Holiday Traditions

This year Ewan is much more aware and interested in Christmas and Santa Clause. Alan and I are trying to create some traditions that we can continue on as a family each year. I would love to hear about the different traditions that all of you have also adopted for your family during the holiday season. 

Visiting Santa is of course an important one and this year Ewan did a great job and had a full on conversation with Santa Clause! We also did our own family photo shoot, which turned out not too bad, considering I have barely picked up my camera over the past year. Another evening we made a gingerbread family after dinner - as you can see in the picture Alan took it very seriously!

Another tradition that I wanted to begin was an advent calendar. We opted not to do a traditional (in my family anyway) chocolate calendar and instead I made 24 numbered paper envelopes that we have hung across our fireplace. For this year each envelope has a holiday themed sticker inside and Ewan opens one each day. We are counting backwards from 24 to 1 so that Ewan can see the numbers getting lower and understand that there are fewer and fewer days until Santa will come. As Ewan gets older I would like to have a family event put in each envelope - such as putting up the Christmas tree, building a gingerbread house, a movie night etc.

I am also trying to make more home made gifts to involve Ewan in being a bigger part in giving. One of the gifts I am very proud of is a tutu that I made for my niece. Ewan watched me make it and then tried it on - and also happened to love it - I think I have to make him one as well! Another set of gifts we have made together are peppermint scented and coloured bath salts. Ewan helped me dye the bath salts and add the peppermint oil and then fill each of the jars. And he had a great time doing it. As a gift tag, I am going to print a picture of him making all of them. 

It is hard to believe that Christmas is already next week - December is just flying by, but we have had a great time getting into the spirit. We are also very much looking forward to the Nursery School Holiday concert next Wednesday!

Halloween Excitement!

I am not normally big into Halloween, but having Ewan around and some brand new 'real life' costumes for 'Character's Come True' really got me in the mood to celebrate. Alan and I decided on some traditions that we wanted to begin this year for our family. The first being taking a trip out to Saunders Farm for a wagon ride and choosing a pumpkin. I was really surprised by the amount of things to do there - from a little farm, to the pumpkin patch, wagon rides, beaver tails (yum!) and parks around every corner - we had a really great time.

Another tradition we wanted to begin was on the eve of Halloween to carve our pumpkin, bake the seeds for a snack, and watch a scary movie (one with Ewan and then a real scary movie). Ewan was a little unsure about reaching into the pumpkin, but did decide that he would try a bite of pumpkin - his face was priceless!

And at this point he really wasn't interested in a movie. But Alan did force me to watch Saw 4 - I absolutely despise scary movies, my body just cannot handle the suspense and I get terrible nightmares - but I survived it.

The day of Halloween, we also had a wonderful time. Ewan spent the day with my mom while Alan and I dressed up in the most authentic costumes I have ever seen and went to the centre for a day filled with entertaining the kids, signing autographs and taking pictures. It was great to see all of the kid's costumes and their faces as they saw their favourite superhero or princess come to life!

That evening, we stayed dressed up in our costumes and got Ewan into his Tigger costume - which he really didn't mind - until I tried to give him whiskers! Alan and Ewan went Trick or Treating around the neighbourhood, while my brother and I  - Spiderman and Sleeping Beauty answered the door. We ended the evening with coffee's and a whole lot of chocolate!!!