Christmas Countdown: Day 9!

Like I mentioned before, we were away over the weekend so I technically wasn't crafting. But we did do something Christmas related!

In my family it is a tradition to decorate gingerbread cookies together. We did it when we were kids and the tradition picked up again once we were adults and started to have our own kids. So, every year around Christmastime, we gather at my parent's house to sit at the table and decorate a giant batch of the most amazing gingerbread cookies ever.

In years past, my strategy has always been to think of quality over quantity. This meant I was usually going home with small batches of pretty cookies.

Ok, so this one isn't pretty but I ended up with a headless angel...what else was I to do?

This year, Mr Bee and I came up with a game plan. We decided that we wouldn't worry about making the cookies look pretty...we just wanted lots of them! And I have to say, I think the plan worked because we took home the most cookies! But, don't worry, I don't plan on eating them all by myself...some are for Santa! He just loves gingerbread cookies and eggnog on Christmas eve!

Being able to introduce these types of traditions to my kids is one of my favourite things about the holidays. I still have happy memories of doing these types of things with my own grandparents and I am happy that my children are being given the same opportunity. Plus, I never pass up free cookies!

See, quantity over quality. This wasn't even all of them, either!


Christmas is getting closer and closer and with every craft and activity we do I can see how excited Toddler Bee is becoming. I think this is the first year where he is finally aware of what is going on. I can't wait to see his reaction on Christmas morning! Part of me is always anxious for Christmas; I want it to be Christmas eve so we can feel the excitement of the next day and seeing all those gifts under the tree and the time with family. Then, there is the part of me that wants to stretch the holiday out so it lasts longer. The time after Christmas always seems a little gloomy.

Christmas as an adult is not as fun as Christmas as a child; but Christmas as a parent to young children is possibly more exciting than anything else. There is something very special about witnessing the magic of holidays through the eyes of your children and creating with them your own memories and traditions; as well as passing down traditions from your own childhood.