24 Days of Christmas

So as a kid we chose Secret Santa's at our house, and that meant during the month of December you had to do something nice for your Secret Santa, or surprise them with a little gift for 24 days. Some days that meant you made their bed, other days you put a chocolate bar on their pillow.  I have taken that tradition, which I loved by the way and morphed it a little bit for our family...maybe one day we will get back to the true Secret Santa tradition, but now that the girls are small, we make the 24 Days of Christmas about them, and we do something special as a family, such as movie night with popcorn, or they get a small gift, such as a Christmas Book to share, or we do something nice for them, like make them cookies, or even better, do a Christmas Craft project together.

Christmas Craft Time with Campbell (and Brian)

One of our little Elves (from the Christmas Ornament Post) helps us keep track of what day we are on, and the girls and I move him every single day.

I worry that it will spoil them, and they won't appreciate the magic of the month, BUT I had a VERY proud Mommy moment last night. At dinner I gave the girls a choice, I told them they could choose a present OR we could have movie night as a family, and you bet your bottom dollar they filled my heart and chose family movie night (which ended up being a bust, but the thought was there). 

And I am not afraid to use this little guy to encourage good behavior during this Holiday Season....

I was beyond proud. It is one of those moments you hope you witness more and more of as they grow up, them making the right choice, them holding the door for a little old lady, because they would want someone to hold the door for their YaYa or their Bina, or them bending down to help a Mother who is trying to carry two children but just dropped her entire purse, those gestures and moments are the ones you hope for as a Mom, that you have raised children that have compassion and do the right thing...