Counting down the days

When I was little we had an advent calender. It was just one of those paper European ones that you open the little flap every day till Christmas and there's a cute picture behind it. I loved opening those little doors.

One year my mom got us an advent calendar with little pieces of chocolate behind each window. That year was especially fun. We got to eat a piece of chocolate every day!

When William was growing up his mom had a little Christmas tree that sat on a bunch of drawers. Every day (starting on December 1st) she would open a drawer and pull out a little ornament and put it on the tree. By Christmas the tree was completely decorated.

I've been looking for something like these two calendars for a couple of years now. I didn't want just anything... I wanted something that was special and unique looking and fit our little family well.

THIS year I found it.

I really loved this as soon as I saw it. It's a string of little stockings numbered from 1 to 24.
I loved that it has kind of a mountain/Tennessee Christmas feeling to it.

I had ALOT of fun filling each little stocking with a little gift, candy, or a note with a clue to a hidden gift. And I think William has had fun pulling out the little surprise everyday.

I look forward to this being a part of our family Christmas celebrations every year. But it does mean I have to start my Christmas shopping ALOT earlier from now on.