don’t we celebrate Hanukkah?” and Jamison had asked her, “well if Davy doesn’t celebrate Hanukkah, then what does he celebrate?”  Which led to me asking her, “why are there 8 days in Hanukkah?” and she asked, “what is the purpose of Advent?”…like I said, an interesting conversation….  :O)

Advent (from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming”) is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi. The Eastern churches’ equivalent of Advent is called the Nativity Fast, but it differs both in length and observances and does not begin the church year, which starts instead on September 1.  The progression of the season may be marked with an Advent calendar, a practice introduced by German Lutherans. At least in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Methodist calendars, Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25, the Sunday from November 27 to December 3 inclusive.  An Advent calendar is a special calendar which is used to count or celebrate the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas.  Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming of Christ. Christians believe that the season of Advent serves a reminder both of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians for Christ’s return.

As we all know, the Advent calendar has been over commercialized; so in our house this year we decided to make Advent action cards to count down the 25 days to Christmas.  Some of them are for friends or neighbors, some are for family, some are for the holidays, and some are for fun…  But together as a family we are picking out an action each day and making memories along the way.

Here are a few of the cards:

• Cook dinner for your neighbor
• Go play in the snow
• Did you find where the Elf is hiding?
• Have a wonderful time at your birthday party
• Buy a gift for the Children’s home
• Finish making ornaments with mom
• Throw a party to eat, drink, and be merry
• Go look at Christmas lights and drink hot cocoa
• Make a wish when you blow out your candle
• Go and buy a new ornament for our tree
• Write a list of 10 things you are thankful for and share it with Grandma
• Go visit Santa tonight
• Read the story of the birth of baby Jesus
• Help mama mail out the Christmas cards
• Put together a scrapbook for the 2010 holidays
• Light a candle and say a prayer for a loved one far away
• Make some special cookies for your teachers to say “thank you”