Tis the Season

I have a confession. Pinterest.com gets a lot of my attention these nights. I have looked at Christmas ideas and have found many wonderful things... if only I had lots of money and time to myself (but then I wouldn't be happy either... anyways). Knowing that tonight I would be making an advent calendar I looked at what other people had done for inspiration.
This is what mine looks like now. I should have used more than 2 styles of paper but whatever. I still haven't put on the embellishments... but you get the idea.

It is a 24 mini muffin tray converted into a advent calendar. It was actually really easy. Magnets hold the paper to the tray.
These are my ideas for what to do this Christmas season... I really wanted us to be more focused on the real reason for the season (we also don't have kids who we have to do fun daytime Christmas activities with), the time we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. So with that in mind here they are...

• watch the first presidency Christmas devotional
• watch home alone
• read the bible story of the Savior's birth (Luke 1 and 2)
• decorate Christmas tree
• drive around looking at Christmas lights
• take friends baked goods
• make a Christmas craft
• write a family Christmas letter
• mail Christmas cards and letter
• make candy cane hot chocolate
• listen to Christmas music
• attend the Nativity Pageant in Victoria
• attend Ladysmith Festival of Lights
• watch It's a Wonderful Life
• watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• read Alma 7:11-13
• read 2 Nephi 9
• read 3 Nephi 17
• watch the Nativity (hollywood version)
• study about love
• study about mercy
• study the names and meanings of Jesus Christ (Jesus, Christ, Savior, Messiah, Jehovah, Emmanual, Redeemer, Son of Man, Mediator, Lamb of God, Only begotton Son, Son of David, Son of Joseph)
• read the proclamation to the world: the family
• read silent night, holy night and t'was the night before christmas