Advent Calendar Fairy

We don't have an Elf on the Shelf at our house like the rest of the people on Facebook, but the Advent Calendar Fairy has been visiting our house every December for years.  Each day she leaves a little note in the Advent Calendar letting the kids know what fun holiday thing they will do that day.  It can be as simple as "Set up the Nativity in the front entry way so everyone who visits your house this month will remember the true meaning of Christmas when they come to your house."  Other days, it might be "Bake some treats and bring them to your holiday piano recital to share Christmas joy with others through music and food."

 Both boys performed beautifully at their piano recital, although I only got a picture of Hunter.

Yesterday the Fairy left a note saying, "Go celebrate Christmas with your friends from church at the ward Christmas party.  Be sure to talk to at least one person you normally don't talk to and wish them  Merry Christmas!"

 Charity wanted nothing to do with Santa unless I was holding her.

The kids sang at the party and I sent Charity up there to sing empty handed but once I spotted her she had a cookie in hand!

 And nibbled on it throughout the whole song!!

Last week, the kids got a note saying, "Go celebrate Christmas with School Friends at a Dickens Christmas Party!"  Look at the beautiful Victorian table setting at the party...

 The boys had a fun time reenacting a Christmas Carol and playing parlor games.

 Charity was sick that day, so she got to stay home with me, nap, and do some Christmas crafts.  Add glitter to anything and she is happy, fever or not!

Today the Fairy left a super exciting note saying that we were going to go meet Charles Dickens at a Victorian Christmas Festival at the International Print Museum!  What perfect timing the Fairy has since we have been learning all about Charles Dickens and reading A Christmas Carol for school.

Charity is on her way…

We had so much fun!  The kids had plenty of opportunities to use the printing presses to make authentic looking Victorian Christmas decor...

And Charles Dickens himself made cartoon drawings for the kids (he was a cartoonist, too!)

We even got to meet Queen Victoria!

Here are the Hoyals with Charles Dickens and Queen Victoria!

We also got to have an English lunch of bangers, gingerbread, and hot cider.  There was a play with Charles Dickens, where he spoke of his life, works, and reenacted a Christmas Carol with audience participation.  Charity was a little disruptive, so I took her out so we could do some more printing.  The play lasted over an hour and I was worried that the boys would be bored.  But, when they came out, Hunter asked, "Are they going to do this again next year?'  When I told him yes, he jumped up and down begging that we come back.  They both loved it and said it was hilarious.  They've already taught me how to play "the Minister's Cat" and I heard all about how Grandma got called up on stage to be a cackling lady at Scrooges funeral.  I am so glad the kids LOVED it and we are currently watching Oliver Twist because they want to get caught up on some of Dicken's works that they were not familiar with!  

It has been a fun December so far thanks to the help of the Advent Calendar Fairy!