YAY!!!
Another ReadAlong!!!
Have I mentioned that I love ReadAlongs??
Dog-Eared and Bookmarked is hosting this well-timed and fun ReadAlong for the Christmas season!!
And, I am so in.
Christmas for me is very different from Thanksgiving.
It is a daily challenge to stay calm and keep the spirit in Christmas where it belongs.
In my opinion Christmas has just gotten completely out of control.
I'm just not a fan of hoopla.
In order to enjoy the Christmas season my girls and I have instituted some of our own traditions.
We fully celebrate Thanksgiving...no Christmas music, movies, etc. before Dec. 1...I don't militarily enforce this rule...my girls have picked up on it over the years and they actually police it better than I do. The Head of My Household asked my youngest on Thanksgiving night if she wanted to watch Polar Express. She said, "No, Daddy!! It's still Thanksgiving!"
:)
We bake cookies.
Our variety changes every year but Snickerdoodles and our famous reindeer cookies that we've been making since my oldest was in kindergarten are made every. single. year.
We make a complete total mess in the kitchen and then we eat what we make.
We do share what we make with others as well...if the opportunity comes along.
My middle child puts together our tree and the youngest decorates it.
Our tree is covered with lights (some years colored and some clear) and we keep it on as much as possible.
The ornaments are all either handmade or a keepsake from a special occasion in each of our girls' lives. My bloggy friend Paula described it perfectly when she said the ornaments on her tree tell a story.
I do most of my shopping online.
My middle child was 4 months old on Christmas the year she was born; my firstborn was 16 months older than her and The Head of My Household was a college football coach.
Essentially during that fall it was just me and my girls.
Just the prospect of shopping with an incredibly active toddler and an infant was enough to make me want to run away.
We didn't have internet then...which is strange...but I did all my shopping over the phone.
Most relaxing Christmas I have ever had.
No matter what a person believes, Christmas should be a time for love, joy and peace.
A time for giving, taking care of those who need help, sharing, family, and making memories.
We're gonna try our best again this year to remember the real meaning of Christmas all throughout the season.
Oh wow... a kid who turned DOWN The Polar Express? My son (age 4) "plays" Polar Express all year long... my front porch is the engine and we have to give him our tickets. I think I might faint if he turned down a chance to watch or read it!!
ReplyDeleteI love online shopping too. In fact, I need to get on that this week.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm with you on the mixed feeling about this holiday. It's a tough balance.
I'm with you on people who start Christmas early. My own Head of Household has to stop me from knocking on doors of people who put their lights up too early. And honestly I don't know where I would be if I couldn't shop online.
ReplyDeleteI love this post. I too, hate the crazy chaos that comes with Christmas. My favorite things are the music, the giving of gifts, seeing all my kids and slowing down a little.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing a lot of my shopping online too. I try to get it done early so I can truly enjoy the month of December. Unfortunately I haven't done as well so far this year. I am shipping a lot this year so I need to get on it.
I want to enjoy this time. I want to bake and sing carols and watch every sappy Christmas movie I can find.
We are so much alike :)
Having a few problems posting my comment - so hope you don't get this 5 or 6 times :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for dropping by my advent blog :)