Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas everyone.

Another year of decorating is upon us and for 2013, there has been a change in our household. Ever since my wife and I have been together, I have been the one making the house (inside and out) into a festive place.

Hanging lights, putting up the tree, fastening stockings and sprinkling all kinds of cheesy Christmas ornaments all over the house.

This year, my wife decided she wanted to take on the responsibility of bringing Christmas to our house.

New decorations, a new style and a whole new plan for what happens. I was fine with it and to be honest, I was looking forward to it (kind of).

Then I asked her if her new regime included getting the tree and the outdoor lights?

She told me pretty quickly that those two things, I was still in charge of. In charge of? I think it was more of a delegation.

So I would be the one to freeze my butt off putting lights up. I would have the pleasure of getting needles and sap on me when I bring the fresh-cut tree home. Yep, I got assigned "the dad" work.

So this past weekend, I started my part of Christmas. I was outside untangling lights and draping them over trees and stairways, while trying to keep warm. Wait, not enough sympathy. How about in this story it was like -40 Celsius and snowing sideways. Better?

Meanwhile on the inside in the warmth, there was a lot of holiday cheer still to spread that I am very used to doing and doing minutes after the calendar flips to December.

But it was December 8th and there was not even a hint of Christmas to be seen. Just a Christmas card from Moosehead on the mantle that was addressed to someone who used to live in our house.

The outside of the house was ready. But the inside? Still under construction. My wife told me to rest easy. She had a plan and it meant being patient and going at her pace. That news is hard to do for me at Christmas. The big day is over two weeks away and I already feel like I am missing out on staring at a giant Santa doll that normally guards the top of our stairs.

Am I worrying for nothing? Oh 100% of course I am.

Everything will get done and will look great. I am just getting used to something new.

After all, there is still the tree to get.

So, if a new tradition begins where my Christmas duties remains outside, I will be ready. I will be ready to up the voltage on lights and lawn ornaments. Maybe so much so that I will be taken off outdoor duties and brought back in the house. Yes, that sounds like a plan.

Happy Holidays to all, I look forward to sharing my dad moments with you again in 2014.

Full disclosure: To my wife. This post is in no way a complaint. You will do a great job. I just really needed a topic for a blog post.

Michael is a marketing manager by day, who has been at the blogging thing for almost a decade. Father of two, husband to one and griller to the Gods. Read more about his parental adventures, including his current stint on parental leave on his blog, Like A Dad.

The birthday party. I’ve written about it before and I’m sure, with three kids, that I’ll write about it again.

Our second daughter will be five in a week and because it’s so close to Christmas, we decided to have her birthday party this past weekend. Her very desperate wish this year was to bring her friends somewhere to make their own teddy bears and stuffed animals. For many reasons including cost and truthfully, sending each child home with a stuffed animal (who really needs more of those), we managed to change her mind. We did promise her that we’d bring her and a friend to do it next weekend as an actual birthday present though.

What to do? What to do? She really wanted to do something we hadn’t done before (and when she said that, she meant something her older sister hadn’t done before either). Over the years we’ve had parties at home, we’ve brought in a magician, we’ve brought in a reptile zoo, we’ve rented out indoor playgrounds and we’ve been to Atlantic Cirque. Truthfully, we’ve avoided the swimming party (just feels like a whole lot of extra worry and responsibility) so I didn’t even bring that up in our brainstorming.

In the end, she decided she wanted to go to a local grocery store for a pizza and cake party. We’d dropped our oldest at a few of those in the past and she always seemed to have fun so I decided to look into it.

From the moment I got in touch it was easy. Picked a date. Easy. Paid a deposit. Easy. Chose the cake. Easy. For the first birthday party ever, it felt like I wasn’t even doing a thing. I did go out to get loot bag stuff and decided to follow a brilliant idea from a friend of mine which was to give each child a little gift instead of a bag filled with candy. I found mini “My Little Pony’s” on sale for $3.97, attached a candy cane to each one and we were done. Again, easy.

The day of the party we showed up with nothing but the little gifts for the kids and my camera. The cake was there. The two incredible hosts led the kids through colouring chef hats, kneading their dough,  making their pizzas and decorating a cake each. They managed the gift opening and kept everyone busy and entertained for two hours.

I literally sat with my camera and a coffee and enjoyed every moment of my daughter celebrating her 5th birthday with her friends.

So I’m a convert. An easy birthday party convert. I do plan to drop a note to my contact at the grocery store to beg them for different variations of the birthday party for younger kids (only pizza and cake is currently available for the young ones).

We’ve got another party to plan in January so I throw it out to the community –what is the easiest no fuss/ no muss children’s birthday party you’ve ever had?

Deanna is a Mom of three, wife, marketer and blogger - lover of travel, morning coffee, family time, belly laughs, good friends and uninterrupted showers! Follow her on twitter @DeannaCMiller

1. It's this year's Gingerbread Sunday! The Annual Gingerbread Sunday is an Art Gallery of Nova Scotia tradition with the community. Join us for some tasty art making to welcome in the holiday season. Using lots of decorative and yummy "construction materials", create your own gingerbread house. Be prepared to go home sticky.

2. The Christkindle Market is back at Alderney Landing. Join them this weekend, for a fun celelbration to get you in the spirit of the season. 

3. Symphony Nova Scotia’s The Nutcracker has been Halifax’s favourite holiday tradition for more than 20 years. When a little girl’s toy comes to life, she’s whisked away to an enchanted world where she must overcome the ferocious Mouse Queen! Featuring innovative giant puppets, spirited dancing, and Tchaikovsky’s hauntingly beautiful music, this tale of magic and wonder is a seasonal treat for all ages. Starts Dec 6th!

4. As part of the New Ross Christmas Festival staff at Ross Farm Museum has put together a great program for your enjoyment. Step back in time to experience Christmas in the Country. At Rose Bank Cottage sample traditional dishes from the period such as plum pudding, sugar cookies & warm spiced cider while you enjoy some of your favorite Christmas carols. There will be craft activities in the school house, visitor center and farm workshop. Weather permitting there will be horse drawn rides.

5. JazzEast's 10th annual winter fundraiser takes a seasonal twist this year with local jazz legend Jerry Granelli, who will perform the original score of A Charlie Brown Christmas for the first time ever, since its inception with the Vince Guaraldi Trio. Drummer Jerry Granelli is the only surviving member of the Vince Guaraldi Trio. Accompanying Jerry will be Simon Fisk (base), Chris Gestrin (piano), and Vivace Children's Choir (vocals) Special family activities will take place during the matinee. JazzEast encourages families to come out and experience this time honoured Christmas special. A silent auction, featuring a wonderful display of generous donations from local businesses, artists and other supporters of JazzEast, will coincide with the event. All proceeds from the annual fundraiser support JazzEast's ongoing music education programs, such as Halifax JazzLabs, Creating Creative Listeners and the annual summer intensive music camp, the Creative Music Workshop.