How is your Advent going, if you celebrate? Or maybe you "observe" Advent but save the celebrating for Christmas? Sometimes I wish we celebrated St. Nicholas or St. Lucia, too!
(Then a week went by after I started this post)
I got out the Christmas decorations in November, and I was glad for that because my enthusiasm soon fizzled out. In order to enjoy them in December, they really need to be put up in November, right? Before things get crazy?
David is almost 4.5 and I keep waiting for the year when he will be "into" Christmas. We got out our Christmas books and dutifully read them every night for a few weeks, but I don't even suggest it anymore. David likes to decline suggestions now with "I don't think so" or "no thank you." And this includes a lot of my arts and crafts or cooking ideas. He's said "I don't think so" to several baking projects recently. I tried making cookies but the dough was too sticky and David plopped a few M&Ms on and called it a day. I gave him free reign over all the ornaments but he didn't even have the heart to hang any. He likes the part where he opens the boxes and discovers the contents (but not putting them back). Maybe I could make that count for something, sometime. Are boys just not into the baking and decorating?
And he doesn't like listening to music.
So...this is the adult side of Christmas (or any holiday), I guess. Doing things that it seems no one appreciates, so that they can look back on it later as a nice memory. I'm not being sarcastic...I'm sure as a child I did my share of complaining and taking everything for granted. And now I miss those days. Of course David is gradually learning bits and pieces of how Jesus came to Earth and walked among us. So it's not like the holiday is ignored.
As usual, I stopped short of getting ALL the decorations out...funny, I remember my own mother doing that. I thought to myself...I'll make myself get them out, and then I'll have to do the work again when I put them away. So there is just a little bit here and there. I love the lights, though. I want to get more of those. Pretty lighting definitely adds a special mood. I lost my Christmas greeting cards that I put up every year. :( I hope they turn up someday. Yes, I hang onto every little scrap of paper from my life.
My MIL is in the hospital! And probably won't be released by Christmas. :( But hopefully for New Year's. Also, Andrei is preaching on Saturday and Sunday at a church retreat, which we're not going to. So that's our Christmas! But I think the "elves" may come up with a bit of holiday magic after all...
Oh no about your mother-in-law and husband being gone for Christmas! :-( Hmm, I wish I had a good suggestion for what you could do to get your kiddo in the spirit...does he usually like crafts or reading books, or is he more of an active kid in general? Maybe a Christmas scavenger hunt?
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting! That's a cool idea. Yeah, if I made something with intrigue he might be into it. In general he likes taking things apart and sometimes putting them back together. He likes getting the boxes out and seeing what's in them, but loses interest quickly. Maybe I'll make Advent calendars for him in the future. I just try not to expend too much energy for now since he could be done with it in 5 minutes.
DeleteOh - you are so right....there is SO much work creating those "memories". But, I cherish my Christmas memories....so plow in.
ReplyDeleteHappily for me, Monica ADORED everything about Christmas, and spent hours carefully rearranging the ornaments on the tree. She LOVED her gifts and especially the 12 Days of Christmas gifts - even when they were free McDonalds toys someone gave me. I saw a sweet video shared on Facebook of a three year old being given a paperclip wrapped up in a box - and she LOVED it. Monica would be just like that. (I do get enough of the rolled eyes and the "No, thanks!" from her mom, though...so I know what you mean.)