Holiday Bucket List

If there's one thing I've proven on this here blog is that while I love to make a list, I very rarely actually follow it. Yet for some reason, I continue making and not following said lists so why should December, the cheeriest month of the year, be any different.

Also, can we please note that it's December aka Christmas month aka the last month of 2013 aka holy @#&! (I'm starting my New Year's Resolution early and watching my mouth - you're welcome mom.)

Christmas is one of my absolute most favorite times of the year. In fact, I already get a little sad when I think about it being over and it's barely even started this year. My favorite thing to do at Christmas is to act like a complete child all season long. Because let's face it, Christmas was made for kids. Approaching the holiday season with a child like mind makes it twenty times more enjoyable. 

Fortunately, I teach First Grade so I'm able to get a lot of my immature Christmas fun out at school, which my Scrooge of a husband appreciates. (Just kidding, he's not really a Scrooge. He just acts his age around this time, which technically makes him the normal one, but whatevs. By the time we have a kid he'll being singing a muuuuuch different fa-la-la tune.)

I'm also really big about following traditions at Christmas time - the same traditions my brother and I have followed our whole lives. Again, I realize that we've technically grown out of reading "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" snuggled in my mom's bed but again, whatevs. 

And while I cherish the traditions I had growing up and want to continue recognizing those, I also realize the importance of Robbie and I building our own Christmas traditions and am willing to tweak my traditions accordingly. Fortunately he has some pretty awesome family traditions, too so we've got a whole slew to choose from. 

I've seen lots of advent calendars on Pinterest and I love the ones that have activities in them, rather than treats. I've debated using a few of those in our advent calendar this year but have to tread lightly as some of them are made solely for kids. (Robbie does not want to go visit Santa and sit on his lap...)

So - my half grown-up/half big kid Christmas Bucket List is as follow:

P.S. I'm super excited to say that I can already cross some of these off. Maybe things are looking up for this whole list making business. 

Buy a REAL Christmas tree. Growing up we always got a real tree, but for the past few years Robbie and I have used the fake one he had at his apartment....which is really nice. But nothing beats a real Christmas tree. Done. 

Drive around and look at Christmas Lights. Places to hit - Canterbury Road, the Hoveland House of Lights, and Possum Trot. 

Go to the Christmas Eve service at church.

Open new Christmas Eve jammies. Again, something we've done since we were little. 

Make homemade Christmas cookies. I've found a delicious flour-less peanut butter sugar cookie I can't wait to try.

Build a fire in our fireplace. If I had to guess, this is the one thing that won't happen. Robbie's hot natured and fires kind of scare me. BUT we have a really nice real log fireplace. It'd be cool to light it up once. 

Watch as many Christmas movies as possible. Robbie always likes to buy one new Christmas movie each year to watch. Sometimes it's a really popular movie that we've seen twenty plus times, sometimes it's a random movie from the $3 bin at WalMart. Either way it's always fun to snuggle in and watch a Christmas movie. Must see's - Elf, The Grinch (both real and cartoon), Four Christmases, The Santa Claus 1 & 2, Home Alone (only the original), The Polar Express. 

Send out Christmas cards. Which would require actually taking our Christmas card picture. I've only been trying to get that minor detail done since October. #whomwhomp

Take Roxy to the Trent Woods Christmas Parade. Done.

Finish buying and wrapping all our Christmas presents early. Like at least a week before Christmas. That's as early as this girl gets.

Have two decorated Christmas trees up in my house. One in the living room for our family ornaments and one in the foyer with just my favorite Christmas balls. #thatswhatshesaid Done. Because I've got THE best husband in the world.

Tree #2.

Eat breakfast for dinner. I foresee this happening more than once. Perhaps I'll even make festive pancakes?

Make a basket of special treats to take to a neighbor. I'm thinking possibly those homemade cookies mentioned above. 

Host a Christmas party. This is definitely happening in conjunction with Robbie's birthday. 

Spend time with friends and family. Le duh. The best part of the holiday season. 

Hugs,