Each season reminds me to slow down and connect more with my family — if I let it.

The temperature is dropping here. The cold weather reminds us to slow down.

It’s as if the seasons are little reminders … ping backs on life, whispering wake up, wake up, wake up.

The holiday season — and winter — is no different.

If anything, I’ve grown to adore winter for it’s slow pace. Excuses to sit in front of a fire, drink a cup of hot tea and snuggle under blankets.

Perhaps I need this kind of life all year but it’s what I crave all the time.

Slow days. Slow family life. Slow and meaningful.

Christmas is no different. I love everything about Christmas but especially the days leading up to it.

Good reasons to celebrate every single day.

Every year since the girls could walk and talk, we’ve done an advent. This year, our advent is little red and pink stars hanging from a small pink tree. Each star has activities written on them in gold ink ~ Reminders of the good things this holiday season brings.

:: Togetherness.

:: Spirit.

:: Kindness.

:: Joy.

:: Peace.

I thought you might like to know what activities are hanging from our tree. We began the Friday after Thanksgiving so we’re a week in and the fun has definitely begun. Some things may get switched around but this is mostly the order we’ll be going in. I will add a few other things in on days we have more time by writing on the backs of the stars.

1. Movie Night
2. Name a Family Star {The one to the left of the moon}
3. Make a Paper Strip tree {Awesome teamwork project}
4. Deliver a gift to a needy child {A Pinkalicious Barbie for a 6 yr old girl}
5. Throw a dance party
6. Make Snowflakes
7. Read a Christmas book {We read Nine Days to Christmas: A Story of Mexico}
8. Indoor picnic {dinner by the fireplace}
9. Deck the Halls at church
10. Decorate our tree
11. Make Cards and gifts
12. Read another Christmas Book/camp out by the tree
13. Light our chalice
14. Take a candlelight bath
15. Dress up for dinner
16. Sing songs
17. Eat snowman poop for breakfast {more great ideas for your advent here!)
18. Put on a Christmas skit
19. Go buy new ornaments for all
20. Hygge Your Home
21. Wrap daddy like a tree
22. Make ornaments
23. Get hot chocolate at Starbucks
24. Christmas Magic {amazing local event where you walk through a park full of lights}
25. Bake cookies and other goodies
26. Have a pajama party and make a family CD
27. Spa night with sparkling cider
28. Make sweet trees
29. Special Surprise {Shh. Put kids in jammies & tell them to get in the van. Load Polar Express on the DVD player. Pack s’mores snacks & hot chocolate.}
30. Wrap gifts
31. Drive and see lights
32. Movie Night

Too busy to make time for this kind of an activity schedule? Pick three and let the rest go! 🙂