As the saying goes, it’s most certainly beginning to look a lot like Christmas around these parts. Well, except for outside, of course. Seems that the fluffy white stuff just doesn’t want to stay put this year. I can’t say I am entirely sad about this, and am praying the weather stays good for at least a couple more weeks to accommodate our drive home for Christmas. After that, I guess it is allowed to snow.
I really thought I needed a new tree this year, since I just couldn’t picture our little 6 foot Wal-Mart special filling up our new home with quite enough Christmas cheer. In the end, I just couldn’t bring myself to pay for a new one and now that our little tree has claimed it’s spot in the living room I am glad I didn’t get a larger one. Instead I spent the money on a few new pieces of Christmas décor, so really it was a win-win. This year I am all about white and sparkle, and tried to incorporate a little of both into our Holiday cheer. Days spent doing laundry and changing diapers somehow turn magical set to a backdrop of twinkling Christmas lights and Josh Groban’s Noel on repeat.
With Stella getting ready to turn 3 next month(!!!), it seemed like the perfect year to introduce more of our own family traditions for the holiday season. Like many of you, my number one goal is to make sure that amid all of the hustle and bustle that is the Christmas season, my children know and love the true meaning of Christmas.
In an effort to start the season off right, we purchased and wrapped the Little People nativity set and had it waiting under the Christmas tree after bath time the day we set up our tree. After Stella excitedly unwrapped the silver gift, we talked about that special night in Bethlehem so long ago. We talked about sweet Mary and humble Joseph. About the shepherds, and the angels, and about the wise men who travelled so many miles to bring gifts for the newborn King. And, of course, we spoke of that tiny babe in the manger, our Savior, Jesus Christ. We watched a few Mormon Message videos pertaining to Christ and the Christmas season, and I know I felt the beauty and joy of what this season is really about. I am not sure how much the one year-old or the three year-old felt and heard, but I know it was something, and that is all that really matters. I am not entirely sure how this tradition will evolve over the next few years, but I know I always want to ensure that the story of our Savior’s birth and the true message of Christmas is always the focus in our home.
It is only December 3rd, and somehow we have already built gingerbread houses, sat on Santa’s lap, and nearly completed our Christmas shopping. Although I am sure it isn’t the last we will be seeing of Old St. Nick or the busy malls.
We made a quick visit to Billings’ version of the Festival of Trees. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was a fun couple of hours playing Christmas games, making Christmas crafts, and looking at pretty Christmas trees while dad was working.
Yesterday evening we enjoyed the music and words of the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. The girls lasted through the opening song and about the first two minutes of President Monson’s talk, but I keep reminding myself it is about setting a standard for our family and for the Spirit that resides in our home as a result.
This year we decided to give the girls their holiday pajamas and Christmas book on December 1st instead of waiting until Christmas Eve, so that they could enjoy them all month long. That early gift opening inspired them to do a little more preemptive unwrapping with the Christmas books that had been wrapped up for use in our one and only Christmas advent. As if the 15 (forget 24, we leave for Utah on the 16th) library books (I am way too cheap to buy 24 new books!) that I had wrapped weren’t a sad enough excuse for an advent, we returned home from a date night to find half of them already opened. After re-wrapping and having yet another discussion on what the books were for and how this whole process was going to work, we managed to only open one last night. We shall see how it goes.
December is certainly a busy month, but we are enjoying the fun while it lasts. It really only comes once a year, and watching your children get excited about every little detail is so much fun. We are excited and blessed to be spending Christmas in Utah and Idaho with the people we love the most, and are counting down the days until we get there. It really is the most wonderful time of the year.
1 comment:
You are such a great Mom! Love all the holiday decor and the traditions you are starting with your babes. We gave our kids their PJ's early too, they are just too cute to not wear longer! (well that's not right, my kids would definitely still wear them but wearing the appropriate season is nicer!)
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