Christmas Countdown Cheer - 12/1.

I love advent calendars. Love them. Chocolate ones. Paper ones. Chain link ones. Wooden box with drawers ones. Any ones.  They're called advent calendars but I once experienced "real" advent in my month in Denmark aka Den one Christmas and it was much different but lovely. I suppose I just love all things Christmas.  And Christmas countdowns are right toward the top. But they probably don't overtake stockings.

Anyhow. I am going to attempt a blog Christmas countdown.  Partly because I feel like Christmas deserves it. And partly because it will help me come closer to my January One resolution to have a post a week or at least 52 posts this year. That's unlikely to happen. But 24 days till Christmas will put me at least halfway there.

And at the end of the countdown, with any luck at all, I can showcase another one of my lofty-unlikely-to-happen-but-still-a-goal-o-mine: the homemade stockings that NEED to get finished a.s.a.p. (did I mention that the stocking may be the best kept secret of Christmas? more on that later).

As for counting down till Christmas day one:

1. Meet Mr. Peeps. Kinda like Elf on the Shelf only Grandma Joyce started the tradition in our family after Peggy the nail lady invented the idea. And then it was stolen by the elf on the shelf company. Or so Nana says. And for once I believe her. Because Peeps was around WAY before Shelfy Elf. Anyhow, he's keeping the kids in line for us. (sort of). And the novelty of having a 3 and 4 year old loving every minute of hasn't worn off yet.

2. Happy ICS cookie exchange.  Yum. Yum. Yum. Plus really cool people that left me smiling and inspired to do creative things. I had a wonderful time. Like I'd call it near perfect. It was that great. Thanks Caitlin and Company. Sorry for being the last to leave I had to take it all in. In 100% seriousness her house was straight out of a fashionista magazine, the food prettier than pinterest, and the company hilarious and hipsterish which, well, makes my heart rejoice.

3. And rock a bye baby has a countdown of her very own: the big first birthday is just days away. She is a red headed delight, truly. Her toothy grin makes my every day including this day, the first of countdown 2012.  Happy Holidays.