We are surrounded by do-it-yourself crafts every where we look; Pinterest, TV shows, magazines, people’s posts on their social network showing their latest up-all-night, creative decoration… and this time of year is for sure no exception…. only an explosion.


A Parent’s 12 Days of DIY is a fantastically under-exaggerated phrase of our reality. Every day is DIY for us…… add in the holiday musts for the kids and it becomes a DIY of epic proportions.


So in no actual order of events, as most of these are done late, over and over, early, not completed and even faked but looks good in a Facebook post…. here are the 12 Days of Christmas DIY.



On the First Day:
14 boxes of decorations, little hands ‘helping’, nap time, bedtime and happy playtime are your windows of opportunity to unpack them. 

 


On the Second Day: Shopping for Green Thursday, Black Friday and Cyber Monday which leads to Red Tuesday when you balance your checkbook. Refer to first day when finding the time. 


On the Third Day:  Going to the tree farm, chasing kids, looking for kids, eating peanuts, riding the tractor, cutting down the tree and dragging it home. 

 

On the Fourth Day: Decorating the Christmas tree with the kids and find broken lights, tangled hooks, and ‘Why oh why do I get them breakable, dainty ornaments each year?!’ Put on ‘Elf’, listen to them giggle and just ‘do it yourself.’ 


Not my tree…..

On the Fifth Day: Keeping up with the traditions because one year you had the bright idea to start them, and now, now every morning for 24 days you have to remember to do stuff like this…..



On the Sixth Day: Watching a Christmas parade, scooting to the front, seeing the pretty lights and waving our hand so long. Wishing and hoping for some candy to be thrown; who’s that in the back????


On the Seventh Day: Wrapping presents in secret means only when they’re asleep; nap time, midnight or 3 am is good. No peeking! 



On the Eighth Day: A visit with the big guy himself before he can deliver what everyone wants; big and little. Make it happen. The good, the bad and the always-missing Santa. 



On the Ninth Day: Christmas cards to be sent; matching outfits, cute smiles, addressing envelopes; who’d we forget?! 

On the Tenth Day: School programs, parties, pot luck, gift giving and white elephant too! Find the time, the sweater and the babysitter. 

 


On the Eleventh Day: Taking family pictures in front of the tree with kids….


On the Twelfth Day: ‘Santa’ comes late at night after everyone is in bed; tired and sleepy; ‘he’ assembles toys in the laundry room, stuffs stockings quietly without a single jingle, eats the cookies leaving just a bite, and sneaks off to bed after everything is just right. 


Morning comes bringing whispers and giggles. We lay in bed, exhausted, smiling and pretending to be asleep. Super excited but can’t go see until they come get us. 
The 12 Days of DIY  is all worth it just to hear the words, ‘Momma Santa came!’ one more time.  


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