Advent Calendar - Day 1 and 2

I get so sick of paying money (even just a buck or two) for those stupid chocolate advent calendars at the grocery store.  The chocolate tastes like poo!  But the kids love the countdown!  A few years ago when Katie was a baby I bought this WONDERFUL advent calendar that is actually a serious of small books that can be read each day and then hung on the tree like an ornament.  I love it!  The kids love it!  But it doesn't have chocolate!  So they still want those pooalicious stupid advent calendars!  Arg!!

So this year I thought of something new!  The idea was inspired by something I think I saw on Pintrest but I never pinned it! 

The original pinner had made a 12 days of Christmas for her sweetheart using poster board and cups that hung from the doorway.  Each cup was wrapped in paper to represent an ornament could be punched.  In each cup was a small surprise gift (hat, gloves, etc).  I thought it was a super cute idea and my brain went wild!

I decided to do a 24 day countdown and instead of gifts, I would include the necessary chocolate for each day and a note saying what we would do for that day!  24 days of Christmas memories!  Yay!!


Her tree was so much cuter, I struggled even finding poster board big enough for what I needed without spending an arm and a leg.  (I am already a couple of hands short of what I need, I can't afford to lose another one just for some silly poster board.)  So I went to the dollar store, picked up 3 pieces of foam board (a bit stronger than poster), taped them together and wrapped them with brown paper!  Viola!  A board big enough for what I need!

 Then came the task of actually drawing a tree, I just couldn't do it!  I even struggled drawing the basic shape of the star!  I ask you not too look too closely if you are ever in it's presence.  The star is almost shameful.  LOL 

So this is what I ended up with!  Not too bad, not the elegant, fun, whimsical tree that I had imagined, but it is a tree nonetheless!  Shawn built me an awesome stand so that it could be freestanding and a bit more sturdy!  I just love him!

Each night (after chores, homework, and dinner) the kids take turns poking the cups and pulling out their treats!

Day 1
Decorate the tree!

Woohoo!  They had been bugging me and bugging me for at least a week!  And if it hadn't been for this calendar, I would have gave in, but I needed to hold out so we could do this for Day 1!

I wish I would have taken pictures of us actually decorating, but I failed.  I did get a picture of the Annual Tying of the Children though.  An event that we look forward to every year.  Shawn uses a rope to secure the tree in it's box so he then uses the rope to tie up the children to each other after we are done decorating.  We do this again when it is time to take down the tree.  It is always loads of fun for Shawn and I.  And the kids are always excited until they are actually tied up.

Day 2
"Grab your coat, it's cold at night!  We are going to go see Christmas lights!"

Again, no pictures.  I will try to do better with that!!

We will do this a few times throughout the month.  It is one of our favorites!  We headed up to Christmas Lane (I swear it gets smaller every year I get older) and then throughout the neighborhoods just admiring the hung lights and decorations!  Thank you for everyone who decorates!  It makes us happy!!

NOTE: I found the pin for my inspiration!  Her tree is a LOT cuter than mine!