Capturing the Spirit of Advent

So Christmas is nearly upon us. (does anyone else think the word 'upon' even sounds Christmassy?)  And ALL of us can testify that it is a busy time.  End of year celebrations here, break-ups there and not to mention the shopping!  I can easily get quite stressed around this time of year especially when I look to far ahead on the calendar.  I have now learnt that my brain can only cope with looking two or three days ahead.  Something that I have learnt this year is the need to quieten down my head (as if that is even possible) and quieten down my family (again as if that is even possible).  Its far too easy to get caught up in the busy-ness and celebration of it all and forget that in amongst all that craziness is a family. A family that needs to be fed, a family that needs to rest and a family that needs to be just that - a family.  

I am a bit late on the up-take of this idea as I just discovered it reading other Christmassy blogs to help get me in the festive mood.  Its a great way to gain some new ideas and be inspired in all things Christmas!  And this is how (what I hope to be our new tradition) of our Advent Countdown came to be.  Traditions are good and I am especially big on traditions, enough to go a little loopy if we break one from time to time.  Traditions are some of what holds us together and connects us to our family and its story.

So a new one is born!

 

Advent traditionally starts  4 Sundays back from the 25th of December - somewhere between the 27 November and the 3rd December (inclusive) - which is why I suppose they start those choc advent calendars on the 1st of Dec.  Also Advent traditionally came with a bunch or do's and don'ts, fasting and special music too - I just learnt that.

But I really want our time of Advent to be a time of reflectiveness  (we all know how I love to do that) and a time for our family to be and do things together, during this crazy time of year.

 

 So I was a little late ( ok a lot late) at discovering it and getting myself and the kids organised to make one. So for this year I made it in time to start on the 11th making it two weeks long instead of four.  In each pocket as we countdown until Christmas Day, I wrote down paper and rolled up, activities that we can do as a family at some point during the day.  Everyone has a turn at picking it out each morning and discovering what it might be. Due to limited funds I had to be creative here as some of the ideas I read about involved spending money.

  Here is what I had/have:-

 

11th - Family Sock wrestling tournament.

12th - Ice Cream Sundaes at McDonaldsd

13th - A dance party in the living room with hot chocolates

14th - The Budd family Christmas celebration day at the lake (extended family)

15th - Red and Green Dinner with good friends

16th - xBOX Kinect sports tournament

17th - Roasting marshmallows on the brazier

18th - Baking treats to give to the mailman

19th - Sleeping in the lounge and watching a Christmas movie

20th - Baking to be a blessing to others

21st - Candy Cane hunt

22nd - The Johnston Family Christmas Day (extended family)

23rd - Driving around into town to see the Christmas lights on display

24th - Listening to the Christmas story (Luke 2) and having sparkling grape juice and nibbly things!

 

Day at the lake!

 

 

 

Red and Green Dinner

 

In all honesty some of the above hasn't panned out how I expected it to but hey its the first year expect bumps along the way.  The dance party consisted of Mum and Dad dancing and the kids drinking hot chocolates and roasting marshmallow hasn't happened yet because its been too windy to safely do that.

Tonight we are sleeping in the lounge and watching a Christmas movie which I think maybe 'The Grinch'.  Past experiences of doing this particular activity tells me that I need to expect the following to happen.

1. ALL 6 kids will bounce on ALL the mattresses. That is a given - even they are told not to.

2. They will NOT go to sleep quietly and straight after the movie - that too is a given!

3. Someone will get angry at someone making a stupid noise too loud, farting or just breathing when they are trying to get to sleep.

4.  Jesse will not go to sleep anytime before the others.

5. Someone will cry because someone will put their foot, hand, body or little finger on their bed - accidentally on purpose.

and

6. We will ALL have a great sleep because we always do when we all sleep in the lounge.

 

So in order to enjoy this evening with the kids I will expect ALL of the above to happen and I won't be disappointed when it does and be most pleasantly surprise if it doesn't.

I am definitely not holding my breath though.

 

Previous lounge sleeping evenings

 

What are some of your family traditions - new or old?