Christmas Advent

This year we spent Christmas as our own home all alone.  We really did enjoy it.  However, being the first Christmas we did on our own we had no traditions that we do every year.  I was turned on to a great idea when I checked The Crafty Crow, which I hadn't done in a very long time.  A Christmas Book & Activity Advent sounded like a great idea to me so we tried it.  I didn't do all the books on the list because our library didn't have them (nor did prospector) but I was able to supplement with a few of the Christmas books we did have and some others that I was able to find at the library.  I was so excited to do this we invited friends over to join us on various nights and it was really lots of fun with more people (kids David's age).
Here are our favorite books from the list and the activity we did (or would do instead):

• Winter's Tale by Robert Sabuda - pop up cards
• Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin - paper snowflakes
• Night Tree by Eve Bunting - bird food garland
• The Gingerbread Man by Jim Aylesworth - make pictures of gingerbread men or felt gingerbread men or  real gingerbread men
• The Christmas Humbugs by Colleen Monoroe - make little bugs
• Santa's Snow Cat by Sue Stainton - popsicle snowflakes
• The Baker's Dozen by Aaron Shepard - baking day
• I Like Winter by Lois Lenski - aluminum foil icicles
• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg - play trains, decorate bells, watch the movie
• Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry - paper Christmas trees
• The Cajun Night Before Christmas - no activity (we own this one)

These are the books we added:

• Drummer Boy by Loren Long - make drums (we own this one)
• The Finest Christmas Tree by John & Ann Hassett - Christmas tree paintings

These are the Books we are adding for sure next year:

• Snow Angels by Andrew Glass - make angels (we own this one)
• Santa's Favorite Story by Hisako Aoki - still working on the activity (we own this one)
• Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell & Jason Cockcroft - nativity (we own this one)

These are other possibilities that we haven't tried yet but would be interested in checking out:

• Lights of Winter by Heather Conrad
• Ollie's Ski Trip by Elsa Beskow
• Buying Mittens by Nankichi Niimi
• The Christmas Hat by AJ Wood
• Christmas Cricket by Eve Bunting
• Who Was Born this Special Day by Eve Bunting
• The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck
• Wish to be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
• Bear Stays up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
• The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg
• The Angel Doll by Jerry Bledsoe
• The Mouse Before Christmas by Michael Garland

I think this will be a tradition that we will continue to tweak until we have just the right books/activities for us.  Of course until we own all the books we really like our list will be subject to change according to what is available at the library or we can borrow from friends.