I got a Star Wars Lego advent calendar for the boys this year. It has a tiny toy or minifigure for each day, including Santa Yoda and Chewbacca. The kids are ecstatic.
I have mixed feelings about advent calendars because I really don't think December needs more toys or activities. An advent calendar in March would probably be a nice pick me up (bookmark that idea for later).
So I decided to get only one calendar, even though I know each of them wish they could keep every single tiny toy. They rotate turns, opening and keeping the toy on every third day. The calendars are a little bit expensive, but mostly I wanted to create the feeling of anticipation and scarcity. Our house is full of generosity (easy access to snacks and sweets, TV and computer time). Our lax parenting policies generally make for peaceful, fulfilled children (in my opinion), but once a year it is delightful, somehow, to watch them plan for their turn, negotiate trades, and race down the stairs in the morning to open the tiny advent door.
It also helps pass the time until Christmas. From my vantage point, the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are chaotic, filled with errands, parties, and wrapping. For the children it's more of a waiting game so the little surprises help the time go more quickly.
Maybe next July I'll make myself an advent calendar for December. On December 1st it will have all the Christmas toys for the children, wrapped. On the 6th I'll open it up and voila: Christmas cards, addressed and stamped, ready to send. On the 24th: Christmas Eve dinner, hot and delicious, ready to be served! That's the kind of advent calendar I could get behind.
0 comments:
Post a Comment