Fun for the boys

Here are two Christmas traditions we started with the boys just for fun. First, is an advent calendar. My oldest likes to flip the tab of whatever day it is and see what is underneath. Inside each tab is a item you can place in the "Christmas town" in the middle. It is based off the Olive, the other Reindeer book. He really likes counting down the days and it helps him also practice reading his numbers.

The second thing we've done this year is write letters to Santa. (Now since I know I'll get this question later.....We don't make Christmas about Santa; however, we do let the boys do fun Christmas activities during the holidays)

My oldest sits down at night and writes a letter to Santa. He basically colors the stationary and writes some letters of the alphabet in random order:) He puts it in the Santa Claus envelopes and puts a sticker stamp on the front. Before bedtime, he puts his letter in the Santa mailbox. Then in the morning, he goes to the mailbox and opens it up to find a postcard from "santa" with his name on it with stickers and such. It is so fun to see his eyes light up when he gets a piece of mail each morning in his santa mailbox. It is also fun as the parents to write your child a postcard every night after he goes to sleep and slip it in the box for him:) We have enough stationary/postcards/stamp stickers to do this every night till Christmas. The excitement on his face is priceless in the mornings. Today he has been carrying his postcard from "santa".....aka mom and dad....around all day.