Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Preparation for Christmas

Thanksgiving has come and gone and the advent season has already started. This year, we're working hard to focus less on material items and more on preparing our hearts for Christmas and the birth of Christ. It's tough when the world around us is saying buy more, this will bring you happiness, etc, but we are fighting hard to swim upstream. 

Normally we decorate closer to the second week in December, but this year we both felt eager to get the tree up and enjoy as much time cozied up by the tree & lights as possible. Last year, Will was working some super late nights and I remember that by the time we got the tree we were rushing to get it up. This year felt different, it was slower and more enjoyable. 

Things I'm looking forward to this Christmas season:
  • lots of time reading by a warm fire and sparkling tree
  • the children's Christmas play -- my absolute favorite thing where I get to see some of my sweet tutoring kids take part in the play
  • Christmas cookies & cookie swappin' -- my friend & I host an annual cookie swap & its such a blast getting to taste all different kinds of goodies
  • Advent time -- We started a new tradition with an advent calendar I made; each day has a passage for us to read to follow the story of Christ's birth
  • ELF and every other Christmas movie! -- We've already watched Christmas vacation with our neighbors & I can't wait to watch more.
  • Christmas Eve dinner with the Coopers-- The past two years, Will & I have hosted his family for Christmas eve dinner. I really enjoy cooking all day with Will and getting to serve the food to his sweet family of ALL men. We share some of my family's traditions (English poppers) and have created our own traditions too.
  • Post-Christmas time with my family -- we'll head to Charlotte after Christmas to celebrate with my family. I love it so much & so enjoy getting to take part in the traditions I grew up with. 
  • wrapping gifts -- I think I got this from my mom, but I love wrapping gifts! Finding creating ways to wrap them is so fun.