How We Spent Our Christmas in Our DIY Winter Wonderland! 

This post is a few weeks late due to the craziness of my work schedule at the moment which involves lots of travel! But I wanted to share with you how we spent Christmas 🙂

I love Christmas – the general buzz, the pretty decorations, the overdone houses I pass as I drive down our road (I can talk!) but most of all I love the family time. I’m an absolute sucker for parties, gatherings, themes and doing things for others and Christmas is the most perfect time for all that.

 

This year Christmas was even more exciting than the last though it did bring a feeling of bitter sweet as we realised how much Arjun has grown so quick. Christmas has definitely changed with a toddler!

I decided to put up our Winter Wonderland earlier than last year to also celebrate the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Having it up earlier, meant we could also host more kiddies Christmas parties. Arjun was so much more aware this year of his surroundings and it really felt like he appreciated them.

It was the cutest thing ever watching him react to his transformed living room. He squealed with excitement and rushed over to hug me – almost as if he knew I’d done it for him! It was so sweet! His reaction to the snow was hilarious – he was scared to step on it and kept jumping off when he reluctantly “dipped” his toe in. He soon warmed up to it! He also decided to use the poor snowman as a broom!

 

  
  
  

Anytime Arjy’s friends came over, he’d rush over to show them his little Winter Wonderland. I loved seeing his personality come out so strong this year! He had a great time with his buddies in his Winter Wonderland.

For children’s entertainment at our kid’s get togethers, I included crafts activities for the children to make their own Christmas decorations using a hand or footprint (with their mummy’s support), and also gingerbread decorating. I purchased ready made gingerbread men and purchased colourful icing and toppings. My son was the only one to eat his gingerbread instead of decorating it! Next year, as Arjun gets older, I’ll be introducing kiddie games which I’m excited for!

 

  
  
  

In addition to the Winter Wonderland, this year as he’s more aware, I was also able to introduce an advent calendar. I wasn’t keen on intrudcoing a chocolate one because let’s face it 2 days worth of continuous chocolate would probably get him in to the habit of expecting it, let alone 25! I saw a fab blog post by my blogging buddy Stacey over at Mummy and the Bubbas on non chocolate advent calendars and immediately ordered the V Tech cars one. Arjun loved opening it the first few mornings but by about the 7th day, he’d figured out that there was a treat behind every single door and that he actually didn’t have to wait till tomorrow to open it – he opened the whole thing! But it meant he got to enjoy it. Perhaps next year an advent calendar will work better?! I’d highly recommend the V Tech advent calendar – it’s full of different vehicles and props which include a light up and sound toy too.

As we did last year, Arjun and I also made a Christmas tree decoration this year too. We created a snowman using his footprint 🙂

 

In addition to the above, we also introduced a Christmas Eve box this year which I had so much fun putting together! Arjun loved unpacking his box and had the most fun with the bubbles and the stickers in his activity box!

 

For Christmas Eve, Preetam and Arjun had also made me a Christmas Eve chill out hamper which included snacks and DVDs (ps the dog treats were for the dog … I think! Haha!). I was so touched and grateful for the gesture especially as I’d spent the day in the kitchen! We all got in to our matching Christmas pyjamas and vegged out on the sofa and watched the movies they’d picked – “Inside Out” and “Pixels”. Arjun enjoyed pinching my popcorn the little Food Thief! He had his first hot chocolate that evening and loved it! All in all we had a really relaxing enjoyable evening as a family – something I really wish we had more of.

 

  
  
  
  
  

 

Christmas Day was quite different to the last but in a good way. Arjun was only 6 months last Christmas so wasn’t anywhere near as self-sufficient as he is now. He woke up, had his Christmas breakfast of a Santa crepe made by daddy, inspired by Pinterest!

 

He then opened all his presents which he found particularly exciting! Last year he was more interested in the wrapping paper than the actual gifts! Haha! He really loved playing with a toy remote control car that my Masi got him (mum’s sister). We spent an hour or so opening, playing and clearing up our gifts before we got ready for the family to come over! Arj made sure he gave Bruno his gift – he’s absolutely obsessed with him at the moment!

 

The dress code this year was “red and green” – I love theming Christmas as it’s just another way to add to the fun and festivities! Last year we all dressed up as characters.

  

I found preparing for Christmas this year a lot more relaxing than last year. I wasn’t as highly strung (haha I said it!) or stressed, I wanted to enjoy the prep as well as enjoy my time with the family. It also really helps that both families help with the cooking!

 

Once the family arrived, Arjun opened all his additional gifts and had lots of fun dancing to music and playing with his new toys! He absolutely LOVED having all his loved ones with him and was so over excited.

He enjoyed his Christmas dinner and was overwhelmed by the variety on his plate! He burnt off his Christmas dinner by dancing (lots) and fell asleep between 2-4 when we played games! You can check out my blog post on my family Christmas games for inspiration for next year!
 

  

All in all we had a perfect day! We hope you had a great one too x