Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Plans

Getting so excited for Advent and Christmas this year. Planning to do a recap post in January with how things go, but the following are some traditions we love doing along with a few of my new ideas for this year.

And I love going through all the lists of ideas you see round the internet this time of year, so posting now in case anyone else is likewise curious and/or looking for ideas. It looks like quite a bit all written out, but I'm putting a lot of thought into hopefully limiting crazy in the schedule, creating a festive, thoughtful atmosphere round the home, and facilitating the real nourishing of souls in pointing very purposefully to our Savior. If that all interests you, feel free to read on and I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section! 

Also dividing the bullet points into Advent, Christmas (Twelve Days), and initial Epiphany plans. Any new things I'm thinking of trying will be italicized. (Later note: I did edit the original post slightly as the season proceeded.)

Before / around Thanksgiving

• There's always more to do, but during this last month we massively simplified the small person's bedroom and have been doing a pretty respectable round of decluttering. (I always have a giveaway box on hand, but definitely recommend focusing on it in November and December. Even just keeping an eye out for random items throughout the day makes a big difference.)
• Have found it really helps to write up a gift list and send all packages possible early. I do a lot of direct ordering from Amazon these days. Especially after having a carefully wrapped package go entirely missing a couple years ago, it's just totally worth it to skip the tears (plus the extra postage). My family has also been doing a draw-a-name gift exchange among all the adults and I'm really loving that.
• And to help the small person think about gifting to others, I've also jotted down a quick list of names for that (grandparents and great-grandparents, uncles & aunts, cousins, friends, etc.) and laid out a streamlined craft project that we'll do for all of them. (Something light that can be popped in an envelope or mailer.)
• After Thanksgiving before Advent: fall decor gathered up and dusted (I've really pared it down over the last few years, so this should actually take about 10 min 🎉); orange slices dehydrated for our Advent wreath and set out w/candles (the greenery gets added whenever we get the tree); set up Advent calendar (ours is made of Jesse tree ornaments strung up in little burlap bags; they highlight specific moments in history from creation and the Fall in Eden to the coming of Christ) 

Advent

Some of the following happen in one afternoon, some are ongoing through the season.

• Advent candle centerpiece & daily readings + Handel's Messiah -- in the past we've done this in the morning (i.e. lighting the candle/s, listening to one or two excerpts from the Messiah, and opening the small bag with that day's Jesse tree ornament and Daddy doing the accompanying reading), but since we also listen to our daily chapters going through the Bible in a year in the a.m. (we're really close, but will definitely be finishing in December), I'm thinking of moving our Advent reading to the evening. We did it in the evening a couple times last year and (obviously) it works way better with the candles, too. Actually quite magical. (Now that I think about it, I really can't remember why we were doing it in the morning in prior years... As aforementioned, each year is different. xD)
• I have a personal Advent book I plan to read (hopefully with my morning coffee). Inexplicably, I also generally end up with two personal titles and don't want to wait an entire year to read the second or read them back to back in the morning as I did last year, so -- as the small person is a little older this year -- I'm thinking of reading the additional one aloud to her. (So that's a new thing.)
• Eggnog
• Starting to listen to some Christmas music (more notes on this coming later)
• Christmas dishes and linens out
• Decorate Daddy's shop
• Handel's Messiah (first part) live concert
• Help the small person prepare her presents
• Select a couple things to take personally for a direct toy giveaway
• Put together a box for a family in need
• Tree cutting
• Stuffed animals getting to play in the tree
• Tree decorating x 4 (yes, we kinda have a lot of fun decorating trees... 😂😅 -- two are reusable / in outdoor spaces, one is a small one for the girly's room, and then we have our 'main' one) 
• Lights up in the garden
• 4 large ornaments hung along the porch
• Seasonal picture books
• Some seasonal movies
• Some extra house scrubbing + clean bed linen as part of the official prep list
• Mama / daughter shopping expedition for stocking stuffers (some small items and lots of consumables)
• Any other Christmas decorations taken out (closer to Christmas)
• Set up some of our dolls in their Christmas dresses
• Put away some regular items and Christmas toys taken out (also closer to Christmas; read Christmas story while taking out Playmo nativity set -- edit, this we're actually doing during Christmas this year)
• Mama / daughter adventure dressing up and going to the Nutcracker, live performance, possibly to be followed by dinner out with Daddy
• Actually get out of the car and walk around our festive historic downtown (and we kinda already did this just a couple weeks ago, but always fun to do again)

Christmas (Christmas Eve + Twelve Days)

• Christmas Eve: put up stocking hangers + final Merry Christmas type signs, shiny bells, etc; dinner with Grandma and Grandpa, Christmas light drive, open Grandma and Grandpa's presents
• Light central Christmas candle with the Advent candles in the table centerpiece; Christmas china
• Christmas Day / 1st Day of Christmas: hang up stockings, and then either pull-apart cinnamon rolls or Swedish pancakes w/whipped cream and lingonberry jam for breakfast (might do one or the other on Christmas Eve or shift to later); open stockings with Grandma and Grandpa; Christmas Day feast; Daddy and Mommy afternoon mistletoe walk
• We generally do our immediate family presents the second day of Christmas, other packages from across the country throughout the remaining twelve days
• Eggnog, toffee / caramel, mulled wine, good food
• Break from regular studies
• Lots of Christmas music in the background
• Gift to neighbors (I love saving most of our baking for the Twelve Days and in in the past we've done cookies for the neighbors, but this year we might try a box of crackers, some nice cheese, and a few chocolates)
• Christmas movies (if we're in the mood, possibly try Christmas movie bingo)
• Make simple pomanders (oranges studded w/cloves)
• Hospitality
• Azul: Chocolate Edition (board game)
• Ticket to Ride: Nordic
• Jigsaw puzzle
• Seasonal picture books
• Cookies made and to police station                                                                                           (could add in getting some chai tea and hot chocolate afterwards)
• Gingerbread houses
• Charcuterie on the 8th Day / New Year's
• Try out a Victorian parlor game
• Maybe a little mother-daughter festive tete-a-tete tea
• Caroling
• Feast on 12th Night, hang up the final Jesse tree ornament re the coming of the Wise Men & do the accompanying reading, open final big present/s, ornaments down from house tree and dusted

Epiphany 

More on the season later, the following is for January 6th

• Sparkle and candles (most battery powered tea lights) out in every room
• Other Epiphany decorations out (as this season commemorates the gospel / light going to the Gentiles, along with the lights and sparkle, I also like to decorate with a nod to our family's heritage; I'll try to take some specific pics for an Epiphany post in Jan)
• Swedish saffron buns or Czech braided Christmas bread
• Smorgasbord (like my Grandma makes) for dinner

So there you have it! All my plans for the upcoming month. Stay tuned to hear how it goes and would love to hear any of your planned / favorite traditions!