Suzanne H.? The box of used clothes came!

[conuly]

I'm so enthused about those mittens we got, you have no idea. Ana's got three pairs of mittens aside from those: The one we can't find, the one without thumbs, the one that doesn't really fit. And if she doesn't have mittens on, she wants to walk with her hands in her pockets, which is both sensible and cute, but which *does* make it hard to cross streets and whatnot.

Some of the pants are really too big, you were right, but it's not a worry - we'll either store them or lend them over to a friend of my mom's kid. That is to say, a friend-of-my-mom's kid. NOT a friend of my-mom's-kid.

Once Deniz outgrows them, Ana will fit into them. When Ana outgrow's them, Deniz' little sister Su will fit them. When Su outgrows them, if they're still around, Evie will fit them. Don't know what's going to happen to clothes when Evie outgrows them, but we're sure to find *somebody* to give them to :)

So, if you invest in clothes for Ana, rest assured that they'll be worn for at least three years straight, loved by at least three children. Same goes for toys and books and all.

--------

I'm thinking about Christmas this year. I want to really do a lot of things that we didn't do in my family, but which I think would be fun. A simple, secular Advent calendar. St. Nicolas Day. That sort of thing. What sort of things do you all do for your holidays this time of year? They don't have to be for our holidays - I'm just curious.

Comments

[strangelette.livejournal.com]

My parents made sure we did St. Nicholas Day, Advent calendars, and the 12 days of Christmas (http://www.cresourcei.org/cy12days.html) when we were tiny up through early teens. Their rationale was that kids shouldn't be expected to deal well with one big day of excitement and then nothing. The slow build up and cool down helped to avert meltdowns. I don't remember much (hell I don't remember last week) but what I do is pleasant and I don't think there weren't a lot of excess gifts either just little treats like crayons, cookies, stickers etc.

[conuly]

We always did Little Christmas. We'd get a present or two, small presents, on Christmas, but the big stuff, the good stuff, we got in January (when baby Jesus got his present, that's when you get yours...). It's just *cheaper* that way.

For the advent calendar, I'm thinking just some small-small candies, one a day, won't kill her.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

What happened to advent calendars where the treat was getting to see the pretty picture inside and wondering what it was? I was never allowed ones with chocolate. And now I have a wooden perpetual advent calendar that's simply gorgeous. It's a Christmas tree and each day you hang another little wooden ornament onto the hooks.

I think there is a Scandinavian custom of advent books, with one chapter for each day of advent. At least, Jostein Gaarder wrote The Christmas Mystery that way (and she's Swedish Norwegian) and a Danish friend told me about an advent story about a nisse which again was one chapter a day. I think it's a lovely idea.

[conuly]

I never heard of that type of Advent calendar. My mom grew up with the ones that were village scenes, and you got to see the baker baking or whatever - and inside you got a treat.

[deceptica]

I had a few advent calendars with little chocolates in them... but as far as I remember most of mine were just pretty pictures as well. :-)

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm glad they arrived and were appreciated. :)

[strangelette.livejournal.com]

My parents made sure we did St. Nicholas Day, Advent calendars, and the 12 days of Christmas (http://www.cresourcei.org/cy12days.html) when we were tiny up through early teens. Their rationale was that kids shouldn't be expected to deal well with one big day of excitement and then nothing. The slow build up and cool down helped to avert meltdowns. I don't remember much (hell I don't remember last week) but what I do is pleasant and I don't think there weren't a lot of excess gifts either just little treats like crayons, cookies, stickers etc.

[conuly]

We always did Little Christmas. We'd get a present or two, small presents, on Christmas, but the big stuff, the good stuff, we got in January (when baby Jesus got his present, that's when you get yours...). It's just *cheaper* that way.

For the advent calendar, I'm thinking just some small-small candies, one a day, won't kill her.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

What happened to advent calendars where the treat was getting to see the pretty picture inside and wondering what it was? I was never allowed ones with chocolate. And now I have a wooden perpetual advent calendar that's simply gorgeous. It's a Christmas tree and each day you hang another little wooden ornament onto the hooks.

I think there is a Scandinavian custom of advent books, with one chapter for each day of advent. At least, Jostein Gaarder wrote The Christmas Mystery that way (and she's Swedish Norwegian) and a Danish friend told me about an advent story about a nisse which again was one chapter a day. I think it's a lovely idea.

[conuly]

I never heard of that type of Advent calendar. My mom grew up with the ones that were village scenes, and you got to see the baker baking or whatever - and inside you got a treat.

[deceptica]

I had a few advent calendars with little chocolates in them... but as far as I remember most of mine were just pretty pictures as well. :-)

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm glad they arrived and were appreciated. :)