For whatever reason, Christmas didn’t quite feel real this year. It came out of nowhere and I didn’t feel nearly as prepared as I would have liked. I’ll chalk it up to our lives being in a season of flux and I’m vowing that next year I’m going to pace myself and be sure to take in every moment. I read and heard from so many people that they just weren’t in the Christmas spirit this year or were just ready to get it over with and no matter how “out of it” I felt, I don’t think I’ll ever have that attitude towards the holiday. I might have already taken my dying evergreen down, but every other decoration is still in place and probably will be for another week. Not because I’m lazy or are trying to avoid the process, but because I’m always so sad to pack it away for eleven more months.
When Christmas Eve rolled around, however, I was feeling just right. For as long as I can remember, we have always attended candlelight communion with my immediate family and it was always one of my happiest memories. Because we are in between churches, nothing about Christmas services felt quite right this year. There was this huge part of me that really wanted to go, but I was terrified of tainting such a sacred memory and we ultimately decided to start a completely different Christmas tradition for the foreseeable future. Ella requested her favorite meal of crock-pot chicken tacos, so I got everything going that afternoon so we wouldn’t have much prep to do when dinner time rolled around. We swung by my parents’ house for the annual reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and to pick up cookies for Santa before we headed out in search of Christmas lights to explore. We drove around a few local neighborhoods and when everyone was good and hungry, we came home and enjoyed dinner together. We were just getting ready to watch “A Christmas Story” when Josh had the fabulous idea to create a huge pallet in the floor. We had borrowed his parents air mattress for something else, so we blew it up and piled the quilts on and snuggled by the tree for several hours. I think the highlight of the evening was that B got to climb on with us. She is so old and has a hard time getting up on our bed now, so this was the closest she’s come in a long time! She promptly got under the covers and could not stop wagging her tail.
I always say that Christmas is my favorite day of the year, but those few hours after the kids are in bed are probably some of the sweetest memories of the holiday season. Christmas as a parent is truly remarkable. Although I know my children are blessed and we do things throughout the year for them, we are not always “yes parents”. I love knowing in those hours before morning that we are granting their every wish for the day. Once Santa rolls by and we help him unload all of the toys, we can lay in bed and see the tree and their gifts from bed. It will be one of the things I miss most about this house!
This was one of those years where the Santa pile seemed small, but they got grown up gifts! Ella had been wanting a Kindle and Santa ended up bringing them both one. Thank goodness he knows exactly how competitive they are with one another and this worked perfectly. They also each got new headphones, Ella got an Instax camera and Sophie got a new Elsa dress.
They are notorious for sleeping late on Christmas, but Ella actually woke up just as I was finishing breakfast this year. We woke up a sleepy Sophie and then had the time of our lives. When we started looking back at pictures from the day, I loved seeing their faces. They were super excited about the smallest of things!
A few days before Christmas, Taz decided that she really wanted some rings and was devastated that it might be too late to ask. She left a note for Scout and he clearly relayed the message. This was probably her most excited face of the morning!
Of course, E was thrilled with new running pants and a Nike sweatshirt.
This was one of those moments where Sophie didn’t even know she wanted something, but we did. She had played with a small dart gun several weeks ago at a football party and we ordered her this battery operated girly one. She LOVED it and has been shooting us all ever since.
Y’all. Josh is the one who decided we were exchanging gifts this year and he did so good! He told me several weeks ago that he bought me the coolest present ever given on Christmas. The only hint was that I couldn’t even begin to guess what it was and that nobody would love it as much as me. The box was so heavy and I laughed out loud when I unwrapped it. It’s clearly inappropriate, but it will be proudly displayed in my kitchen. Let’s cook! He also got me some new boot socks and an awesome pair of fingerless gloves. He got a vintage looking Bama t-shirt and some concert tickets to see Drew Holcomb in February.
After we cleaned up our messes and cooked some good food, we spent the afternoon with my extended family. I know plenty of people who love to spend the day at home on Christmas Day, but I cannot imagine skipping out on this fun tradition. Fortunately, my family all lives within a few miles of one another and we don’t eat lunch until early afternoon, so we are never in a rush. We got all dressed up and headed out for the BEST pot luck lunch ever.
We don’t exchange gifts as adults, but all of the cousins (middle school and under) always have a few gifts to open. The girls got some Amazon giftcards, new Tervis tumblers, books and lots of bath and beauty supplies.
We ate the same things for dinner that we had for lunch, ran home to secure comfy pajamas, spent hours by the fire and played cards until almost midnight. If you ask my girls, they will tell you it was the best Christmas ever. Indeed.
Kristin is married to her high-school sweetheart and the mother to two daughters. Professional by day and creative by night, she is a family lifestyle blogger who writes about faith, family, and fitting it all into a busy schedule. At Taz + Belly, you’ll find healthy recipes, children’s party ideas, tutorials, DIY projects, and more. Click Here to Read More About Kristin
