Planning Ahead

Yes, it's only the second week in November. Yes, I'm a planner (and I make absolutely no apologies for it, seeing that it keeps our lives flowing smoothly and at a manageable pace -mostly- as a result!). Planning is good. Christmas planning is the BEST because the month is so CHALK FULL of meaning, fun and celebrations and so I'm happy to think through it a bit in advance.

For us, Christmas is primarily a celebration (focusing heavily on that word) of Jesus' birth. Last year we added in St. Nick's Day into the mix to learn how serving/giving to others. We plan to do that again this year (but I haven't quite decided how to do that just yet). Last year we made cookies for friends and all of our neighbors. We didn't receive very many complaints about that one! ;)

Earlier this year I mentioned how much I absolutely loved Small One growing up and how I intended to buy the Disney DVD with the story on it. We found it at Costco a few weeks ago and I snatched it up and eagerly threw it into the cart. So Small One is on the list. (The DVDalso contains Mickey's Christmas Carol which we will also be watching, oh yes, and OH YAY!)



Now I'm just gathering up fun Christmas-y books, one of which is Where Teddy Bears Come From, by Mark Burgess (published by Peachtree Publishers). This is definitely your non-traditional book that is just plain fun. In this book the little wolf (not to be confused with the "big, bad" one (!) can't sleep for wandering where teddy bears come from. His mother (who I suspect is intimately related to the big, bad variety of wolves) sends little wolf off into the woods to find the answer to his question.

Little wolf makes his first stop at the wise old owl who shoos him on to The Three Little Pigs (who rather wish to avoid him) who send him on to Little Red Riding Hood who is equally unobliging. It looks like the little wolf is not ever going to find the answer to his question until he helps out an old man in a red suit who promises that little wolf will have the answer to his question in the morning.

It's a Santa Claus oriented book, of course, which I have no objections to at all. Santa won't be avoided in our house because I do not feel like he needs to be. He's a fun character who adds some jollies to the season. This book does the same in a traditional and yet completely non-traditional way.

Next non-traditional item on my list:



Jim Henson's The Christmas Toy. Does anyone else out there remember this?! My brother and I watched this every single year growing up and I fully intend to continue the tradition! (Along with a viewing of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman.)

I LOVE THE CHRISTMAS SEASON!

Any suggestions for something that you particularly love to read or watch that is more non-traditional in nature? Do share!