I am slowly crossing things off of my to-do list this week. This time of year creeps up on me faster and faster each year and I find myself struggling to keep my head above water. Last night I finally got something done that I usually start as soon as the Turkey is eaten from Thanksgiving. I started this when Brayden was a year old. It is always hard for little ones to understand quite when Santa will come when all we do is Christmas for a whole month. To help count down the days I wrap books up like presents. I don't do bows or dress them up. Just use the scraps from the previous years that I think are too big to throw away but too small to wrap a gift with. I usually pick seasonal books, Christmas books, snow books, that sort of thing. Then each night one of the boys gets to pick which book we will read together and that child gets to open it. Then on Christmas Eve, we always read The Night Before Christmas.
I thought that maybe this year Brayden wouldn't want to participate since he is almost 11 and doesn't believe in Santa but says he does out of fear of getting anti-bacterial underpants for Christmas. That is what I tell them children get when they stop believing in Santa. Anti-bacterial underpants. It works like a charm. But, I guess since we have always done this countdown thing it is tradition and my kids are all about tradition. I guess most kids don't like change. Last night's book was Snowmen at Christmas. It is a really cute book. They also have Snowmen at Night and that one is even better. If you don't have either of these books you really need to get them! In fact, Brayden liked Snowmen at Night so much when he was younger that when it was time to start planning his birthday party a few years ago, he wanted a Snowman Party. All I could think was how in the world? But we pulled it off and I think it was the funnest party they have ever had!
Planning a party this close to Christmas is another thing that adds to my stress. We got Brayden's invitations sent out (late of course, because that seems to be how I do things lately) and now he has come down with a stomach bug. He got up last night as soon as I turned my light out and told me he thought he was going to throw up. I rushed him to the bathroom and he didn't quite make it all the way to the toilet. So I got to wash bathroom rugs before it was all over and several sets of clothes since it was coming out the other end just as fast. Needless to say, we got to sleep around 3:30. Not that moms get to catch up on sleep or anything. Brayden is sleeping on the couch now, Bryson is watching the Polar Express for what seems to be the hundredth time since I introduced him to it on Saturday, and I am fighting to stay awake since it isn't his nap time yet.
I guess I will go finish that laundry and get lunch started.
Sara
6 comments:
That is a neat tradition! I love stuff like that.
Jilli came home and wrote a note to Santa to please bring her some early gifts like he does one of her friends at school. Evidently one of their traditions is to leave a small gift in the stocking every morning in Dec. until Christmas and she tells everyone what Santa brought her that day. Jilli is confused! Why is he not doing this for her?? YIKES. How do I explain that?! ;)
Hope Brayden gets to feeling better. All this sickness makes me want to keep everyone home and in a bubble until Christmas. Maybe they will get everything they're gonna get before then!
love the book idea. have seen that and this little "elf on a shelf" thingy on everyone's blog. :) both, cute ideas.
will be crossing my fingers for the rest of you to STAY WELL & for brayden a QUICK recovery!!
I was just telling Mikesha the other day how that one of our grandmothers used to carefully remove wrapping paper from her gifts so she could reuse the paper. (I think that was Gma Flinn, but I wouldn't put it past Gma Alberta - my memories of Christmases past are flooded with cries of "Save the bows!")
When I saw the line about the previous year's paper scraps, I thought for a moment that some paper-saving gene had been passed to you.
I realize now you surely meant scraps left over after wrapping presents, but even so, I think it might be related somehow.
Grandpa Flinn always opened presents with a knife. He would cut the tape and save the paper. I do remember both Grandma Flinn and Grandma Row sending cards that they signed in pencil so the receiver could erase their names and send it to someone else the next year. But yes...those pesky little scraps that are too big to throw away but too small to wrap a present with is what I use for our Christmas countdown. Although I do have tendencies to hoard strange things in the hopes that I can reuse them. I guess it does run in the family :)
I wouldn't have guessed you to be old enough to remember much about Grandpa Flinn.
Mostly all I remember is the orange slice candies he kept on hand.
Yeah...let me clarify that. I am NOT old enough to remember Grandpa Flinn :) Dad has told us many stories about him. They were very close. He died when (I think) dad was in college or when mom was pregnant with Rachael.
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