Advent In An Hour: Dec 11

String mittens used to evoke a warm, nostalgic feeling in me. Thoughts of childhood, simpler times, cute toddlers in puffy snowsuits, a la A Christmas Story. But that was before I had a cute, puffy toddler of my own.

Form my limited experience with these mitteny marvels, I’ve learned three valuable lessons:

1. Make sure you put the correct mittens through the correct arm holes. Because once you’ve got your little one bundled, wrapped and zipped up tights, there’s no going back. And you thought putting them on their chubby, little hands the right way was difficult…

2. If when the mittens fall off while your child is walking around, they will most likely be too long, get stepped on, and send your kiddo tumbling into the mud. Before you head out, check to see how long they dangle when un-handed, then tie the slack up in a loop behind your child’s neck.

3. Maybe you’re in a rush, you’ve popped said toddler into the stroller for a ride through the local park or neighborhood to see the Christmas lights. You realize how freaking cold it is and put the mittens on after-the-fact, string out. Do not do this. By the time you’re done with your stroll and you’re unbuckling your tyke to put him or her into the car, they will (if they’re like JJ) want to slide down and out under the bar of the stroller, leaving you with a tangled, twisted nest of mitten string, stroller straps, and chubby toddler limbs. All of which you are trying to unravel in the cold, in the dark, and in the busy parking lot with annoying Holiday revelers impatiently stalking your parking space.

Has anyone had luck with those clip-on mittens? Or invented opera gloves for babies, perhaps?