Christmas season is upon us. The kiddos are excited and expectant. I am anxious and doggedly working through the worries of letting them down and getting it all put together.
Livy and Liza modeling ornaments Liza and Anna made at mutual.
Foremost in my mind are these images of the actuality of our life. Not the funny commercials showing smiling children posed enjoying toys that will only occupy space in my home and my children's attention for maybe minutes.
My clever sister posted pictures about her daughter making soup. Pretend play about a real often seen event mom or dad really does using real tools. Since that observation and her excited report that the making soup game occupied her curious daughter for many minutes I started or noticed again that real experiences, with tools, are more inviting than the plastic substitutes.
Cooking while the bigger girls and I cooked dinner.
Picking up corn they had shelled on the bathroom rug. Using tweezers and a bowl. Loved it.
Replacing bullets in their plastic holder. Did this at least three times. Perfect size and activity for little fingers.
Carrying pumpkins or any commodity if the other kids are doing it the littles insist on participating. They are especially cute when we move wood carrying their small logs but they work as long as the big kids and get mad if pushed aside.
So Christmas? Presents? It's so hard to put the gift of love, inclusion, self-esteem, and family in a box waiting under a tree. I'm so grateful for the grandparents who help our family have things under the tree because left to my own devices it would be lack-luster. We do however, spend almost every December day doing some Christmas preparation activity. Our month is full and we are enjoying the phenomenon of the Christmas season in many hours of service, singing, pondering, and learning about the birth of the Savior of the World. While eating cookies and drinking hot chocolate!
I loved this article and suggest it to all moms.
I whole-heartedly agree that the traditions you set in the beginning of family life will be what guides the days of the business as they grow and mature. We still string popcorn and make paper chains for our tree because it doesn't break and is an activity we can do together. We have gained more friends and people who touch our lives. Thus our gift list expands each year. Yet, the kids ability to prepare the treats is also increasing shifting my job from head baker to scheduler and shopper.
My job is changing from doing it all to directing them to recipes, buying the groceries and driving the car. And with our oldest being of age to drive that may be changing soon too. I'm thankful we still have bright eyed excited little people at our house. I'm going to try very hard this year to take time and indulge their expectation of Christmas things. From detouring to the store with the large electric train display, to a tree with lights before we reach double digits in December days, to watching Christmas movies, and enjoying candy canes I'm going to enjoy loving them this year. Best to you.
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