25 Days of Christmas

I really need to blog more frequently. I always feel better when I do it and I know many of our friends/family members, who don't have access to Facebook, love to see what Toby's up to. I also love keeping a "virtual scrapbook" for my son. Someday, I hope he appreciates it.

So, I'm going to start 2015 by posting about 2014. Makes sense, right?

Let me premise this by saying: Someone, anyone, please reference this post to me next December. Remind me of all that I write here for I may need to be rescued from hypnotizing twinkling lights, smells of balsam, and rich colors of red and green.

Sometime around early November I got the brilliant idea to do "The 25 Days of Christmas" with Toby. What does this mean, you ask? Well, it means that I'm certifiably crazy.

Every single day, for the month of December, leading up until the "BIG DAY" we did a Christmas themed activity with Toby. Every.single.day. It was amazing, fulfilling, adventurous, and exhausting. (I have provided links whenever possible.)

December 1: We presented Toby with his Christmas box (Don't remember that? Click here) and we brought him to a reading of "The Grinch" at Barnes & Noble.

December 2: We went to a Christmas Band concert at a local middle school. Toby loves music more than anything- the kids did a great job.

December 3: We made Christmas cookies

December 4: (With his Nanny) Toby went to the museum and he did a Christmas Craft.

December 5: We viewed "Frozen" for the first time, and we gave him a new Curious George doll.

December 6: We had breakfast with Santa and then went to the City Parade later that evening.

December 7: We went on a Sleigh Ride through the North Pole which ended with hot cocoa with Santa (at Charmingfare Farm). This long cold sleigh ride was promptly followed by chicken tenders from the Backroom.

December 8: Toby wanted to make a necklace for Rudolph (?? Um, okay.) So, we made a necklace for Rudolph.

December 9: We made some homemade banana ice cream and did more crafts over at Toby's house.

December 10: We rode around our town with a mapped course to see the best Christmas light displays. Toby loved this so much. From the backseat he kept yelling, "More lights!!"

December 11: We put up Toby's felt tree which I made for him last year. (Remember? If not, click here.)

December 12: We had a fire outside and roasted marshmallows.

December 13: We went to a play at the Capitol Center for the Arts- "The 12 Days of Christmas." Somehow I missed the fact that it was a 2 hour concert/ballet... with no intermission... but Toby was a statue the whole time. He loved it!

December 14: This was the big one. In October we bought tickets to see Rudolph the Musical in Boston with Toby's uncles. It was so well done. I can't even tell you. He loved it. While we were in town we went over to Faneuil Hall had lunch, did some shopping, and looked at the big tree.Then we stopped at Boston Commons so Toby could watch the ice skaters and play at the playground.

December 15: (with his Nanny) Toby went to hear a reading of "The Polar Express" at Barnes & Noble- they did a craft there and got some lunch.

December 16: We made salt dough ornaments.

December 17: Since seeing Christmas lights the week prior, he had been asking and asking and asking for them. So, we bought tickets to "The Gift of Lights" at NH Motor Speedway. Basically you drive around the track which is decorated with millions and millions of lights/Christmas displays. You only go about 5 miles per hour so you're allowed to take your child out of their car seat; he rode on my lap and he loved it so much.

December 18: Aaron took Toby out on a bike ride to look at more Christmas lights all over town.

December 19: This one was tough for me. I finally caved and let him do a Build-a-Bear. I am not a huge fan of stuffed animals but he has been trying to go into that store every time we go to the mall for the past year. So, finally I caved. It was precious. He was so happy. After he built Rudolph he asked if we could "get reindeer an ice cream." Sure, Toby. we'll get you Rudolph an ice cream.

He insisted on carrying Rudolph himself. He would not let me help!

December 20: We celebrated Christmas that farm with my family AND we pulled taffy and had our annual ugly sweater photo-shoot. It was so much fun!

He LOVES his cuzzy, "Say-Say"

December 21: He made a gingerbread craft with my mom and we went sledding! (There is a TON of snow in Maine.) We also went to my sister's house because my nephew was in a play at his church. Totally by accident, on our way back from my sister's house to my parent's farm, we came across a house that was ridiculously decorated for Christmas. There were all sorts of cars parked around the house and a sign telling you to tune to a specific radio station. THE LIGHTS BLINKED WITH THE BEAT OF THE MUSIC. It was amazing.

December 22: We stopped in Freeport on our way home from Maine. We visited the fish and the big tree at L.L. Bean and then we brought him to a place where you can make your own donut. 

December 23: We made cookies for Santa.

December 24: This day was chock full of Christmas Eve traditions. We read the last of our stories in A Story a Day Until Christmas which was obviously "T'was The Night Before Christmas," left cookies out for Santa, and hung our stockings. We also celebrated Christmas with Aaron's family and they certainly spoiled Mr. Mister!

December 25: The big day. It was clear he was happy. After all the presents were opened we brought him to the park for a 2 hours (!!) and flew a kite. Also, we always get Chinese food on Christmas day.

Checking the evidence the Rudolph came in the house

I always make blueberry stuffed french toast on Christmas morning

During the entire month of December, we spent a lot of time reading stories and talking about "Baby Jesus" and his birth. With Christmas being so commercialized it's really a struggle to balance Santa and presents with the story of Christmas. While I didn't bring him to Church throughout Advent (I attended alone) very soon he will attend.

So, in all reality, it was probably overkill, but I can say that I enjoyed Christmas so much this year. Maybe because we were so intentional in really celebrating by doing so many things as family. I want Christmas to be so much more to Toby than just a day at the end of December....

...Buttttttttttt maybe I don't need to be so intense. Who knows. We'll see. We all know I'll probably be crazier next year. At least I (and you) have some ideas of things to do once December rolls around.