What a fun way to celebrate the season. I voted for you earlier, but I knew you would be posting something today. I am glad I waited to leave a comment. It also looks like you put new pictures of your cupcakes up. They look all ready for Christmas and very adorable. Have a blessed day, Tracy!

When we were first married... those many years ago :)... I started what we call "star activities." We color and cut out as many stars as there are days in Advent. Then I put an activity on each one and we take that one down when we do that activity. The last star is above where our nativity will be. So we follow the Star to Bethlehem. We usually have things like make a "Happy Birthday Jesus" banner, Christmas baking, pray for the dead (we go to a cemetery), clean, put up lights and decorations, get Grandma from the airport, and decorate place-mats for our Christmas meal (we cut poster board into the right size pieces and then wrap them up like Christmas presents -- easy clean up!). I try to do new things each year, but also do the usual ones. The kids love it!

Hi Tracy, Wonderful ideas! We only do our core subjects during Advent, and then we spend the rest of the day doing Advent related activities that I have accumulated over the years. A wonderful resource is Holy Heroes. Are you familiar with it? You are sent an e-mail daily with wonderful ideas as well as instructional videos. I appreciate it especially on the days that get away from us for one reason or another.

I hope you have a blessed first week of Advent!
~~Annita +JMJ+

You shared the Christmas book idea with me last year and I have been so excited to do it this year! I'm almost done wrapping my books. And I love the family fun bucket idea...would you mind passing that along to me? Thanks Tracy! I really appreciate your creativity and your love for God and your family!

What lovely traditions! I just LOVE to read what every does. I am a big believer that you can always start a new one as well. I like the Advent tree decorated with the purple ornaments.

HAve you ever heard of Cay Gibson's Christmas Mosaic? A tremendous source for Advent/ secular children's books throughout the ADvent/Christmas season.

I love the idea of opening a Christmas book each day! So FUN!! I also love the fun bucket. I am sure these are traditions and memories your children will cherish when they are older!!

What great ideas! I would love the family gift box email, if you don't mind. I am going to look into the Jotham's Journey, A Storybook for Advent I can't believe I haven't heard of it before:(. Love the Advent tree and the book idea. What great family tradition for the holiday and a fabulous way to bring Christ back into the holidays!!! I voted for you today.

Hi Lynda!
Thanks always for your visits, comments, and support! You are very observant to notice the new pictures I have of my "cupcakes". Yep, we took Christmas card pics over Thanksgiving :) WOW! Time is racing by!

Hi Delores!
Thanks for sharing your Star Activities idea! That does sound like fun for your family! I love the wrapping up placemats idea too :)

Hi Annita!
The kids and I plan on doing Holy Heroes each day and I will be posting about this great site and resource on my blog soon! We did the Lenten Adventure through Holy Heroes this past Spring and it was wonderful and we look forward to our Advent Adventure with them :) Have a blessed Advent season!

Hi Laura!
Great to hear from you again! I hope you enjoy the Family Bucket idea! Thanks for your visit and comment and I'm glad I was able to email you the bucket pages :) Enjoy!

Hi Patty!
I've heard of Catholic Mosaic and also Christmas Mosaic. I know these are two great treasures and resources to use. I have borrowed the Catholic Mosaic manual from a friend :)

Hi Jen!
Thanks for your visit and comment! Anytime my children can open a gift there is fun for all :)

Hi Anna-Marie!
We just started reading Jotham's Journey and my children are hooked after the first chapter already so I hope you will enjoy it if you get it. There are other books in this series as well which you will see if you do a search for Jotham :) Thanks for your visit and support :)

Those are some great ideas! I finally got an Advent calendar to use this year. In past years I have just found some free resources online. I actually found something earlier today that may work well...we'll see. We also do the Christmas book a day, but I don't wrap them (too lazy)! ;o)

Hi Christine :)
Advent calendars are always fun too! I will be posting some of the calendars we use in our home soon that gradually make a picture of the Nativity. Thanks for your visit and comment :)

PS Christine: I just entered your Greathall productions CD giveaway! Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway! We have some of Weiss' storytelling CDs and love them!

How are you liking Jotham? We read it last year. We are reading Bartholomew this year and it is just as good as Jotham. Love it!!!

HI Ginger!

We love Jotham! My kids hate when a chapter ends and asks me to keep reading on. It really is a good story and well written. We'll have to read Bartholomew and Tabitha in the future too. Have you read Tabitha too? Great to hear from you again and hope you are doing well :)

We are doing an advent calendar and countdown. Jesus has left the creche and will return Christmas Day and the the shepherd have started journey to the manger. They move little each day.

HI "JDaniel4's Mom"
I love the idea of Jesus returning on Christmas Day and the shepherd's moving each day! Our child friendly nativity pieces get scattered and never stay in one place at one time. Thanks for you visit and comment!