December 1st is here which means Jesus' birthday will be here soon and it means another new month for No Ordinary Blog Hop (NOBH), the blog hop that I co-host with 7 other bloggers.  Click HERE to link up and our monthly theme is "How do you share your gifts with others?"  If you have a post on the monthly theme link it up under the "Monthly Theme" button on the right sidebar at NOBH.

We countdown to Christmas Day in our house with these special Advent calendars:
This is a magnetic calendar with 24 doors.  Each door has a magnet in it to add to the nativity scene with Day 24 holding the Baby Jesus.  My cupcake #1 is placing the first piece which is a yellow star over the stable.  This was given to one of my children several years ago by one of their Godparents.  They love peeking into each door to find the next piece each day!

I received this cloth Advent calendar from my parents when I was pregnant with Cupcake #1, so we have been using it for the past 11 years!  The first piece, the moon, is velcroed into place.  This calendar will also make a Nativity scene, filled with angels, animals, wisemen, and the Holy Family.

Melissa at The Joys of Home Educating also posted today about her Advent Calendars.  You can read her post HERE.  My children would love the LEGO Star Wars one she has...maybe one day we'll be able to add that one to our collection too! :) 

How does your family countdown to Christmas?

May you have a blessed 24 days anticipating the celebration of Jesus' birth!