tis the best season

The Miller's Christmas countdown...where all is mostly calm and all is usually bright.

Up to this year we've all ways been holiday barnacles, tagging along on the traditions of whichever side of the family we were with. But this year we're venturing out into the unchartered territory of being the creators of traditions. And I'm not going to lie, I feel like a close runner up to Ms. Claus because I am keeping the holidaze in check and we are actually enjoying the season. (Plus my belly is getting bigger and I may have found a gray hair or two so watch out Ms. Claus.)

I give major props to anyone who can do 25 days of Christmas fun and cheer...we do 12.  

My mother picked these little wool stockings a few years ago at J.Crew (the were part of their holiday decor) and now we use them as our advent calendar. Our list of activities includes:

1. Pick out the Christmas tree

2. Decorate the Christmas tree

3. Deliver Christmas treats

4.  Make reindeer food and ornaments 

5. Watch Charlie Brown christmas

6. Make fake snow

7. Christmas shopping

8. Secret Santa (ring and run with treats)

9. Symbols of Christmas Family Home Evening

10. Gingerbread houses

12. Act out the Christmas story 

Rhett knows two Christmas songs, Jingle Bells and the repetition of the word "Alleluia" from Handle's Messiah. Always the loudest soloist, he belts "alleluia" over and over in the most nasally voice and it sounds more like "All-weee-oo-ahhh. " He also confuses it with the beginning of the Lion King so we often get a combo of "Alleluia" and African chanting at the beginning of the Circle of Life.   

It might bring out a little ba-humbug in Jake and I when he sings it for the 30,000 time.

Rad has died and gone to ball ornament heaven. 

Thankfully the ball ornaments we own are plastic and surprisingly super durable.  Dented? Yes. Broken? Never say never. He is also preparing for the great chapped lip apocalypse of 2015 by applying layer after layer after layer after layer after layer of a rouge tube of Chapstick he found somewhere. I keep taking it away and then keep finding it tucked somewhere in the Christmas tree or tree skirt. 

Next year will me the totally be the year we take the boys to see Santa...but until then we won't tell them that's a usual Christmas activity. We can only do so much. Rad can just fill that role this year since he's becoming quite good at yelling "ho!" (X 3 of course.)