The Twelve (well 24 actually) Days...

Is it wrong to teach your 3 year old children to sing this version of the 12 Days of Christmas? You see, this morning I grabbed this (new to me) Christmas CD (note to shoppers, cheaper at Zellers) and didn't even realize the bonus track was the legendary Bob & Doug McKenzie. I am in the van with the boys and on it comes, well, I was SOOOO thrilled and was singing along much to their complete confusion "what songs is these Mudder?" (oh ya, note newest term of endearment being used - wtf? yet ever so adorable).

The CD was one of those 'on a whim' purchases, and it isn't all that bad (but not the greatest). Some classic Christmas carols, yet sung in some very intriguing, welcomed variations, if only just to take you away some the same renditions over & over & over & over. No where near as good as last year's Barenaked Ladies Christmas CD purchase, that one is still by far tops in this house. I have two others which I play ad nauseum over the holidays, drives my father ballistic. I love Harry Connick Jr (this one good too) and also who can't not add a little warmth to your heart thinking of Snoopy and Charlie Brown while this Vince Guraldi CD plays away in the background.

Ah yes, December is here. That also means we get to play advent calendar!!! Having grown up using the same picture only advent calendar year after year after year, find the number, open little door, see picture of drum, berry, trumpet, cookie, I have decided to make it more fun. (Don't get me wrong my brother and I lived for those calendars). We make a link calendar, and inside every link is written a holiday activity of some sort for us to do. It may be a craft, some baking, send a card, sing a song, whatever. And each day as we take that link off, the chain gets shorter and shorter getting closer to that actual blessed day. So - wanna play ? What I am committing to doing (I cannot believe I am, but I am) is each day I will also post here our daily link inscription. Now I don't know how to categorize posts (maybe someone could teach me) but if you get behind and it isn't on the sidebar, rest assured it will be in the December archives.

A link calendar is easy-peasy. Cut 24 strips of construction paper, I recommend staple or tape or those funky little brass looking thingies that poke through the paper and you fold them back to stay in place, like inside of a grade 4 duotang folder. Does this help? Make one loop, then make another but WAIT! don't fasten it together till you have looped the strip through the existing loop (good old scotch tape works too). We are making a very elaborate paper chain here folks, stick with me. Does this help? We opt to use green and red paper and alternate. I write inside the daily activity and let the boys colour and put stickers everywhere the place to personalize it. Don't forget to number them! VERY important in case little hands get a little over-zealous one day, if you know what I mean. What I am promising, is not to make your paper chain advent calendar link thingy for you, but to simply broadcast and share the daily task at hand. Capiche? (even my kids know that word means 'unnerstann'). This not only means I am commiting to post on a daily basis, yikes, it must mean that I like you all very very much. It could be fun, or perhaps you'll be out there enjoying a good cyber-belly laugh at me thinking at least someone is playing along when actually, no one is. Phooey on you! I am not asking you to post, link, report to me or anyone else or even on your blog (unless of course you want to). Just play along whenever the hell you want to. (how's that for sounding festive?)

So here we are, only 4 sleeps till hubby gets home and the real fun can start! Oops, rather 24 sleeps until Christmas Day. I get a little misty eyed thinking of the excitement and joy we will experience this year from now till then through the eyes of the young ones, but savouring it even more now that they are a mere one year older than last. I'll save that emoting for another time.

So....Are you ready? Set? Go!!