December 17, 2015

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Christmas with kids, it's the best isn't it?

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, I'm pretty sure it's everyone's. Although...4th of July is pretty awesome too {SUMMER!}...anyway...

I've always loved Christmas.  My dad, who isn't one for holidays, always made Christmas special.  He'd wake ME up at 5am Christmas morning with Christmas music on the surround sound throughout the whole house.  We'd have presents opened and my mom would have breakfast before
the sun was even up that day.  Christmas was always a special time.

Christmas is the only holiday I decorate for.  I mean really decorate.  Sure I'll throw a new spring wreath on the front door when the temps warm up.  I'll bust out my adorable pumpkin centerpiece and place mats once October rolls around.  But Christmas, I rearrange furniture, take things off the walls to be replaced with festive decor, our house totally transforms and I love it.

This season is magical with kids.  It goes beyond the cute decorations and the pretty wrapping.  Sure I loved Christmas before but my kids reaction to all of these things is what I live for.  It's why I do Elf on the Shelf.  It's why I plan out a daily activity for advent.  It's why I get excited about receiving Christmas cards. They are in awe of everything this time of year and the magic in their eyes is everything.

Kendall is old enough to really be excited about everything and she is.  She wakes up every day and cannot believe that Rich {Elf on the Shelf} has taken a new spot in our house.  The first thing she does is pick out our advent activity of the day.  She loves picking out gifts for others when I take her shopping.  She tells James, "oohhh look out your window!!!" when we are driving past a house with Christmas lights.  She can't wait to rip another paper ring off her paper chain/countdown she made at school.  She believes in all the magic right now and getting to relive that through her eyes is indescribable.

We don't put too much emphasis on Santa, especially this year, but she believes in him.  She wants to go see him, she wrote him a letter, she thinks Rich really flies home to him every night.  Her school did Polar Express day yesterday and surprised all the kids with Santa and I love that they are trying to keep the magic alive too.  I know that's  probably taboo in most schools these days but I love that they did that and Kendall thought it was pretty cool too.

James still doesn't understand a lot but he's excited to see lights, he loves the tree {especially his Star Wars ornaments}, he plays with all the jingle bells and musical toys.  When I asked him, "James do you want to see Santa today?" he said, "noooooooooooooooooo, Santa not nice!". I was for sure we'd end up with our first ever crying kid on Santa's lap pic but look at him!  Sitting on Santa's lap all proud and looking so big.  I swear every year I think it can't get better and then it does.

We have just over a week left until the big day and I can hardly wait. Seeing my kids be so excited has made me more excited.  But I know the day will come soon enough and then it will all be over.  No more magic, no more twinkling lights and no more excitement so, for now, I'm trying to savor each and every moment that Christmas has to offer.

4 comments:

  1. Your kids are about the same ages as mine.. and the older is ALL ABOUT Christmas and Santa this year.. .while the younger... there were tears. :-) Christmas is the only holiday I decorate for too.. I really enjoy the magic of the season, and experiencing it with kids has been so much fun. :-) Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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  2. I love Christmas with little ones, I don't have any myself but cousins and friends little ones are so much fun to be around during the holidays. In my family Santa is HUGE...Growing up my Grandpa would come as Santa to our families christmas party and we'd all take pictures. Seeing my little cousins light up when he walked in was alway so magical....just seeing the magic in their eyes. But then we also focused on Jesus and read the story of his birth every year on Christmas morning.

    -Ashlee Michelle
    www.makeupandmodifieds.blogspot.com

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  3. You're so right! Kids just make it a million times more fun, and these memories will mean so much to them. Hope Santa is good to you all~

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  4. I was raised dreading Christmas, sad I know. It wasn't until I had Carter did I start to kind of like it... 3 boys later and I see where all the excitement is. I have been trying to life through them and allow myself to love this time of year. I still have a bitter taste but it is getting better and I thank my boys for that. We too don't focus 100% on Santa. It's more 95% the real reason and 5% Santa but my 9 year old still believes, or so he says, so we must be doing something right.

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