I've found that Christmas with kids can sometimes be more stressful than it is magical. (FYI, cranky newborns don't all of a sudden sleep the night just because it's a holiday. Also-- skipping naps for parties or meals or a service is FUN!)

BUT as my kids get older, the magic is starting to really appear. I love how into Christmas they are getting. As they are emerging into holiday-loving people, I've spent a lot of time thinking through what I want our traditions to be. (Up until now, our traditions have included mostly just surviving. I highly recommend.)

I haven't settled on everything, but I wanted to share with you 4 kid Christmas things that I am currently loving.

1. Felt Christmas Tree to hang on the wall
I just ordered this last week, and it came in on Friday. Now the price is lower (AGH!) and the shipping is different. (Don't you love it when they do that?) BUT, I am so pleased with how thick and sturdy the felt is since I see it getting a LOT of handling. As the kids have the week off of school, I think tomorrow we will decorate this...and I know it will get redecorated a hundred times between now and Christmas. I figured if they have this, maybe they will leave the actual tree alone? A girl can hope. (-;

You will be seeing lot of action on this bad boy via IG. Brace yourselves! (-;


2. Ann Voskamp advent book: Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas
We got this the year it came out and it is EXCELLENT. I'm so glad I sat down to write this list because it's reminding me to dig this book out so we don't start out behind on our advent reading. (FYI it is currently $6 off.)

"Person by person, story by story, retrace the lineage of Jesus. Fall in love with Him all over again as you experience God's plan of salvation for us--from the Garden of Eden to the manger and beyond."


3. Children Manger Set
This is the closest link I could find to the one I have. My mom ordered it as a gift to the kids a few years  ago, and they LOVE being able to play with their own set. I'm looking forward to teaching with this again this year!

4. Picture Calendars

Heads up, right now you can get a FREE wall calendar from Shutterfly with the code MYGIFT (ends tomorrow)

I make a calendar every year bursting with pictures of my kids and give them as Christmas gifts to the parents and grandparents. AND I keep one for myself. I currently have an entire wall covered with Shutterfly calendars detailing the last seven years in month-to-month detail. This is just my favorite. Also, it's funny how those years when I was thinking "JUST SURVIVE!" look so cute and put together up on my wall via the calendars.

In the past I have paid for these with diaper/pull up Pampers rewards points (this bought me SO many free calendars), free codes I can find online (such as MYGIFT), and random mailed flyers with $10 off.

My only problem this year...is finding the time to make my calendar! I predict an entirely copied off of IG calendar this year. Ha!

Okay your turn. What kid Christmas stuff are you excited about this year????