There are only five days (including today!) until Christmas, and I’m just not feeling it. I’m sure part (or most) of it has to do with last week’s tragedy, but even still, I’ve noticed that each year it gets harder and harder to get into the Christmas spirit – even though I have two little kids who believe in Santa and get so excited this time of year. This makes me sad, since Christmas is, by far, my favorite holiday. The music, the smells, the food, spending time with family … I love them all. Most years.
I’m tired of feeling like a Scrooge, so today I am making it my mission to dive headfirst into the spirit of the holidays for the next five days by focusing on what it is that I love about Christmas.
So here are my favorite things about Christmas:
Music
Of these, my favorites definitely have to be:
- All I Want For Christmas
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
- O Holy Night
- 12 Days of Christmas (only because its Buddy’s favorite Christmas song and he always giggles when I do my Beeker impression for the 9th day)
Cookies
- Reindeer Cookies (above). No specific recipe; they’re just basic sugar cookies (which I shaped into a pseudo-reindeer head using a floured butter knife), M&Ms and pretzels. A huge hit with the kiddos.
- Girl Scout Samoa Cookie Bars (AKA “Magic Cookie Bars”)
- Cake Batter Cookies (So. Freaking. Good.)
- Oreo Truffles
Movies
- Love, Actually
- Home Alone
- Elf
- The Family Man (even though I detest Nicolas Cage)
- The Holiday
- The Family Stone
Christmas Eve
We have our little routine: we build a fire, make a yummy meal – complete with chocolate fondue for dessert, crack open a bottle of wine, sprinkle reindeer food outside, leave milk and cookies for Santa (and a carrot for Rudolph … do reindeer even like carrots?!), then get to work on assembling the toys and gifts under the tree after the kiddos are in bed. Its funny , but these activities really make me feel like a parent, if that makes any sense?
Christmas Morning
Although we grumble about getting woken up “early” (which, really, is the same time we get up most work/school mornings), there is just something magical about following your bouncing, excited kids downstairs on Christmas morning, everyone in their robes and PJs and slippers, the little ones racing to see what’s under the tree.
Then we sit with steaming mugs of coffee (naturally) and enjoy the looks on our kids’ faces when they open the gifts they’ve been coveting, or when their eyes widen in surprise when they receive something they were not expecting.
I’m hoping that’s the case this year when we surprise them with … a trip to Disney World (in April)! This has been the hardest secret to keep. We have a big reveal planned and I’m trying to keep my expectations in check. April probably seems like forever to a 6-year-old, so I might not get the crazy-screaming-jumping-up-and-down reaction that I’m hoping for … but I’ll have my video camera rolling, just in case.
Funny – now that I wrote all of this, I actually do feel a bit more “Christmas-y”.
What is your favorite part of the holiday?
Joanna {Baby Gators Den} says
Ohh I LOVE the reindeer food idea, I’m going to have to steal that one. Great list, Merry Christmas!
melissa at filling our bucket says
I love the music and the decorations best. LOVE. My house is so cozy with all the directions up!!
Heather @ Housewife Heather says
I do believe Christmas music, cookies & movies will get you into the Christmss spirit! I’m looking forward to the magical Christmas morning…Ava is 3.5 this year & she is very excited…she “gets” it more this year! Having children brings the magic back to Christmas & I’m looking forward to all the magical years ahead! Wishing you a very Merry & Magical Christmas!!!