Christmas Countdown Paper Chain, Part I

We did something so fun this year for Christmas. It wasn't my idea so I can't take credit but Maggie and I made a red and green paper chain with 24 links on it. On each link I wrote the date (December 1 through December 24) and a Christmas activity for that day. If there was something already scheduled (like our church's Christmas pageant) then I put that as the day's activity, and I filled in the rest of the days with activities I thought of. Then each morning Maggie would get to take off the day's link and see what the activity was. It was fun because the activities and anticipation were fun and it also gave her a visual for counting down the days until Christmas. I didn't get any photos of the paper chain but I did photograph some of the activities.
One day we went to Starbucks and had a peppermint hot chocolate (hmmm...maybe that activity was as much for me?!).
Another day we went to A Dickens of a Christmas in downtown Franklin. It's a neat little festival where people roam the (roped off) streets dressed as characters from A Christmas Carol, vendors sell roasted chestnuts and sugar plums, and there are horse-drawn trolley rides around the town square. We met up with my sister, Erin, and her family there. Here's Maggie with Aunt Erin and cousin Jack.
Here's one of me and the kids at Dickens of a Christmas. Why am I the only one looking at the camera?!
Another activity was making s'mores in the oven. I'm not sure why this was a Christmas activity but it just seemed like fun (and it was!).
Check back soon for Christmas Countdown Activities, Part II!