If you count today, there are 25 days until Christmas. December 1 is the first day of the Christmas month, so let the countdown begin! The days between Thanksgiving and Easter seem like a year to a child. So here are a few things you can do to make the days fun as you anticipate Christmas with your family.

• Advent Calendar — You can purchase a fancy calendar with little flaps that open for each day of the month, but a homemade one works just as well. I often used a piece of green construction paper and made a December calendar with a ruler and a marker. I hung the calendar at a kid-friendly level and my kids took turns putting a Christmas sticker on the calendar as we counted the days.

• Unwrap One Book A Day — I have a friend who collects Christmas books. Every year she wraps up the old ones and adds a few new ones until she has wrapped 25 books. Every day, from December 1- December 25, she unwraps one of the books and reads it to her children.

• Nativity Set — When my kids were little I had a hand-painted ceramic nativity set that was placed high on a self so they could look but not touch. Last year I bought a plastic nativity set and left it on the coffee table so my granddaughter could play with the pieces. It’s much more fun that just looking!

• Secret Pal — If your kids are old enough, draw names so each person in the family has a secret pal. Throughout the month of December the pals can surprise each other by leaving notes or treats on their beds, or doing a chore like cleaning their room.

• Share The Love Of Jesus — Christmas is always a good time to think about others. Let your kids help you make cookies to bring to a neighbor, or go to the store and purchase a gift for Toys for Tots. There are lots of opportunities to be charitable this time of year and it’s a good lesson in giving.

These are only a few suggestions and I know there are dozens more. Please share your ideas with us this month!

Crystal