24 days 'til Christmas.

One of the traditions I remember most from when I was a kid are the chocolate advent calendars my mom bought for me and my brother. Starting on December 1st, we were supposed to eat a piece of chocolate every night until Christmas Day. It didn't always work out. I would beg my mom for "just one more," saying, "I'll just eat tomorrow's chocolate today, and I won't eat another one until the day after tomorrow!" When she said no, I'd sneak them! Needless to say, the chocolates never lasted until December 25th. 

I've developed more self-control over the last few years, so now I savour just one advent chocolate a day. That's right, I still get a chocolate advent calendar! Traditions are important!

BUT! The "24 Chocolate Days 'til Christmas" isn't the only advent calendar that I have this year. My roommate, Melissa, and I decided to make one so that we would do something "Christmas-y" every day.

We bought a red string with 24 little stockings with clips at the dollar store. Then, we wrote what we planned to do each day on slips of paper and clipped them on the string! Easy-peasy! (The hardest part was thinking of what we could do! We have different schedules and some nights are busier than others!)

Some of the activities are simple and some are more complex, but they're all "Christmas-y" and that was the only criteria! Here's what we have planned:

1. Drink a festive drink and scope out Christmas trees. (We're on a student budget so the goal is to find a nice tree for the best price. I'm excited because we're getting a real tree!)

2. Decorate the inside of our house!

3. Bring home and set up our Christmas tree. Watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. (Melissa keeps saying she can't believe I've never seen it! As if I'm the only one who hasn't. I'm not, am I?)

4. Decorate the Christmas tree.

5. Decorate the outside of our house!

6. Christmas cards!

7. Snooty Fox with friends.

8. Cara visits from Vermont! Winter Formal!

9. Melissa's staff Christmas party!

10. Melissa's Christmas Girls' Night with Grandmom (or, Sip a Festive Drink)!

11. Christmas-themed Sunday Supper.

12. Bake cookies for some special people.

13. Deliver Christmas cookies.

14. Make a donation to a charity in the name of Christmas spirit.

15. Watch a Christmas movie.

16. Go downtown to listen to the Elm City Echoes, a ladies' barbershop chorus. My elementary school's Christmas concert.

17) Christmas at the Playhouse.

18) Watch A Christmas Story.

19) Wrap Christmas gifts.

20) Drive around and look at Christmas lights.

21) Exchange gifts with each other! (Melissa goes home this day.)

22) Drink hot chocolate and listen to Christmas music.

23) Last day of school! Christmas fun!

24) Celebrate Christmas with our families!

We realize some of these things may get switched around or may not happen at all, but our goal is just to enjoy the holiday season. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am that we're celebrating in such a wonderful way in our own little home.

Do you have an advent calendar? What "Christmas-y" activities do you have planned?