let the countdown begin (25 days of Christmas)

This year, I am starting a new tradition with the family. We will be celebrating the 25 days of Christmas.The holiday season is a special time of the year of remembering to give thanks, to show your appreciation of others, to share and care and be merry, to move forward while remembering to cherish where you have been. I want SweetPea and PorkChop to grow understanding that Christmas is more than just gifts and "the gimmes". Its about taking time to be with your family, to show love and thoughtfulness to others, to learn the joy in giving- not just in receiving.

So we start today with our countdown. Much like an advent calendar, we will also count down each day to the Christmas holiday. But each day will be marked by a different "project". Some days, it will focus on reading books about the holiday season, books that give us pause and remind us not to be selfish. Some days, it will be about holiday movies and sharing that closeness with the entire family. Other days, we will be baking goodies to keep, to share, to surprise our neighbors with. Still other days might include a trip to do something special, something that will help us to share in the joy of Christmas without focusing on the all mighty dollar sign.