Saturday, November 8, 2014

Christmas With a Toddler: Now Taking Suggestions

As I mentioned in a post last week, I'm starting Christmas festivities early around here since I feel like at 2.5, this will be a lot like Ellie's first Christmas since she a) doesn't remember the last two and b) will actually be able to participate and enjoy the fun of the season.

We've been listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas movies (such as Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas) and I already told you about us taking her "Disney World" aka Lowe's to see the Christmas inflatables and her reaction to that.

Some other things I want to do with her:

1. Pick out a Christmas tree from a tree farm
2. Take her to Santa's Wonderland in College Station
3. Drive around and see the lights in River Oaks
4. Zoo Lights
5. Tell her the Christmas story through a Nativity Scene that I bought for her.
6. Do a little advent time before bed each night
7. Make Christmas cookies
8. We will, for the first time, fully decorate the outside of our home. Grant is 100% NOT on board with this but I keep telling Ellie "Daddy is going to put lights on the outside of our house, Ellie!" and then I turn to Grant and he is giving me a death stare and I laugh so, so hard. The other day he asked if I needed him to do anything and I said "start working on your plan for the outdoor Christmas decor" and again he glares and I just laugh and laugh and laugh. He is so blessed to have me.












But I need suggestions, y'all! She will be 2.5 in January... she loves music and she loves Disney movies. What are some "musts" for her that she can participate in? Someday I will take her to The Nutcracker but at this point that would kind of be a disaster. :)

Must see movies?

Must see attractions?

Sweet traditions?

Suggestions welcome!

(And for you're new to the blog and need a frame of reference, I live in Houston!)

Thank you in advance for your advice and suggestions. The internet is awesome.

2 comments:

  1. As far as traditions go, you could get an "Elf on the Shelf" book and doll and start hiding the doll around the house for her to find each morning. When he was around the same age, my sis-in-law started doing this with my nephew and he got a kick out of it! Loving your blog, Jenny!

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  2. My mom did a paper link chain (25 links) and written on each was an actiivity to do that day/evening. Getting to take a link off the chain each night was exciting, and when we were old enough to count my mom didn't have to answer the question, "How many days until Christmas?" :) Sundays were always for the advent wreath/reading of part of the Christmas story/singing of Christmas carols, but other items included: reading a specific Christmas story (mom had an entire basked of Christmas books), watching a Christmas movie or cartoon (Grinch, Veggie Tales, etc), candy cane hunt (like an Easter Egg hunt), looking at lights (we usually would drive around and end the night at Dairy Queen, but you could also go to Santa's Wonderland in College Station) , spraying snow on the windows, playing with Christmas window clings, decorating cookies, attending the Christmas production at church, coloring a Christmas picture, doing a Christmas puzzle, attending the Christmas Eve service, a variety of Christmas crafts (and this was before pinterest), decorate the Christmas tree, go on a walk to see lights on our street (usually done with Dad). Nothing was huge or high dollar, but my sister and I looked forward to that chain going up every year! We also always got to open on present on Christmas Eve-it was usually something that would keep us occupied the following morning if we got up too early!

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