Things we love to do each year for Christmas

I actually had it in mind to do this before I got the Christmas Traditions Tag, but we had

to wait on the gingerbread house :)
(Christmas overload, I know, I love the season though!)

How do you explain to your curious child how SANTA comes in the house when they say..."but we don't have a chimney."?

We have this "special" key that only works for SANTA to unlock our door.

CHOCOLATE calendars!!!! My kids LOVE these. Grandma usually makes sure we get them.

The Gingerbread House. Ah, that's always a story. This was actually the second attempt. Luke destroyed the first one and I couldn't go without one.

"I'll run and run as fast as I can, you can't catch me I'm the Gingerbread Man." We love to make gingerbread cookies. The magic really begins when the children go to bed. They can't believe how the cookies come alive after they've gone to bed and hide somewhere in the house with foot-prints and a clue left behind.

The Polar Express. This is something we do multiple times through-out the week. And of course it wouldn't be The Polar Express without a cup of hot cocoa!