Christmas Countdown 2012

This year we plan to have an exciting count down for Christmas Day. To start with I organised a Children's Christmas Book Advent Calendar. To do this I gathered 24 Children's Christmas Books collected over the last 5 years and some new ones too, all wrapped up and marked for each day leading up until Christmas. This way, we will be reading one Christmas story a night!

We are also following this very interesting blog about Christmas around the world. For 32 days(from November 23rd - December 24th, 2012) you will get to “travel” to a new country each day learning about how the holidays are celebrated, making a creative craft, trying a new recipe, whilst learning a little something about geography.

Click Christmas around the world link to see how interesting this is.

Inspired be this we wished to share information about our Christmas in Malta so we participated in a Christmas Culture Swap through Worldwide Culture Swap. We have been linked to a family in the UK. Our packs have been posted and now we are both eagerly looking forward to receive each others pack. This is a photo of the pack we sent.

Our pack included:

• Some information about Christmas in Malta
• A homemade traditional grotta with nativity figures
• Qagħqa tal-għasel – a traditional Christmas sweet
• Recipe to do the Qagħaq tal-għasel
• Ġulbiena seeds
• Instructions how to grow ġulbiena
• A Christmas Cracker covered in the Maltese flag with some gifts inside

Our packs have arrived and our UK partner has done a wonderful description of the swap. You can see the post on her blog.

We are also following Creative with Kids and Red Ted Art who are featuring a new creative Christmas activity right through the 24 days of Advent. There will be crafts, songs, activities and food. A great mix of things to do, brought by 24 experience Kids Activities Bloggers!

Other links I like for Christmas activities

24 Lunchbox ideas

Advent Calendars
Christian Advent Calendar
Nativity Printable
Sensory Nativity

I am also including my Christmas favourite activities on my Pinterest Christmas Board

This year I would also like to list our 24 Christmas Songs with a significant meaning for our family. This will be updated daily.

1. When a child is born - K's song for Christmas Concert

2. Baby's First Christmas - Reminds me of K and L's first Christmas
3.Joy the Christmas Mix - K's dance song for Christmas Concert
4. Ninni La Tibkix Izjed - Traditonal Maltese Christmas song
5. Ninu Ninu tal-Milied - Traditional Maltese Christmas song (old)
6. Caro Gesu Bambino - an Italian Christmas song
7. Feliz Navidad - a Spanish  Christmas song
8. Australian Jingle Bells - all about an Australian sunny Christmas
9. Rudolph the red nosed reindeer - a favourite for children with lyrics
10. The Polar Express - songs from this popular Christmas story
11. The Coca Cola Christmas song - This song reminds us of christmas family cheer
12. White Christmas - Michael Buble' (one for the mummies ;-)
13. Do they know it's christmas - Do we?
14. Last Christmas - one to remember my youth!
15. Jingle Bells - with lyrics
16. S-A-N-T-A - Santa is his name oh
17. Hush there's a baby - Cute Christmas song
18. Mickey and Friends - Disney characters singing
19. A Natale Puoi - An Italian cute song
20. Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas in 30 languages
21.Lonely this Christmas - A song I used to here at my dad's house
22. Thank god it's Christmas - Queen classic
23. Helu Bambin - A beautiful Maltese Christmas song
24. Instrumental Christmas music - 51 mins of Relaxing Christmas Music