Frou Frou Gypsy in Combat Boots

Everyone in my family has a stocking. Me, DH, and both kids. Even my parents have stockings...they hang at their house, but we fill them up! I don't think you ever out grow stocking! Stockings are fun!!! We put a big combination of things in our stockings: food, silly things, fun things, anything that will fit, and sometimes things that don't! Growing up when i had pets, even they had stockings! Also i had a "special stocking" that would be on my door. When Santa came, he would slip a candy cane filled with M&Ms into it...so if i woke up during the night, i would know if he had been there or not yet! i had a BAD habit of getting up at 3 a.m. on Christmas morning! I know my parents loved that! My kids thankfully, don't get up so early! i usually beat them up in fact!

how do you count the days until Christmas? We celebrate Advent. This year Advent started on November 30...but we didn't start our official celebration until December 1st. Advent starts on the 4th Sunday before Christmas, so the actual days are different each year, but to simplify things, we like most people celebrate our Advent December 1-25. My sweet Mother-in-law got my kids this lovely Advent Calendar this year and it is hanging on our fridge. Each day one of the kids opens a door... and the other Child opens the box of the day. These boxes are our usual Advent tradition. Each box has a Bible verse listed on the inside of the lid and then something inside the box. In years past there has been a mix of candy, gifts, and slips of paper telling of exciting trips (going to visit friends out of town, a zoo trip, a visit to see the Symphony, etc) in the boxes. This year we just did activities. Things we can do as a family. Reading a special Christmas book together, watching a holida...