An Enchanting Christmas

An Enchanting Christmas December 23, 2019

Filed under: Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 12:56 pm

Christmas is way more than a day. It’s an entire season. I could say that Christmas is almost here, but the truth is we’ve been living Christmas this whole month.

Graham had a Christmas performance at school this last week. He stood up front with the class but he really didn’t perform… He has serenaded me every night since with the Christmas songs he knows by heart. He also knows all the motions. He is adorable as he performs for just me. I don’t mind my own private Christmas performance as a part of our bedtime routine.

I got to be a part of Owen’s class Christmas party. I roped my mom into volunteering with me. We helped the kids assemble ornaments that had stickers of each child’s school picture on it. I still didn’t have my voice back at that point. All of the kids were concerned that I didn’t sound like myself. It’s been a such a joy to build relationship with all these kiddos. I will be excited to hear all about their Christmas break when we came back in January.

Saturday was the start of our Christmas gatherings. My family got together to have brunch and exchange gifts. The boys got many new toys to add to their Toy Story collection. The gang is really coming together! My parent’s got the boys Financial Peace University Jr. curriculum and special banks for saving, spending and giving. We are excited to go through this program with the boys. My dad has taught Financial Peace University over a dozen times and he is an avid follower of Dave Ramsey’s principles, so an FPU gift was very fitting!

Instead of presents for Jeremy’s parents birthdays this fall, we offered for them to join us at Enchant Christmas Light Maze in Seattle. Graham was the inspiration for this gift. He kept telling me he wanted to go back to the maze and to take Nana & Papa. So we opted for the give experiences instead of gifts approach. Our family loved the light maze last year and it was just as good this year. We went to see Santa right when we arrived and there was no line and no one waiting behind us. We had Santa all to ourselves. The boys asked for a toy train and airplane. The mission this year for light maze was to find eight lost toys (last year it was lost reindeer). We found all the toys and the boys were rewarded with a chocolate coin for helping Santa. One highlight of the evening was Nana & Jeremy taking the boys ice skating. Owen loved skating last year and this year Graham wanted to join them. We ate dinner at the park while enjoying the lights below on the field. It was an enchanting evening!

Today we decorated cookies for Santa. Owen & Graham each picked a cookie cutter to use – Owen picked a chicken and Graham picked a tree – sort of a farm theme. We had a great time from start to finish. Owen got it in his head this year that we need cookies for Santa. We’re slowly picking up more pieces of the Santa tradition. The kids have asked Santa for gifts in both letters and in person. But they are aware that Santa brings their stockings so the big gifts they ask for won’t come from him. Santa can be such a complicated tradition since every household does it differently. I’m a little concerned about the day when they hear that Santa got a friend an Xbox. We’ve also had more conversations about how Santa gets around so quickly and how he gets into houses without chimneys. There is a lot of fast thinking needed to keep this tradition alive.

We’ve been filling in the time between activities with lots of playing, resting and Christmas movies. We’ve watched White Christmas, Muppet Christmas Carol and the new animated Grinch. There is nothing better than being snuggled up on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn to munch on. It’s been a lovely Christmas so far and we still have so much goodness yet to come!

Christmas movie nights have been a common theme around here!

A frosted mini donut was the highlight of Graham’s Christmas performance.

Gingerbread cookie decorating – this picture was shared by Owen’s teacher.

Santa visited Owen’s classroom during their Christmas party. Owen is up front in the Santa hat.

Celebrating Christmas with my immediate family.

4th week of Advent. I’ve loved our weekly devotions where we light a candle in the dark and talk about Jesus being our hope, love, joy and peace. We have one more candle to light on Wednesday. I will miss this time when it’s over!