Husband: So what were your Christmas traditions?
Abigail: Well, Mom spent the holiday's frustrated, grouchy, and in a hurry.
Husband: What did you do?
Abigail: Rushed around alot.
OK, so maybe that isn't quite how it would go, but I'm telling you I could picture it and I didn't like it. (The Christmas planner I tried and advertised at our meeting bit the dust in the two-weeks of Birthday and Thanksgiving.)
I did what is becoming habit: read some blogs. Then I came up with a plan. And advent calendar that marks the days not with candies but with activities--
- watch a holiday movie (or four),
- sing and dance Christmas carols,
- make ornaments,
- address and send Christmas cards,
- read special stories,
- give, give, give.
Now I can hear it.
Wife: So what did you do for Christmas in your family?
Simon: Well, Mom stuck a crocheted sting on the wall in the shape of a wounded Christmas tree and hung decorated envelops from it with things to do as we waited for Christmas. I think we should do that too.
Well, maybe my imagination may be getting a little ahead of itself there. But I have my aspirations.
As an aside, I just bought a magazine, whole living, and read an entire article on embracing the chaos. There now I don't have to feel bad about ditching the Christmas planner.
Awh...poor little Christmas Planner. It did it's best. = - )
ReplyDeleteSince Sarah is confessing, then I must too. I did not use any Christmas planning stuff. Except recipes posted on the blog.
We are soon to do 2nd annual Ginger Bread Cookie making (yes, you read that right. A small kitchen, a mom, a 4 year old and a 6 year old and flour...lots of flour). I am looking foward to it and so are the kids.
Sarah I love the idea of the "Active Advent."
We have been enjoying a gift from Grandma. It is an Advent Story Book. Each night you read a different part of the Advent story. Today we watched The First Noel. It was so cool to hear Brenna say "Hey Mommy! That's Joseph from the story last night!!!!!" and Ethan chimed in very excited with an orny look "I know this story!!!!!!"
Isn't Christmas fun!
And Sarah, I envision conversations of:
Abigail: I hope I am as good a mommy as my mom is.
Husband: You will be honey, because she raised you to live for Him.
I love this idea, too. I recall some moments when I was getting ready for a holiday and was so taken by the irony of getting annoyed with my kids while preparing a good time for them! It just doesn't make sense! It definitely gets easier as they get older and mom can delegate many tasks to them. One of our sons loves to peel the potatoes for our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner and one time I beat him to it and he was really disappointed!
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