Our Advent Box 2016

We have had a crazy year

Leaving school to begin our home education journey

Leaving home for our house renovation

Miscarriage

And now pregnancy again

Growing our Sprinkle of Stardust

We have had a lot of upheaval and unrest

After years of heartbreak and sadness

David and I promised each other

That this year we would make Christmas special

More magical

More meaningful than ever

Our plan and wish for Christmas

Coincides with what I think might be Esther and William’s peak year

Of Christmas excitement and belief

So this year we are going to make December wonderful

It is after all

The most wonderful time of the year

And for us a chance to be truly happy together

Before we begin a very different countdown

To the anniversary of our baby girl’s death

But first

Advent

And a new family tradition

Our advent box

For years now we have had a Christmas Eve Box

But I was not very happy with it

Christmas Eve is such a busy day for us

And the children have an early night

Ready for Christmas Day

The box

Filled to bursting

Was not used

And so this year

I decided to start a new tradition

An advent box

To run alongside our advent books

Which we have also been doing for years

This year it has begun

Our new family tradition

Our advent box

Would you like to know what is inside?

photo-01-12-2016-08-40-59

I ordered the box from Plantabox

I accidentally ordered the wrong size

So most of the contents spilled out of the box

But I love this personalised crate all the same

I also love all the things I got to go in it

Things to make my children smile this festive season

Christmas onesies

To be worn after days out in the winter weather

onesies

Countdown calendars

Moomins for Esther

Thomas and Friends for William

And WOW Toys for Bea

calendars

They were all so pleased with the advent calendars

Especially William who is excited to be collecting mini engines

My boy is train mad!

train mad

As well as advent calendars

We have an advent candle

We burn it with tea or breakfast each day

And while it burns we read Christmas stories and poems

We have added to our collection this year

With new seasonal story, song and poem books

I also bought sticker books for Esther and Bea

And a Christmas Mazes book for William

photo-01-12-2016-08-42-13

photo-01-12-2016-08-42-18

Bea loves a basket of books to browse and share

book basket

In our advent box

I put a Christmas jumper for each of us

Christmas socks

socks

And for the children

Christmas pyjamas

pyjamas

Special pyjamas for Christmas Eve are lovely

But by getting them at the beginning of December

We all get to enjoy them so much more

And wear them all the time

I put some treats in our advent box too

Colouring and carolling with @carddies_uk #christmascarols #countdowntochristmas #christmas #advent #nativity

A video posted by Jennie Edspire (@edspire) on

A Carddies Nativity Colouring Set

A Happyland Nativity set

The three kings bring gifts for the baby #christmasiscoming #advent #happyland #Nativity

A photo posted by Jennie Edspire (@edspire) on

Some Christmas craft materials

And cards to decorate and write

carrddies and cards

We have already had so much fun

With our advent activities, toys and clothes

This really is the most wonderful time of the year

tilda at christmas

We still have one exciting thing to come

12 days of Christmas kindness

With The Kindness Elves

Esther is very very excited about this part of our countdown

And I am looking forward to helping my children understand

That giving is better than receiving

And that a little kindness can go a long way

kindness elves

After years of heartbreak and sadness

David and I promised each other

That this year we would make Christmas special

More magical

More meaningful than ever

Our plan and wish for Christmas

Coincides with what I think might be Esther and William’s peak year

Of Christmas excitement and belief

So this year we are going to make December wonderful

It is after all

The most wonderful time of the year

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