December Daily | Day 2.

This is our usual Advent calendar, which we've been enjoying every Christmas since 2001. Probably the only thing we ever bought out of a mail-order catalog that we've actually kept. lol

This is Hannah, asking can she have a new Advent calendar this year that has treats in it.

This is me, looking online and finding out they now make cool Advent calendars for kids with toys in them.

This is Chris, running to Wal-Mart at midnight to see if they have the Polly Pocket Holiday Calendar, because if they don't, I can order it online for a reasonable price. But it has to be done before 6am, and we are so not morning people. (And as long as he's there, picking up Aidan's Christmas present.)

This is me, ordering the calendar online and springing for 2-day shipping, so my girl can have her present 5 days earlier.

This is Hannah, excited because she gets not just a treat but a new toy every day until Christmas.

This is William, excited because now he gets to pull all the bricks from Santa's chimney himself.

This is what makes all the effort totally worth it for me and for Chris. :)

There's something really fun and exciting about an Advent calendar. I think maybe it's just being able to see, visually, Christmas morning getting closer and closer. I remember when I was a kid, my mom always got me a Hallmark Advent calendar. They were different Victorian buildings and each day had a charming little picture behind the door or window. It was always so much fun to hunt each day for the little door with the right number and see what the picture was.

Anticipation made tangible.