Holiday Bucket List
Each year since having our son, we have started putting decorations out earlier. The joy of the season is always there but experiencing this time of year through a toddler is even more special. Every morning my two-year-old wakes up, he walks into the living room, looks at the tree and says, “wow!” If that doesn’t make you want to celebrate Christmas as long as you can, I don’t know what does.
Decorating the tree was definitely more interesting with a toddler but letting him be involved and getting to tell him about the ornaments we have collected over the years was extra special. However, my tree does not, and will not look the same by Christmas because ornaments are moved daily, and toys are thrown in randomly. Ha!
We got our toddler a penguin shaped mug so he can drink hot cocoa with us this year! As long as it doesn’t break, it will be a special thing just for him that we pull out every year when we get our Christmas decor out of storage.
Christmas stories are so fun when you have kids, but I also don’t want him to miss out on the true meaning of Christmas. This year, I got him Jesus Calling: The Story of Christmas board book and I can’t wait to read through it with him! He got a few from family members last year that we got out so we can read them before nap time every day.
I found him Merry Christmas Mouse a few weeks ago and he loves it because he seems to be into mice right now. He is to the point where he wants to read books to us so he loves letting us read through it once then he likes to tell the story himself.
This year we are making homemade candy and doing a cool gift for family that our toddler gets to be a part of and I can’t wait to include him in the process! He loves giving so it will be fun to let him help give the gifts out this year.
I don’t think I am ready to let him help wrap gifts this year, but he did get to help pick out the wrapping paper and gift tags!
Christmas movies are a must this time of year. Now, my husband does not let me watch the Hallmark ones because he refuses to sit through them. Ha! However, I love the cartoon ones, so my son and I have been watching The Grinch, the Mickey Mouse Christmas ones, and A Charlie Brown Christmas.
My absolute favorite Christmas activity though, is driving to look at lights!
I hope no matter what this time of year looks like for you, that you find things that bring joy during this holiday season. It can be as simple as coffee or hot cocoa next to the light of your Christmas tree, or a holiday party with family and friends.
What’s on your holiday bucket list?
