Celebrate Today- ceremonies and celebrations to make your days count

 Over the last few years, I have been collecting and making things for Anna for her own celebrations throughout the year, and I gave her her very own "Celebration Box" for graduation in June. When she was packing for college, she went through her box, and she picked a few things out of it to take with her out of the box: sidewalk chalk, birthday hats, a Valentine banner, a trick-or-treat Halloween banner, and a birthday banner. It was such a joy to get her message that she used the birthday banner at a special dinner for a new friend last weekend.  Here is Anna's box and a few things that were in it: Celebration Box!  Thanksgiving Banner  Birthday Cheer  Christmas Cheer  Lenten wreath and Easter banner  Valentine's Day  Halloween banner    a book in the celebration box 

I saw this idea to wrap "open when gifts"  in a  blog post  a week or so before we took Anna to college, so I went to the Dollar Store and stocked up on a lot of fun things as surprises for her.  When we were moving her in, I was able to hide them on her shelf in the kitchen. She found them later that night after we left, and they were a really fun surprise for her.     And as a bonus, I left Gnome there to keep her company.  He has a new home, and I'm sure he is loving life in sunny California!  Here are some of the labels for the little packages:  * for your first 13th in college (Happy 13th! 9-13-21)  * for when you are having a hard day * for your first hike up Potato Mountain (a  hike we did together in March )  * for your first movie night  * for when you are studying for your first big test  * for your first awards night at Revelle  * for when you are feeling stressed  * for a random Tuesday...