Another Christmas season, full of cheer and joy and sweetness. Our season was slow and intentional, but somehow it still went by so fast. These days are fleeting and I tried hard to savor it all.
We kind of shut down our regular rhythms and December became a whole month of festivities and Christmas school. Every day the kids opened their little advent door to find the activity for the day with a matching book. We also spent every day learning all about different Christmas stories and doing coordinating learning with those stories, along with spending the month learning the Nativity story.
I love that the kids race to the advent house to open the little drawer that tells them what they are doing that day. We've been doing this since Isla was a toddler. Daily activities included making countdown chains, decorating gingerbread houses, making snow candy, decorating cookies (multiple times!), visiting a live nativity, making homemade decorations for our tree, baking/cooking all the festive things, watching movies upon movies upon movies, celebrating the winter solstice, ice skating, and driving around to look at lights.
We learned about Christmas stories and incorporated all sorts of learning into those like comparing and contrasting 3 different Gingerbread Man stories on a Venn diagram, or trying to make Victorian decorations like you would find in A Christmas Carol, or starting The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and falling completely in love.
We spent a LOT of time in the snow. This has been the snowiest December that I can remember in a long time. The kids built snowmen in Mimi's yard, had snowball fights, rode sleds behind Pop Pop's four wheeler, shoveled the driveway, dug snow dens, and then ALWAYS ended with a cup of hot cocoa. There was a lot of cocoa consumed this month. Not to worry, I make mine with organic cocoa and maple syrup so it's somewhat healthy, right? ;)
(I enjoyed watching it fall out the window while I sat by the fireside :))
In order to keep our December slow and intentional, we did not commit to much of anything. There were a couple things we did have going on though. I hosted a Nutcracker tea party for our co-op where the kids learned all about Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker including a tasting of the four dancers, painting a nutcracker, Nutcracker yoga, and a lesson from a real ballerina.
The following week our co-op put together some gifts for others. We made simmer pot bags to give away and ornaments for the nursing home. It was a sweet day of thinking of others.
And we finally were ALL at co-op together, which is rare for us. So we made sure to get a picture. Of course Eleanor and two other little boys refused to be in the picture. Also, not pictured are the two new babies being added to the group this spring. We love all our friends.
Speaking of friends, I hosted my second annual Mama Christmas party. We had a soup tasting, enjoyed a hot cocoa bar, decorated cookies, and did another favorite things gift exchange. It was a lovely time and I'm thankful for these women. I'm also thankful to my in-laws for taking the kids for the night so I could host a party. It looks like they had a great time with snow fun, cookie decorating, movie watching, and lots of playing.
Right before my friends came over, I finished the movie It's a Wonderful Life and was reminded of the quote that says "Remember, no man is a failure who has friends". Which was a perfect reminder right before spending the evening with good friends. They really do add to my own wonderful life.
(Missing 3 moms here)
Our December was full and sweet and fun. The every day moments, the in-between moments, and the little moments matter too. My Christmas devotional I've been reading had this to say about those simple moments: "God dances amid the common... His most powerful tools are the simplest". I believe it's those ordinary days that make up the memories, the joy, the traditions, and the love that my children believe in. Whether that's a snuggle on the couch, a snotty nosed wiped, a warm dinner by candlelight, or even a toy stuffed in the toilet (see picture below haha). The big fun activities or events of the month can certainly overshadow the quiet moments; but, even so, those little ones are sometimes the most important.
And then all at once, it was Christmas. All that waiting, wondering, expecting, and excitement finally boils down to the main event! Christmas Eve day was spent baking, preparing, and watching Christmas movies. Then it was off to Mimi and Bupa's for a Christmas Eve celebration that included prime rib, mountains of presents, the best gingerbread pie, and all the Christmas cheer.
Then it was back home, a read of The Polar Express, cookies set out for Santa, and off to bed so Santa could arrive. There is something so fun about being a parent at Christmas ;)
As the household-Christmas-magic-maker I had so much on my mind. I didn't fall asleep until about 4:00 and was up at 5:45 to get breakfast started. But who can sleep when there's Christmas morning to be had?!
Each kid made their way downstairs when they woke up and it was so sweet to see their excited faces one at a time. When everyone was up, we read the Christmas story at the table with a full plate of biscuits and gravy, cinnamon rolls, and egg casserole!
After breakfast, the kids searched for the hidden pickle on the tree. The prize for finding the pickle is being the first one to open presents after stockings. This year, Isla found the pickle! The kids learn which presents are theirs when they get to the bottom of their stocking and find a piece of their specific wrapping paper. Isla was excited to get a bow and arrows, Ewan loved getting a big snake, and Eleanor was just happy to unwrap gifts.
Then it was off to Nana and Pop Pop's house for a Christmas Day celebration! We spent the day with cousins, enjoyed yummy food, spent time with out-of-town relatives, and had a lovely day.
It was a wonderful and somehow very fast Christmas season. The days following Christmas were spent playing with all the new toys, undecorating, CLEANING, and coming down off the Christmas high. And now we are preparing for the new year already!
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