The Christmas Experience

The big holiday is over and done. Does anyone else feel the tiniest bit depressed when it's all over? I don't know about you, but for me, the anticipation coming up to the big day is what I revel in the most. Sure, the presents are way up there for the kids, but mine equally anticipate the activities we get up to prior to the big day. Our little list of activities (dare I say traditions) help make the season that much more special. 

In no particular order:

✔1. Christmas Gardens Lights-our botanical garden have a gorgeous display

2. The Nutcracker play

✔3. Gingerbread houses

✔4. Baking cookies

5. Mulled wine (just the husband and I of course)

6.  Watching Christmas movies::

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone✔
• Love Actually ✔
  
• The Holiday ✔
• Elf
• The Polar Express ✔
• Last Christmas (new addition for me this year) ✔

8. Visiting w/ Santa (with kids)

✔9. Advent calendars

✔10. Ebelskivers

✔11. Christmas Eve Boxes 

    We managed to almost complete the list. Obviously the play and visiting Santa are not on the table this year, but we hear our local ballet company is streaming it until the end of the month. I remember going to the Nutcracker as a child and finding it so magical. Even my antsy child is enthralled with the performance each year. 

My gingerbread girl

    This year I got creative and we watched Harry Potter while decorating the gingerbread houses. My least favorite part of this job is assembling the house. They're almost always broken and getting the pieces to stick and remain standing is tough. I'm thrilled to report that I found an easier method to get the house to stick together. It's so simple and you likely have the ingredient in your home. Sugar! (Recipe here)

the RV tiny home

    The kids are a little less interested in eating all the candy and more interested in decorating. Firstborn had a tiny home/RV and second born got a Barbie house. I hope we still get to sit around when they're adults decorating the gingerbread houses. Next year I may even try to make a house from scratch!

Husband's gingerbread man

    My sister-in-law started Christmas Eve boxes for her kids when they were younger that included a set of pajamas and other assorted presents. We followed suit with pajamas, a Christmas movie, hot coco packets, popcorn, snacks etc. Each child will get an ornament that is tailored to something of interest to them this year. 

Barbie house

    Firstborn is getting a porg (bird creature in The Force Awakens movie) and second born is getting a Hermoine Granger ornament. He loves Star Wars and she loves Harry Potter.  Since their old Christmas mugs have broken we got a Santa mug and a Christmas tree mug. These mugs will get put away and come out with the Christmas decor so they stand a fighting chance of making it to next Christmas. We did matching family pajamas this year, even the dogs got roped into the action.The kids also got pajamas that were fun and suited to their taste.
 

Bentley with his matching pjs and his favorite present

 (a tennis ball)

 

I loved this meme, it's so fitting-

 

    I had magical Christmases as a child, my mom and dad made it special for me. I don't really recall the presents I got, but I remember how the magic felt. I remember trying to stay awake all night to see Santa. Of course I never made it and I can't believe Santa always snuck by me!

   When the kids wake on Christmas morning, they're allowed to open the presents in their stocking. I implemented a new rule this year, they were to bring us coffee in bed and open their stockings in our bed while we sip our coffee and wake up. It was successful and I can't wait to carry on this tradition. To be fair, the kids love making us coffees and setting them on the bedside tables for us before or while we wake. I set our programmable coffee maker for them (to ensure a decent cup) and had holiday flavored creamers available. The kids use the keurig to make their morning "coffees" of hot chocolate so it is typically easy enough for them to fill up a reusable pod for us. 

    On Christmas morning we have ebelskivers. I use a cast iron pan that was my husband's grandma's. It's a thing he remembers his grandma doing for him as a child so it was nice way to incorporate it into the kids' Christmas. It's basically a pancake ball (as my daughter refers to it) with Danish roots. You can add a filling if you like. Sometimes we add jelly or nutella. I don't think it is a specialty served only at Christmas in Denmark but we reserve it for special occasions. I really hope my kids will carry on this tradition, I tried to teach a child how to make this but lost them less than half way through it. 😑

    We had a nice day enjoying our presents and taking is slow. It was such a change from past years where you're rushing off to someone's house for dinner (or you're busy cleaning/cooking because everyone is coming over to yours). It was hard for me to summon the motivation to cook our Christmas Eve dinner, even though all I needed to do was pop the ham in the oven to warm. The husband made a roast on Christmas day and we ate that with baked potatoes and a from scratch green bean casserole. It was a perfect simple dinner followed by a shop bought cherry pie. 

    The second born and I set up and played with all her new Barbie accessories. Not going to lie, I'm living vicariously through her so I'm thrilled she's into something that I so cherished as a child. I spent hours playing with my dolls and probably played with them into middle school (I was a sheltered child). The husband and first born played with video games, not something the second born or I are interested.

       I so love to see what others got for their presents. I'm not going to lie, this year I purchased most of my gifts. The husband had no clue that we'd be exchanging gifts at all until a week before (even though we talked about getting each other gifts a month previous). In all fairness, I normally struggle to get him anything. He tends to get what he wants when he wants it. I'm not sure how I came up with so many ideas, but I was so proud of myself. Some of the gifts I did not choose myself were a box of assorted teas from a tea shop (from the husband), a hello kitty lunchbox (from my second born), a leopard print blanket scarf (from a friend) and a DIY tie dye lounger set (from another friend). At the end, anything I purchased for myself leading up to Christmas was immediately set aside to be wrapped. Ahhhh, the life of a mom. I picked cozy/comfy lounge clothing, a makeup palette, makeup brushes, a locket bracelet, pretty insulated stainless cup and a lovely creative mindfulness book.

 

    Although the husband doesn't care much about gifts, it means more to me to give them. He's a fan of the Haunted Mansion at Disney so I thought to get him some decor for his office. I came across some printed blueprints of the ride on Etsy. I bought the poster size print and a corresponding 8 x 10 print. I reused frames already in the house. I think he was pleased with them. He also got a tailgate cover for his truck (something he had talked about getting). I also happened across these obnoxious punch bowl and cups themed from the Christmas Vacation movie. This is one of the husbands favorite movies so I thought it fitting. I found some bitters to go along with his whiskey and scotch too. I got a  millennium falcon bottle opener but seemed to have misplaced it, I'm sure it will turn up soon. 

    We had a really lovely holiday and am enjoying our time off. I've finished reading a book and am excited to dig into my new creative meditation book now. I'm trying hard to have less screen time and more time to focus without those distractions. We also hope to have a little escape before the new year, possibly some sledding in the mountains to be as socially distant as possible.