And for the truly frugal, here are some on-line advent calendars (and they
won’t let you cheat by opening doors
early):http://www.smmp.com/Advent/Advent.htm
http://www.edow.org/spirituality/advent/
http://www.north-pole.co.uk/advent_calendar/#
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Xmas/calendar/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/bach/adventcalendar/(I found these on another website — I’m not that clever myself.)The
second-to-last is particularly kid-friendly, with fun international Christmas
facts. They’re all interesting, though. )
When I was growing up, my Dad (Grandpa Bones) read us “Twas the Night Before Christmas” every Christmas Eve before bed. He actually had a maroon smoking jacket that he would put on just for the reading. (I’m not really sure how that started-we did it every year that I actually have a memory. It was probably either a B or C). We actually wore the first book out and had to buy another one. I think the second one was a pop up.
As we got older, Dad would read it through, then we’d each take a turn reading, but in some silly way, like really fast, or with an accent, or backwards. When we got even older I seem to remember having a glass of wine or eggnog with rum with it.
We’ve started the same tradition with out kids. Christmas Eve we read the story. Once we purchased the book, this tradition costs us nothing. I hope that our kids have as many happy memories of it in the future as I do.
I just love the image of your dad in his smoking jacket, reading that poem! It’s like something from a Victorian postcard–even with the backwards reading and funny accents, LOL!
Since dad is coming for christmas this year i asked him to bring a “‘Twas the Night before christmas” book. Nothin’ like a 33 year old wanting your dad to read to you on Christmas Eve.