It’s that Wonderful time of year!! I LOVE this time of year, and not just because it is FINALLY below 80 degrees (most of the time) in Arizona, but because there is so much joy and generosity. My kids really enjoy this time of year as well (of course) and every year we make sure to reiterate what this season truly means (not just presents). The girls both understand the importance of the season to our faith, and why we celebrate. Aaaannnnddddd…they love helping us decorate the house! We definitely have some favorite holiday items that the kids can’t wait to put up or use, so without further ado…here’s our favorite holiday line up!

The Felt Christmas Tree!!

My kids love this tree SO MUCH. It is so easy to use, and is very well loved (we’ve had it for about 4 or 5 years, and are missing some pieces). The girls enjoy this because they can stick the pieces wherever they want, and the little red pom-poms are actually there to wrap a strand of rice lights around (also needs to be replaced this year, LOL). This is one of the first things we hang up each year and the kids can do it on their own. So so so much fun! Click here to see where you can get your own!

Fabric Nativity Advent Calendar

This advent is special to me because it was the one my parents used when I was growing up. When I had my own children, my parents passed it on to me so my little ones could enjoy it, as well. I love this calendar, not only for sentimental reasons, but also because it helps keep Jesus at the heart of Christmas. Before bed each night, the girls take turns placing one of the characters in the nativity scene, and we get a chance to talk about the Christmas Story. On Christmas Eve, when they put baby Jesus in the manager, we follow that action by reading the story of Jesus’ birth from the Bible. Because this particular Advent Calendar (in the picture) is ancient (not saying I’m old…), I provided a link for a similar style. Click here to find a similar style for your family!

Books: Room for a Little One & Twas the Evening of Christmas

A few years ago, I was looking for some children’s Christmas books that were a little more faith based, and found these. The illustrations are beautiful, and one of them follows the same poem structure as “The Night Before Christmas”, which is really fun! I know they aren’t exactly Biblically correct, but I feel the foundation is solid, and that is what is important to my family. They are cute and entertaining, and make a great addition to our book rotations through the holidays! Click here to read "Room for a Little One" or here to grab a copy of "Twas the Evening of Christmas" to add to your holiday collection!

S'mores & Movie Night

I don't know about you guys, but one of my kid's favorite traditions this time of year is making S'mores outside in the backyard. My little one is still small enough that I have to build it for her, but she definitely enjoys it all the same! This year, we are going to set of a screen and projector outside (my husband is going to hook the Firestick up to the projector) and we are going to eat and watch Christmas movies! I am soooooo excited!! It's going to be a great time and hopefully it will become part of the girl's memories of family Christmas.

Baking Cookies!!

This is a MUST every year, as it is with so many others. I will admit, I have cheated a little bit the past few years because I am gluten-free, dairy-free, etc, and I honestly got tired of making two separate batches of cookies, or even trying to find a cookie recipe that tasted good. Soooo I started buying Sweet Loren's Sugar Cookie Dough. It is plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free, and peanut/nut free. And the best part of all...They taste AMAZING. Honestly, I've tried other brands, and these are BY FAR the best one! They also have a Chocolate Chunk, Gingerbread, and in the summer they have a Lemon (my husband LOVES the lemon). There are many more flavors, these are just the ones my family enjoys the most. Aaaannnnnnddddd my kids LOVE them. They come in a 12 pack of pre-made cookies, but when we make cookies to decorate, I just let them thaw for about 15-20 minutes on the counter, and then place them on my silicone baking sheet, sprinkle a little bit of cassava flour over top to keep the rolling pin from sticking, and roll them out as I would regular cookie dough. We still use the cookie cutters, and if the dough starts to get too soft, I put the baking sheet in the fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes to firm up back up. Truly, these cookies have been a blessing and I can't get enough of them! Highly Recommend!! Click here to check them out!

We make cookies throughout the year for various reasons (holidays, birthdays, just because), so instead of buying a different set or each holiday or event, I found this cookie cutter set which covered everything I needed! The girls actually ended up taking the numbers and alphabet cutters and using them for playdough, which, I mean, I can’t complain (multi-purpose!). There are a lot of fun shapes and a great variety!  

There is so much more I could add, and I will most likely update this article throughout the season, because there is just so much stuff we love to do as a family!