Can You Feel It?

Are you starting to feel the Christmas spirit as much as I am? 

Is it the crisp air? The holiday music? 

Or is it the gift shopping/giving that has already begun that is getting me into the mood? 

I think it is a little bit of everything. 

Here are a few things we have been doing to get into the spirit.

Decorating:

This year we got things started a little bit earlier than normal. 

By November 28th we had purchased our tree and put it up!

I don't usually start decorating until the first week in December, but a friend convinced me that putting up lights and finding a tree in the warmer weather was way better than doing it in the freezing cold!

We also discovered how much easier it is to put up a tree if we leave it wrapped up!

This picture cracks me up. After David had tightened the screws and got the tree in place he proudly announced "It's done". Uh...not quite.

Over the next few days we put lights and ornaments on the tree with Christmas music in the background. 

Finley is really having a blast getting ready for Christmas this year. 

He keeps asking when Christmas is and has a hundred questions about Santa!

It is so much fun to see him get so excited! 

He keeps walking around the house singing "It's almost Christmas". 

The final product. 

Tree Lighting Ceremony: 

We also decided to go to the Greensboro tree lightning ceremony in downtown Greensboro. 

This was the first year we had ever gone. Man was it packed! 

Here is the tree before...

and after! 

Finley's expression after seeing the tree light up was priceless! He was really getting into the music that was played all around downtown. He didn't want to leave!

There was all kinds of fun things to do downtown. 

There was even some fake snow! 

We had to drag poor Finley home kicking and screaming because it was getting a tad too late for him!

Christmas Parade: 

Another first this year was attending the Christmas parade. 

We went with some friends who luckily got there early to snag some great seats (Thanks Nelsons!). 

I don't think we were prepared for the mass of people that would be there. 

Here is one of our friend's Taty who was in the parade (she is the tall blonde). 

Finley was very excited to see lots of fire trucks in the parade. 

And to have some candy while he sat back and relaxed. 

Clara was our little candy snagger. 

She beat all of the other children to the candy that was thrown onto the street. 

Then she quickly reported back to us to share her loot! 

I always loving hearing the marching bands play. 

NC A&T had the best marching band there. 

Check out this balloon! 

I had no idea there would be big balloons in the parade! It was so cool. 

There were about 4 or 5 different ones that came through. 

This was a real parade (unlike the ghetto 4th of July parade). 

Little buddies. 

After 2 hours of sitting through what was a very impressive, but very long parade we got to see Santa. 

And it made some one's day. 

Well worth the wait and all the crowds/traffic. 

Nativities: 

We have also been going over the Nativity story of Jesus' birth with Finley.
We made this cool nativity for FHE one night with the Elledges.

And mama finally caved in and bought this little people version (in the hopes that my ceramic nativity will be left alone). The month of December our FHE lessons and advent lessons (thanks Carrie!) will be devoted to Christ, his birth, life, and ministry.
So can you feel it too?