It was the Christmas of 2002. Jackson was nearly 3 months old. My sister wanted to get me something special, since I was a new, doting mom who had fallen hard for this little miracle of a baby that I had given birth to a few months earlier. Knowing that I was (and am!) very sentimental and a big fan of tradition, my sister found the perfect gift for me ... a Christmas Advent Box that I could use with Jackson and any other little Hostetter children that came along after him. In addition to the Advent Box, my sister also gave me a "Twas the Night Before Christmas" book -- the very book that our mom read to us each Christmas Eve before bed when we were little girls!
This advent box is one of the best gifts I've ever received. It makes its big debut every year on December 1st and the boys squeal with delight when they see it! We already have so many cherished -- priceless -- memories involving this special box!
Our typical routine is that when the boys are all in their jammies, they come down and take turns opening the drawer for the night. They always get a note in the drawer with a piece of candy and sometimes a small gift. Some of the highlights for this year have been a Hot Wheel, some gel clings for them to decorate their bathroom mirror, gum, and a tablet/eraser/ruler/pencil set. Typically on the night before Christmas, I put in gold (not just any gold ... but the gold wedding band that my Pa-ee gave to my Ma-ee), frankincense and myrrh and then talk to them about how the wise men brought those gifts to the baby Jesus.
I love making memories with my boys ... and each night in December doing this Advent Box with them, counting down the days until Christmas, is such a special time for me and them!
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