It's officially Christmas in July, how does the Catholic Librarian celebrate?

Well, hello there to you all! It finally feels like July here in WNY, the temperatures and humidity have both been elevated. For my freakish part, I've been happily crafting away, and secretly wanting to watch the Hallmark Channel's Christmas in July movie marathon, but I don't, since I don't want Mike and Henry to move out. ;-) So what have I been doing with my Christmas in July energy?

(1) Knitting and crocheting Christmas gifts 

I mentioned this before, but I've been a busy bee with my Christmas crafting list. I've made a little bit of progress on projects from this list, as well as other items for the cooler weather that I'd like to make for myself. I did add to the list *groans* but that's typical. I do that every year, I just try not to let it get out of hand.

*ominous music plays over these famous last words*

I added a shawl for my sister and a stuffed cat for Anne. And possibly a pair of socks for Mike, we'll see. He's already getting a sweater, we can't get too carried away for love here.

For a fall birthday project, I'm crocheting hats for my twin nephews, and I finished the second one last night:

Soon to appear on a cute little head.

I was highly motivated to finish this because I became sick of the pattern after the first hat. This fickleness of my part makes it challenging to have four nephews, two of them twins. ;-)

Now it's back to socks. SO MANY SOCKS. And why does everyone need to have TWO OF THEM?! The nerve!

(2) Adding to Henry's nativity set

It has become an annual tradition to add to Henry's Fontanini nativity set and Bethlehem village, and the online Fontanini store has a Christmas in July sale every year. Nativity frenzy, everyone!!

Henry's set, sans the village

At this point, he has all of the main nativity pieces, including the 3 Kings and assorted animals and shepherds. So, each year he picks a new village piece (like the carpenter's shop, the well, etc.) and associated villager and we add on. It is true that the Fontanini store has this sale going all the time, they just change the name of it to coordinate with the month/season, so there's no rush to acquire pieces right now. But I like the Christmas in July symbolism and tend to order around this time of year, so that I have the pieces for Henry's birthday in early November. :)

(3) Ordering the Magnificat Advent Companion

I received my August edition of Magnificat magazine in yesterday's mail, and included with it was a lovely ad for the 2015 Advent Companion, and even the 2016 Lenten Companion. I always enjoy having these little booklets during those special liturgical seasons. You can get them for your Kindle for 99 cents, which I sometimes do, and often they run out of the print copies, so you have no choice but to use the digital copy if you wait too long to order. But I do enjoy the tangible print copies for these specific publications, so my pre-order is about to go in! We're a long way out from Advent, I will grant, but it's pleasant to contemplate.

Those are my Christmas in July thoughts for the morning! Do any of you have any other pre-Advent/holidays planning that you do over the summer? If you don't, you can also write in to tell me how nuts I am. ;-) Do tell me all about it in the comments!