On Christmas Eve everyone gets to open one gift, Christmas pajamas and a new book. We snuggle up, watch The Polar Express and leave our cookies, letters and drawings for Santa.
Our Everyday
Sharing our stories, big and small.
Posts from the “childhood” Category
The holidays uphold traditions more than any other time of the year, more than any other event or place. Whether to re-create years past, to measure how we’ve grown, to gain a sense of history, family and belonging, traditions are repeated. For us some traditions come and go based on the age and preferences of the kids. Each year affords us more flexibility. And while I like to uphold certain traditions, there is nothing like the new.
Tiny Tots Concert at JMHS (since 2011)
Breakfast with Santa at Clyde’s Willow Creek (since 2009)
In 2011 we had Breakfast with Santa at the Rooftop Terrace Restaurant at the Kennedy Center. Not knowing what to expect we were disappointed. The Santa wasn’t authentic and the food was average for the price. On top of that we were managing white tablecloths and china with a 1, 2 and 4 year old.
Always looking for new holiday experiences I was happy to stumble upon the Choral Arts Family performance at the Kennedy Center this year. The show features all the popular holiday songs, encouraging people to sing a long, with special visits by some of your favorite holiday characters. With our Saturday planned for the Kennedy Center I decided to give Breakfast with Santa another try.
Decorating gingerbread houses is a timeless holiday tradition. But watching your children lose control of the icing, hearing the clink and clank of tiny bits of candy hitting your kitchen floor and yelling at them repeatedly to stop eating the decorations is far from blissful. So I’m taking back this tradition and after the hectic pace of the holidays unwinding with friends for some friendly competition while smelling gingerbread is bliss. Kids are still involved, they are the judges!
Cub Scouts has been a great organization and activity to be a part of. One of our favorite events is the annual bake-off. The rules state the scout should create the dessert, from concept to product. Adults should only assist as needed, for safety purposes. Hmm, really? Lucas’ concept was a Pokeball cake.
“If I were Santa I’d eat all the cookies and make Pokemon real.”
“If I were Santa I’d make princess costumes, so like I could sew it?”
“If I were Santa I’d say ‘yo ho ho’ and bring everybody presents.”
My Disney Girl’s Perfectly Princess Tea Party at the Grand Floridian describes itself as “this fantasy-come-true showers young princesses with the royal treatment.” Greeted by Rose Petal, having rose petals sprinkled over her head and crowned a princess Penny began a magical morning.
The tree is trimmed. The Hallmark Barbie ornaments are delicate with detail, the battery in the Linus ornament that plays the Charlie Brown theme song has died, the crystal Swarovski snowflake sparkles with the light and the Santa from my childhood tree sits atop mine.
The stockings line the fireplace. All purchased from the same store, in different years, with different names. They hang empty, waiting to be filled.
Slips of paper from the Advent calendar line our fridge, reminding us of the activities we haven’t had time to do.
The garland on the banister languishes on the upstairs landing, partially hung.
Half of our outdoor bushes are lit while the other half remains in the dark.
My shopping list is riddled with gaps, re-dos and incompletes.
“Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?”
You are wonderful…
Our Everyday 