'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
...... ''Twas The Night Before Christmas - Clement Clark Moore
Everyone is snug in bed, and Christmas as an adult is so much work (I never realized it until I had kids) but it is so fun, and in the end their excitement makes it so so worth it.
We have had a rough couple of weeks with sickness, and just as I got over it poor Ian got it - so we kept it simple and homey. We pretty much didn't leave the house, we stayed in our pajamas, and we didn't have to entertain anyone - and it turned out so perfect.
I generally try to have everything done by the day before Christmas Eve, so that on Christmas Eve day we can just hang out, make gingerbread houses, and bake cookies for Santa - without the stress and the rush.
We started this a few years back, and it works so well for us. So on Christmas Eve as soon as Nate got off shift we enter Christmas mode, and it was fabulous.
We spend the morning decorating our gingerbread houses - the kids love this so much every year.
Funny story - so we have been decorating these houses since Ian was little, since generally the candy in these kits are gross (they don't even taste good) we have just avoided the whole candy fiasco by deeming it decorations, and well no one thought about it twice. So this year Nate decided to test the candy from the kit we got - and it actually tasted good. The whole time we were decorating Ian was freaking out because he had no idea the candy was edible - lol - so we would tell him to try this kind, and he would debate with us for like five minutes to make sure it is really ok to eat it. It so made my day - for six years we have gotten away with it - so next year will be pay back on our behalf, and I am pretty sure it is going to be wild.
This is one of my favorite things - and as the kids are getting older it gets better and better - because it is a little less chaotic. They are able to do a little more all by themselves, it is kind of bittersweet.
We baked a half batch of ginger cookies for Santa (I was going to skip it this year, but they insisted) - it is a super easy recipe, it doesn't take forever and it doesn't make a ton either. We kept it simple with just uncolored icing, and the kids were able to practice their piping skills. Also Santa said the cookies were delicious.
They turned out pretty cute.
We were even able to squeeze in a little Christmas movie, and a nap. I refuse to be all frazzled and stressed out. So we make it simple, and fun - enjoyable. No one wants to be completely drained from such a beautiful holiday.
The kids favorite Christmas tradition is our breakfast for dinner scene on Christmas eve. It has evolved from creating all sorts of winter wonderland scenes from food (which was way cute but so much work and stress - so we scratched it, because it the stress and frazzle wasn't worth it) to making hot chocolate pancakes, the later has been such a joy to make.
and new Christmas jammies...
even for Herb.
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| (#theadventuresofherb) |
and reindeer food.
and this year instead of a movie, we decided last minute to go look at Christmas lights and to go see if Santa was around for a picture - because I slacked on that this year.
The lights were so pretty (next project - light up the outside of our house.)
and Santa himself. Look how awesome he looks...
this year no one freaked out, they went right up to him with a high five - Hayleigh sat with him and debated with him about world peace and bringing joy to the world - she also tried to sucker him into admitting that he wasn't real, and Ian well he checked him out and made some remark about his fake eye browns ;) lol. All in all it was a good experience!
and then it was home for all to be tucked in, so the real Christmas magic could begin.
We got the kids to bed, and then Nate and I had to get everything out, gifts under the trees, prep some food for breakfast, hot chocolate for Santa - the works.
It was such a fabulous Christmas Eve, I love this family of mine, and all the memories we create together, there is nothing more special.
Merry Christmas Eve to all, and to all a good night!
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