{#ShareAdvent - our family tradition}

In addition to the usual advent calendars, Christmas jumpers and mulled wine, there a few other family-friendly traditions that the Glasgow Mummy house have...

Last year we started our very own Polar Express themed tradition for Christmas Eve. You can read about it here. The kids (& the grown ups) thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I'm looking forward to repeating the trip in the future. This year the kids are with their dad on Christmas Eve, and I'm not sure what he has planned.

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Another tradition we have is Elf on the Shelf, and this year it's been a big hit. Every morning the kids have been super excited to search for Buddy and to see where he's hiding. Our elf isn't very cheeky (I don't want to give them ideas!) so basically he just has a different hiding spot each day. As they get a bit older I might get a bit more creative with the ideas!

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One final tradition is that each year, in the run up to Christmas, we watch Prep & Landing. The kids absolutely love this cartoon, as do I!

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{#ShareAdvent - Spread some cheer}

Have you heard of "Been Jingled"?

For today's #ShareAdvent prompt, spread some cheer, I'm going to share with you one of my recent Pinterest finds.

It's really straightforward...

1. Print out a sheet from the website, or the crafters out there could create their own card.

An Eager Elf just left this treat

on your door step for you to eat.

2. Gather some form of tasty treat, homemade or otherwise to accompany your printout / card.

3. Put them on your neighbour's doorstep, ring the door bell or knock and then run, run, run like the wind!!!

What do you think, cute or creepy?

{#ShareAdvent - "Joy to the World"}

I still can't quite believe the Clutha Glasgow Helicopter Crash and my thoughts go out to those that have been affected by this. Police have now named two of the victims, and it makes it so much more real. From the small amount of footage I've seen, it looks like the Glasgow-people have pulled together and shown a real sense of community. I'm proud to live in this great city. I'm still going to put my Christmas tree up this evening as planned, but when I light my candles later I will be thinking of those involved in this tragic incident. There is a memorial service at Glasgow Cathedral next to Glasgow Royal Infirmary at 11am this morning should you wish to attend. 

Eight people have died.... 

14 are in hospital with serious injuries... 

And they've still not recovered all the bodies...

At the moment it seems there is no joy in the world, but I've decided to keep the post I had originally scheduled for today's #ShareAdvent. Here it is... 

I'm planning on joining in with Anna from Skin and Blister's #ShareAdvent this year.

The calendar starts on December 1st and counts down to Christmas Day. You can join in however you please...blog, Tweet or Instagram :-)

The first prompt, "Joy to the World", I'm guessing is in reference to the popular Christmas Carol.

Joy to the World

I'm not religious, and my thoughts on Christmas carols and festive music then turned to a Buddy the Elf quote...

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear"

Which sort of ties in with the carol and today's prompt...? (Although I may then be stumped when it comes to 11th December!)

Heaven and nature sing

Anyway, today is the first of December and I will be putting up my Christmas tree and other decorations this evening.

It's become a tradition of mine that I watch Elf and put the tree up on the first Sunday of December, usually with a glass of wine in hand (preferably mulled, to get me in the Christmas spirit!). Click here to see a photo of my tree last year!

The other movie that I watch every festive season is The Holiday (it's in my all time top 10). I just love it.

And this year, R (the man!) & I are off to see Its a Wonderful Life at Glasgow Film Theatre. I love this time of year!

When do you put your tree up and what movies are on your list this Christmas?

{Guest Post: The Winter Blues}

Today's guest post touches on the topic of a previous post of mine, technology and the impact it has on playtime. Karen's children are obviously older than mine as she talks of texting and Xboxes, but I agree that being inside because of miserable weather does not need to mean boredom. As my kiddies get older, I love the idea of starting a tradition of family game night... I also have lovely memories growing up of doing puzzles with my dad before bed. I picked up this game at the supermarket recently. We're yet to play it, but I thought with the penguins it was perfectly themed for winter! 

Penguin Pile Up Game from Sainsburys, £4.99

Anyway, enough of my blabbing... over to Karen:

Getting most kids’ out of the home during summer time is not a big deal. With the sun shining, ice creams vans parked on every corner in the UK, fun activities, music blaring and long days you don’t even need to give them that nudge they sometimes need! When winter arrives it seems harder and harder to keep them active as they would rather sit in front of the heater than pop down to the corner shop to get that desperately needed loaf of bread. As a parent of two, during winter I have to admit that after a long day at work all I want to do is curl up in bed and switch the telly on...but then where does that leave my children? Most of their winter is spent in front of the T.V, playing games, texting...just about anything that will reduce their boredom.

Family Movie Night {image source}

When I do have the energy I find that my short winter days are spent nagging them to do something productive and get out for a while. I get them off the T.V so they get their phones out. I take away their phones so they fire up the Xbox. I demand they switch off the Xbox and I wave my arms towards the front door like a mad woman and I can see their scepticism as the rain and wind darkens the skies and batters the window. At that moment I asked myself ‘Would I really go out in that weather?’ I think that every parent reading this will know what my answer would be.

It finally dawned on me that I had to change my attitude towards winter so I could teach my kids’ something. I thought back to my childhood winter days and knew what I had to do. No amount of pushing them out the door was going to do it. I understood that winter is opposite to summer in physicality and in the spiritual sense. The idea that both summer and winter balance each other out led me to make very small changes in our lives...without stepping out the door.

Changes began with simple conversations. After work rather than allowing everyone to escape to their individual rooms I would try and get them to sit down together at dinner and ask questions. After a few times filled with tired responses and moody faces I was delighted to see my kids were actually enjoying our little time together! Baby steps led to our winter being completely transformed and I started to look forward to the end of work to finish off that ongoing game of monopoly or that television series we were watching together.

Family game night {image source}

Thinking back I realise it was the small changes that brought me closer to my children during the winter. It finally dawned on me that it wasn’t my children that had to be taught a valuable 'lesson'...it was me. I made the effort to make my kids winter just that little bit more magical and maybe one day they will carry on the small traditions I introduced to them with their own children. So, to all parents out there have a happy family winter!

Author Bio

Former British Airways cabin crew member, Karen Rayner currently lives in Warwick with her husband and two children, Charlotte and Jack. She is the founder of Childrens Funky Furniture, an online furniture store which provides imaginative and creative furniture items that appeal to young children. Karen also writes extensively about how to create artistic and vibrant bedrooms that children can relate to and enjoy. Follow Karen on Google Plus.

{Fabulous Finds: Christmas Traditions}

'The Christmas Express'

I stumbled across this idea on Pinterest yesterday and I really wanted to share it with you before Christmas Day. I think my kiddies are too young to appreciate this just now, but I think it's such a great idea and I definitely want to make this a new Christmas tradition for next year.

Erica over at Confessions of a Home Schooler shared a fantastic idea for a Christmas adventure and I think it would be perfect to do this week in the run up to Christmas Day.

Here's the gist... print the golden 'Christmas Express' ticket that Erica has kindly shared. Hide said ticket in kiddies bed and continue with bedtime routine as normal.

Whilst this is going on, prepare some snacks and drinks for the journey (Erica's suggestion is popcorn and hot chocolate - yum!) and put them in the car and get the Christmas tunes playing on the car stereo. When your children pull pack the covers to climb into bed they will find their special ticket. Tell them to get their slippers, dressing gowns (and any other extra layers - this is Scotland after all!!) and head to the car.

When they get to the car, punch the ticket (think that's such a fab idea Erica - love it!) and then proceed to take them on a magical journey round your city looking at all the sparkly Christmas lights. Don't forget to stop somewhere for your snack too.

What Christmas traditions do you have in the week leading up to Christmas Day?