Kicking Off the Christmas Season: CRAFT

While there were times between Halloween and Thanksgiving that I was so tempted to pop in some Christmas tunes (and perhaps succumb to Christmas candy [ahem]), I showed amazing restraint at focusing on fall leaves and turkeys and trimmings.

When the girls got up the morning after Thanksgiving, though, It.Was.On.

We immediately assembled all our Christmas books and began reading stories.  After breakfast we turned on our first Christmas CD of the season.  We enjoyed a very rare treat of popcorn for a morning snack -- sprinkled with dried cranberries to be festive -- in front of the fire place.

And no season kick-off would be complete without a craft, right???

I let the girls try their hands at using a sponge brush to paint the outer rim of a small paper plate.  (I may not have banked on how much paint can be soaked up in a tiny sponge.  I can't say it was the most efficient use of materials, but the girls had fun.)

Later in the day, after the paint dried, the girls dressed in their holiday tees, I cut out the middle of the plates and punched holes around the edges (about 1" apart).  The girls were pretty skilled with lacing yarn through the holes.

I then wrapped yarn around the girls' hands to make a pom-pom bow.  (They thought that was all sorts of fun, too!)

I thought the wreaths turned out great!  And I love that they were the first of our holiday decorations to adorn the mantle.

This is the first of many holiday crafts, I'm sure.  Although it's not yet December, we're enjoying the beginning of this holiday season!