This year, I'm proud to be a part of the 2011 Advent Tour, an annual event where book bloggers share a little something about their holiday celebrations with the rest of us. Some people are talking about food, some are talking about music, some are talking about books ... it's a feast of random holiday goodness. Dig in!

Because I was born so close to Christmas, my wonderful father, mother and mother-in-law all started fun traditions to help celebrate my birthday:

Not only did I make my arrival at Christmastime, but I timed it just right: I was born on my dad's 37th birthday. Partly because of this, we developed a very special bond, one I treasure to this day. Growing up, my dad and I always had dinner out on our birthday, just the two of us. Even now, whenever we're in the same place on the 22nd, we head to a favorite restaurant for precious one-on-one daddy/daughter time. Since we live in different states, most years we have to make do with cards and phone calls, but I still relish the memories of all our dinners together (even the one at Skipper's, where I ended up vomiting my fish and chips all over the carpet). Happy birthday, Dad!

I first saw the beloved ballet when I was a kid. I'm not sure how old I was (8 maybe?), but I remember sitting in the theater feeling incredibly grown up in my dress clothes. The performance unfolding on stage mesmerized me. Everything - from the music to the costumes to the graceful dancing - kept me captivated. To commemorate the occasion, my mother bought me my first nutcracker. He's a little beat up now, but every time I look at that wooden soldier, I'm taken back to the moment I first experienced The Nutcracker. Almost every year since that time, my mother has given me a nutcracker for my birthday or Christmas. I've got soldiers and snowmen and Santas and bakers and elves and Josephs and Marys and all of them make me smile because of the memories that come rushing in whenever I look at them.

I'm continuing the tradition of attending The Nutcracker (almost) every year with my oldest daughter (my youngest isn't quite old enough yet). Seeing my little girl's eyes light up with delight the first time she beheld the great ballet made the pricey tickets worth every penny. Her joy taught me a simple truth: Christmas is about wonder. Which is why I decorate my house with nutcrackers every December - to add the magic of warm memories to our annual celebration of Christ's birth, the greatest wonder of all.

One year, my MIL took me to a holiday boutique in Scottsdale, where we looked through a display of houses and accessories from Department 56's Original Snow Village collection. I fell in love with these warm, happy Christmas scenes. My MIL bought me my first village piece that year as a birthday gift. Each year since, she's given me a new house or accessory. I've now got a whole city of buildings, which I place in various spots throughout my home to lend a quiet, glowing charm to our holiday decor. While I love my village for its quaint beauty, what really makes it special is what each piece represents - the time my MIL took out of her busy schedule to thoughtfully select a gift for my birthday.