the countdown begins

December 1st is the day we begin our countdown for advent. Each year I have searched for a special calendar to help with that countdown. I have found over the years that avoiding the whole overwhelming Santa message a bit hard to eliminate completely, mass marketing truly doesn't want us to ignore that message, but with some creative searching and tweaking I have been able to refocus the countdown to the reason we celebrate this season. My little ones are certainly used to hearing me say "Christmas is not about Santa, but about the birth of Jesus" they hear it often enough. For the past 5 years we have used a playmobile calendar, each day you added a piece to a winter scene until the last box revealed a Santa. Sigh, it really is hard to avoid. (I'm not exactly opposed to Santa, he actually does make a visit to our home each year, it's just the overwhelming message of "give me, give me, give me" that whole "more is better" that I struggle with.) So with that said the remainder of this post perhaps is not going to seem to ring with that theme...perhaps it could almost be viewed as excessive in it's finest....stay with me there is a method to my reasoning...really there is.


When I first saw this one I just knew Anthony would love this. Inside each little compartment is a mini Lego set to build, upon completion it will be a Lego city (no Santa with this one, yeah!) So this is the one we were going to use this advent season...I figured the girls wouldn't be over the top excited about Lego's but at this point they simply love the idea of opening a door to reveal the surprise waiting inside...

then I found this kit, tucked inside the Christmas box. A purchase I made during those wonderful after Christmas sales. (apparently I thought it would be cool to make the advent calendar, thus the reason for the purchase. I also must have been on drugs to think that this would be a fun activity.) So it stands to reason that I figured we could have two, the girls could do one, Anthony the other, (I know excessive in it's finest, go ahead and say it, I most likely already thought of any comment you may come up with, I tend to analyze things that way) So Friday night we began the assembly, the directions were contained on a note card, consisting of three sentences, yes three. Sigh I thought I was going to be bald before I completed the shell of the house, after that all bets were off as it didn't seem likely anyone would survive this creative endeavor. If you look in the first picture you will notice the window is leaning against the house, that would be because the darn thing will not stay adhered to the wall, I have used 6 types of adhesive on it and it still falls off, in fact it's companion window is now also leaning against the house...and that is where it will stay. I concede, and the advent calendar window wins. This one allowed you to fill the little compartments with your own little surprises (guessing this must have been the draw and the reason for the purchase during that weak (stupid) moment last year. Sigh, one could pause and say this is where excessiveness leads...to headaches and chaos. (I would agree with you) with that said, you may wonder at my crazy reasoning...for this next picture..

advent countdown number three, (yes three, I can't believe I even admitted that) This one I found at Barnes and Noble and knew this was the one I had been searching for. Of course I purchased it. Sigh which brings us to three calendars...they already knew about the first two, so I made the executive decision to just add one more. I trust this one will balance that excessiveness in the best way...Inside this book is 24 stories, counting down the days until Christmas. It's focus is the Christmas story, (sorry Santa but not a word is included on you) from the animals and people view, completely written for a child's attention span. I love the idea that it's contained in a book, we do love to read around here. I love that it's based on the meaning that we find is important during this holiday season, and I love that it's perfect for little ones with pictures and text that just makes sense to them.
So there is our advent calendar's, all three of them. Excessive? I'm afraid so, and yet a balance unlike other years, where the focus is on the Christmas story and not the commercial Santa story we are spoon fed beginning in July.
*a note* just in case you think I'm a Santa hater let me clarify. I'm not opposed to the jolly old man and as I mentioned earlier he does make a visit to our home each year...I just hate the over the top, excessive, message that seems to go hand in hand with the image of Santa. ("ask Santa for that he will deliver" we have all heard versions of that line) I love the wonder and the magic that is Santa, so that is where our focus is.