Christmas in our home

oh ... about 6 years ago, I was introduced to Advent Conspiracy and it was a breath of fresh air!  We (my family growing up plus Matt and I) had never done Christmas BIG in the way of gifts and had always recognized/focused on the birth of Jesus. But reading Advent Conspiracy gave me a new perspective on giving at Christmas. I challenge you to read the book or at least check out the website.

in an effort to 

WORSHIP FULLY, 

SPEND LESS, 

GIVE MORE and 

LOVE ALL

we have adapted the "way we do Christmas"

We give mostly homemade gifts.

We donate to those who truly need!

Matt and I don't give each other gifts ... instead use that money to bless others.

Our children receive a few items in their stocking and

three gifts (just as baby Jesus did).

[to share ideas: This year, they will each receive a box

of books ... some new, most used...a coupon for a family

bowling outing...and a hat/scarf set I made them.]

We make an effort to give more of ourselves as the true gift.

We look for ways to "give Christmas away".

Advent Family Time

This year, we felt we needed to do less outside of our home, 

and focus more on WORSHIPING FULLY...

so we took a break from Live Nativity, cookies for Food Bank,

making hats and coats for tree at church, etc.

and are focusing our efforts on Advent as a family.

We have been very blessed so far by Ann Voskamp's

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift.

I also want to take time to make more Christmas 

memories at home with my children.

In an effort to encourage you, I plan to post weekly about how

we are celebrating this Advent season

and what homemade gifts we are making.

This week, we pulled out Christmas decor and books.

Matt "put together" our tree one night

and we decorated it together the next night.

It was nice decorating over the span of the week!

I made this pom pom "garland" last winter

(after Christmas) to coordinate with

the tree skirt I made a couple years ago.

Nathan and Grace receive a new ornament

for the tree each year representing

something from the past year.

I bet you'd never guess that their ornaments

this year have to do with American History...

Grace - covered wagon for Westward Expanion

Nathan - Civil War hats and flags

(a lady here in town makes personalized ornaments)

We enjoyed hot chocolate and English toffee

while decorating... along with Christmas music.

As particular as I am about many things,

I'm totally ok with our Christmas tree

being a "kid tree" ... the kids put most 

of the decorations on and had so much fun!

"ta da!" ... our PERFECT tree!

notice ... my kids like to cluster their ornaments

Each claim a section of the tree. 

And I smile!