Good morning! It is December 1, let the countdown begin! I am very excited for Christmas this year because I am hosting my family.
It may get a little noisy with two dogs, three kids, and eight adults, but it is going to be so much fun. We have lots of baking, eating, shopping, playing, building a gingerbread house, trips to see the lights and of course time to read books and drink cocoa on the schedule.
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| Image ME |
This will actually be my first year watching my two nieces and nephew wake up and rush to the tree to see what Santa brought them. In years past I have had to fly to see my husbands family at the crack of dawn on Christmas day so I missed it.
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They are already getting daily elf reports and being visited by Elf on the Shelf
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| Image from Elf on the Shelf |
and today they began tracking Santa and his progress to my house on the NORAD Santa Tracker.
Are you familiar with the Santa Tracker? It began in 1955 when a local department store misprinted a telephone number to speak to Santa and track his progress on Christmas Eve. Instead the children were calling CONAD, the predecessor to NORAD( the North American Aerospace Defense Command).
Luckily Colonel Harry Shoup was in command because he ordered that each child who called be told the exact coordinates of Santa, and to this day the tradition continues. Just in case you are wondering, this is paid for by corporate sponsors and all the phones are manned by volunteers.
If you visit the web site with your children you can see the countdown to Santa’s visit, videos, games and much more. It really is a cute webpage and I think your little ones would like it.
In addition to tracking Santa NORAD also supports the US troops all over the world and they provide links to all sorts of organizations that supports the troops and their families, you can see all of the links at Operation Goodwill.
The holidays are an incredibly difficult time for the Armed Forces and their families, please think of them over the holidays and if you can send a card, letter or gift. I know many bloggers that have children, or family serving and I am sure that you do too. The information is provided in the links above.
I hope you have a fabulous day!
NORAD Santa Tracker
NORAD: Santa Tracker Starts Today!
The Feast of St. Nicholas
A Visit From St. Nicholas
Hello Elizabeth
It appears like you are going to have a wonderful Christmas with the little ones present.
I love the Norad tracking system and shall have fun with it.
Have a great weekend
Helenxx
How wonderful to have all your family with you for the holidays! It is so much fun with little ones! My three loved tracking Santa on NORAD..,your post brought back fond memories of those days. My 23 year old who is a career girl now still insists on the traditional reading of The Night Before Christmas, much to the amusement of her younger college boy brothers!
I am looking forward to sharing the season with my new blogging friends! xoxoxo
What a fabulous post. We'll be popping the NORAD app on my daughter's iPad. Your Christmas sounds like great fun, I envy you the dogs, I'm really missing mine, we'll be going to greyhound rescue in the New Year.
The photos of the troops brought a tear to my eye, luckily my son is now safely home, but there are many families with their soldiers serving (in our case) Queen and country, and I'll certainly remember them in my prayers over the Christmas Holidays.
Have a lovely weekend and I look forward to following your Christmas preparations.
Jude x
It will be fun to have your Christmas party in your home. I enjoyed reading that book "Elf on the Shelf." It's a fun read for the children. Have a good weekend.
I'm so excited for your
big Christmas Day! Even
though it is a lot of work
to be the "host" during the
holidays, it is oh so worth
it, especially when there are
little ones involved. This
year we'll be visiting my
parents, as will my brother
and his family. While my
kids are "big" {14 & 17}, his
kids are "little" {5, 3, 2} so
the place will be crazy! But
crazy in that wonderful way
that families are.
We've loved NORAD over the
years! And I've also hosted
stocking stuffing for soldiers
in the past, which is great fun.
It's cool to imagine them opening
their stockings so far away, and
knowing we've made them smile.
Hope your weekend is off to
a great start, Elizabeth!
xo Suzanne
Sounds like you have wonderful plans for a fun filled December… Have a good weekend.
Ciao for now…
Dearest heart…..I don't even see Christmas happening here…no snow, and I am buried in my basement working! That is a good thing, but WOW I am busy! GOOD TO SEE YOU! Anita
Elizabeth, It sounds as though you have a wonderful and eventful holiday month planned. Your enthusiasm is contagious. Have a wonderful weekend. Bonnie
A wonderful reminder to support the troops, dear friend…
And you must be so excited to have your family with you this Christmas…I am excited for you!!
NORAD is fun… :)))
I wish you much joy in the preparations and anticipation, dear Elizabeth!
Hugs,
– Irina
Santa when will be oak Rigde Tenn see Grandson Jacky