One holiday tradition at our house is the "countdown calendar". Connie & I had one of these growing up and it was a highlight of our Christmas. That excitement has carried over to my kids too. The one we had when we were kids was made by my great aunt. Connie has that one at her house. I have an exact replica made by mom. I took this picture Saturday when we put up all our decorations...
On the appropriate day, the kids take turns pinning an ornament on the tree. On the 24th, Santa gets pinned on the tree and then you know he is coming that night.
As you can imagine, it's a huge deal to get the Santa. And every year, each kid swears up and down it is his/her year to do Santa. But honestly, who can remember who did it last year? So you see, it is very important to be able to remember whose year it is to have said Santa pinning privilege. We do it now exactly how we did it when we were kids. This very scientific method of keeping track of who has the Santa has been passed down through the years. Take a look...
We tuck a little note in the 24 pocket. No arguments.
If it is your "non-Santa" year, you get to kick off the countdown by putting on the star. It does tend to slightly appease the non-Santa pinners. The kids aren't awake yet, so today's ornament hasn't been pinned on...
Cooper was actually tall enough this year to reach the top of the tree to pin on the star. Some years he has asked for help. Other years, the star has just made it half way up the tree.
So, that's just one fun thing that we do to count down how many more days until Santa comes to visit. Do you have any fun traditions to help count how long til Christmas?
However you count down the days, we'll all get the same answer if we look at a calendar. Three weeks from today is Christmas. Can you believe it?!
Look at that sneaky Jerry this morning. How did he get way up there? 
Oh, hey - you can kind of see my green paint job in that picture. I still heart my green kitchen very much!
Happy Day people! Peace. Out.
5 Wanna' ramble too?:
We use the scrap paper in #24 method also, but I usually jot down several years at a time (i.e. M - 2007, 2009, 2011; T - 2006, 2008...)
I also have a penguin nutcracker holding a little chalkboard...
You know the tricky part is putting the ornaments BACK in FAIRLY...have to balance out between the "fun" ones (snowman, gingerbread man, angel) and the "not-fun" ones (ornaments, birds...)!!!!
Ah yes, the even/odd replacement. Always tricky.
gotta get the ice cream out...put the cookies all up in it....
I hate to start a day teary, but these memories did just that. What fun we had -
I love you both
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