I LOVE Christmas! I love that Christmas brings family, friends, parties, food, gifts...but most of all I love that we get to be at home for the holidays. We have started many different traditions with our children that take place in our home and it just wouldn't be the same if we weren't home. What a blessing we have to be able to always be at home; I can't imagine spending the holidays on the road.
Christmas Eve brings new Christmas pyjamas!
And then of course the setting out of Christmas cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for reindeer.
Although, this is a first having one of our children snitch a cookie off the plate!
The look says "what!?!?!?!?!"
I don't have any pictures of the special treat that happened between setting out the cookies and the opening of the advent books. Santa arrived! Quite literally if you ask Ezra and Ryder. We had gone outside to sprinkle reindeer food on the driveway (cooking oats). Just as the boys finished, we heard some bells and looked up onto the top deck and there Santa was! The boys were in awe! Santa even knew their names and talked to them....it worked well to have the boys rush off to bed since Santa said he couldn't deliver presents to boys that were awake. It was pretty fun!
From there, the boys headed upstairs to read the final advent books.
The last few years, mom and dad have joined us for Christmas Eve (I think we can now call this a tradition). They are with us as the boys put out the cookies, they read them their story, and when all kids are in bed, the adults play games. This year my brother, Morgan, joined us on Christmas Eve as well. So nice to have family here!
Santa delivers....somehow the elves missed the memo on cut back!
Christmas Morning!
Pure Excitement!
After breakfast, we read the Christmas story and then it is present time.
We served linner (lunch/dinner) at 1:30. Mom and dad Parkinson, mom and dad Oliver, my brother Morgan, and our good friend Bruce all joined us for some yummy turkey and all the fixings.
Time to crack out the Christmas crackers (a huge Parkinson tradition!)
For supper I served a 2 course fondue meal. The adults loved it! Most of us were still full from the turkey but the grandpa and grandma's managed to eat a lot still :)
Family Photo Time
The evening is spent playing with toys, building lego, resting, visiting, and games.
Merry Christmas to all of our friends and family. We were very blessed this Christmas and hope that you had the opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.
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