We started Advent this year with our nightly candle lighting and singing – eight songs each night. We’re reading Jotham’s Journey (a gift from friends), and we’re really enjoying the nightly readings. We’re trying out something different this year. Instead of doing all our Christmas activities leading up to Christmas, we’re focusing more on Advent before Christmas, and then we’re going to have the 12 Days of Christmas once Christmas Day hits. Christmas will be the start of all our fun instead of the end of all our fun. I’ve been thinking about this for a few years, and so far it’s going well.

Even though we’re not “starting” Christmas yet, we did put up our tree. We had our decorating party last Sunday evening. Originally we were planning it for Friday evening, but the power was out for 12 hours and didn’t go back on until the kids were all in bed. We had a fun time Sunday evening combining Advent with tree decorating.