The days leading up to when we celebrate the incarnation of our Savior are very busy.  Ours have been especially busy this year–to the point that I just want them to slow down.  I just want less–less outings (though they are enjoyable), less things, just…less.  Not that I am not grateful, but sometimes it feels like all the “stuff” robs our true joy in what this season is all about.  God is incredibly good and gracious to provide for us, giving us friends and family to share our time with, and to give us a season of celebration and joy.  Next Christmas, I just hope to be more organized and have more of our life settled.

All that said, we usually like to do some special Bible readings or other memorable activities leading up to Christmas.  Before, we have done (and really enjoyed) Truth in the Tinsel, where you read Scriptures as a family and discuss the coming of Christ every day leading up to Christmas Day.  The blessed children make homemade ornaments that are very special and which I will always treasure–all the ornaments are different elements of the Christmas story (the true Christmas story).

This year as a special surprise, I purchased an inexpensive Advent calendar from Jacquie Lawson.  It really is the most charming, lovely thing.  You download it to your computer, and each day there is a new item from the Victorian era to learn about.  Each day has a new animated scene, or an activity to do.  There have been days to decorate your own Christmas tree, decorate your own Victorian-style Christmas card, create a stained-glass window, and more.  There are sections to make a snowflake, as well as others to do puzzles.  All of this is done on the computer, which is unusual for us, but I thought it would be a nice treat and especially liked that the calendar was from the Victorian period this year.  It is also a history lesson for us.  The pictures in this post are things that my daughters created with the Advent calendar.

If you would like to order one or see a demonstration, you still can here.  It is not too late to go through the days to learn about many of our Christmas traditions, which mostly stemmed from the Victorians.

Please feel free to share in the comments what special things you do to look forward to celebrating our Savior’s birth.

I hope you all have a very blessed Christmas, and thank you for reading here at Raising Homemakers!