A Simple Christmas Weekend

We had a more intimate holiday this year, involving mostly just our little family.  It was business as usual for the kids, making messes, fighting, laughing, crying, cuddling, waking up too early, etc. But it was a blast celebrating Christmas together. It was definitely different and more exciting this year, with them being a year older and all, and I can see how that pattern is sure to continue as the years go on. Let’s start on Friday, Christmas Eve Eve.

It was so wonderfully great to have KC home so many days in a row. After a lazy morning together, we decided to take the kids to the National Harbor in the afternoon. We knew they would love all the decorations, even if it wasn’t dark enough to show off all the lights. It was a beautiful, but cold day. The kids loved everything from the huge Christmas tree and street décor, to the glass elevator in the Gaylord Hotel.

On Christmas Eve, we had plans to spend the afternoon with some friends at their house. The kids enjoyed cookies, and making a messes with all the unfamiliar toys, not to mention, their favorite Frosty the Snowman playing in the background. We were also treated with some seriously good mud pie, all thanks to the hosts.  Of course I was too busy keeping the kids from destroying the place to take any fun pictures.

We got home, opened our traditional pjs, courtesy of my parents (the men got a silly leopard print, memory foam bath mat in lieu of pjs, sort of as a joke, but the kids couldn’t get enough of it). I tried to do a short version of the nativity story with the Little People. Maybe the kids understood a little bit even if they weren’t paying much attention. At least I tried. They know who Baby Jesus is, so I’m happy about that. I witnessed a true Christmas miracle when all the kids willingly piled on KC’s lap as he read the entirety of The Night Before Christmas. There was no fighting over who could hold it, no squirming off his lap to do other things midway through, just sweet faces intently listening to the story, only breaking their attention to yawn. We have read this before, and this wasn’t the scenario, hence my amazement. After I snapped some pictures, I joined them on the couch. A true gift seeing my family all snuggled together. We listened to our Christmas lullabies, and put them to bed, whispering to them that Santa was going to come if they went to bed promptly and nicely, and that they did.

We got to work on the fondue, and had a nice little dinner, just the two of us, Festive Nog and all. The Swiss-Gruyere fondue was new for us, and definitely tasty. Probably a little to rich for me actually. Maybe it’s better that way, so you don’t eat too much. The toasted bread/ham/cheese combo is definitely my favorite.

Then the Santa-prep began. We are starting to see what being a parent at Christmas really means. KC was working on their kitchen for quite a while. I excitedly set up the scene that the babies would wake up to, and then laid next to hard working KC on the floor while we watched our movie choice for the night, Lovely Still (one of the more mellow Christmas movies, but definitely one to put on your queue.) We chose to not put out a few things we got for the babies, thinking there was enough out already. I’ll save those for a day when I really need some reinforcements (which has already happened), or for their birthday in September if we can wait that long. I also put out the cart they got last year, since it’s been put away for a while, and I needed a third push toys to go with the stroller and wagon we got. They didn’t seem to care or notice.

The morning was priceless. Their little eyes lit up at the sight of all the new toys. Ruby couldn’t stop talking about her little bear, that she got the night before with her pjs (I stole it back when she was asleep to use a s a stocking stuffer). There was a variety of exclamations  as they discovered everything. “Wow!”, “Oh Cuuuuute!”, “Choo-choo Twain!” and things like that. It was scene every parent pictures when they think about Christmas morning. It wasn’t without it’s fights and tantrums, but that was to be expected. The kids did do pretty well as far as sharing everything. We just turned on It’s a Wonderful Life, and enjoyed the morning.

As the mom, I feel somewhat like Mr. Bean on the Christmas episode when he mails himself Christmas cards and then acts all excited when it looks like he has new mail when he walks in. I set our gifts out anyway, and pretended to be excited and surprised when I saw them again in the morning, cause really I was excited. I have been patiently waiting to open my new Sonicare toothbrush among my the other gifts. We could’ve been party-poopers and opened them early, but them what would we have to look forward too? Among what we put out, KC gave me an early Christmas present, when I found an Roku installed on the tv before he left on his trip to Hawaii. We have used that thing silly. Now, when they kids are old enough to be trusted with a new tv to use it with, we’ll work on that.

We had our traditional pull-a-parts, and strata breakfast, and it was delicious, though I couldn’t eat much due to being still full from fondue. The the smells and tastes were just so Christmas to me. The kids were thrilled to drink orange juice  from their new Frosty cups.

Then is was off to church at 10, which was sweet and lovely. A little program was narrated by a kind man in our ward who used to be a preacher, and you’d definitely know it if heard him speak with such feeling and enthusiasm. Everyone just looked so bright and cheerful. We got home, put the kids down for naps, and proceeded to open our own gifts. It’s nice to do this together, without being interrupted by the littles. When they woke up, they unwrapped more presents (they were too busy playing with their toys to do this before church), then the Christmas/Sunday laze-fest began. The kids played their little hearts out while we laid around, intervening when necessary. Oh, and I prepared our ham, potato, frozen fruit salad, and rolls dinner. Oh, and there was no way to get a group pic of the kids all dressed up for church. Believe me, I tried, but it was impossible. Maybe next year.  

I loved our tiny family Christmas, with no expectations, and no schedule. Just all of us having fun together, taking in the wonderful feelings of the day. We missed our families terribly, but we did have a few webcam sessions with both sides, which helped us from feeling too homesick. It was definitely a memorable Christmas. 

P.S. As much as I love Christmas time and all the decorations, I’m always so anxious to put everything Christmasy away within a day or two after it’s over. Including music and movies. It’s so refreshing to me to just clean up and move on. But I am grateful that there are some Christmas lights and decorations still up in the neighborhood. The kids still can’t wait to see them every time we leave the house.