Advent

Tomorrow begins the countdown.

If you type "advent" into pinterest, you will find hundreds of great ideas for helping your family to prepare their hearts for Christmas.

My only advice is this.  Don't let the advent activities become daily stresses.  It's easy to get so involved in planning advent activities that the month becomes a blur of things to do and we forget to schedule in time to sit.

Time to feel the wonder of God's gift of salvation.

Time to do some nothing.

This year my family will be following the readings in this book.

The activities are way too involved but we'll read the story and verses and prayers.

And I'll pop a treat or note about a special activity into our advent box.  

I will be especially mindful this year to add in times of quiet.  

Moments to read together by the tree. 

If an activity is planned one day, that will be the advent activity...I don't add any extras on top of the bustle that's already happening.  

If you're wishing you could whip something up overnight, here's a great idea!  Go find your stray socks and pin them on a string. 

So cute!

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Remember the goal is to spend special moments with our loved ones 

as we prepare our hearts for Christ's arrival.

And so, with December beginning and me trying really hard to keep the month focused on Jesus and not on rushing, I will be signing off until the new year.  I would normally share Buddy the elf's mischief with you and I will miss that, 

but I promise to put my time saved by not blogging to very good use!  

Have a magical, wonder-filled Christmas!!!

Treats

One of my newer holiday traditions is to keep treats around the house for the month of December.  It's not something I'd ever really done before but there is just this sort of special magical feeling about having boxes of chocolates, bowls of nuts,
and of course those mint M & M's sitting out for company.

Or, small children.

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 One of my favourite quick snacks is so simple and so good.

Boursin and wheat thins.  

So good.

 

Here's another of my favourites.  

It's easy and festive looking.

And this one is to die for.  Raspberry habanero sauce from Pampered Chef poured over cream cheese and served with chocolate wafers.  I actually crave this sometimes.

Isn't this a good idea when you're trying to space plan your buffet?

Country Living

Happy entertaining!!