Last week was a surprisingly busy week. Work-wise, babies were making all sorts of early and surprising and, in some cases, l o n g arrivals. We also had several social gatherings over the weekend – including our 6th annual Christmas Fondue party with our community group, complete with a “12 Days of Christmas” sing and dance a-long (it’s not pretty!). And I’ve been working to wrap up all the gift-making projects so that this could be a week of rest before we head to California for the holidays.
Isaiah doesn’t really get Christmas yet, being 2 and all. He likes our tree and the lights ok. The gingerbread house-making and cookie-decorating are all fine and good. But they are neither here nor there for him.
But Gryffin? The kid is over the moon excited about all things Christmas. The caroling and the ornaments and the decorating and the advent calendar and the gifts and the treats are almost too much for him to bear. Every part about the season is so magical for him this year. Last year, like his brother, he didn’t have a clue, and we were starting to think that maybe we’d just skip over the whole Santa thing. Who needs Santa, anyway? But this year is so different. The thrill Gryffin feels at the very idea of Santa Claus, a magical man who flies all over the world, delivering gifts, is palpable and for two folks who thought they were above the Santa Claus hoopla, Jason and I have been completely swept up in the excitement. Jason helped the boys write (lengthy) letters to Santa last week while I was at a birth and I seriously made some personalized videos from Santa for the boys at Portable North Pole yesterday. There are probably only 1 or 2 years of this, this unabashed all-out enthusiasm and we are milking it for all it’s worth!
So many folks I know really worry about making sure their kids understand the true meaning of Christmas and fret over Santa and consumerism and such. And for good reason. I’m not sure why exactly but I don’t feel too worked up over it. Not yet anyway. Growing up, I was well aware of why we celebrated Christmas and I’ll admit that I usually felt guilty for being more excited about presents than about Jesus. But every passing year, I see and experience more sadness and sorrow, more heartache and pain, in my own life and in the life of others and I long more and more for the day when the kingdom of God will come in full. So I’m ok if it takes my kids a while before they feel this way. They will know searing anguish and deep grief soon enough. For now I’m content to let them delight in the joy of the giving and receiving of gifts, the eating of good food with good company, and hopefully marvel a little at the wonder of Immanuel, God-with-us.
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I mentioned in a previous post that I was hoping to make at least 75% of our gifts this year and I managed to pull it off. Here’s a look at some of the stuff I made.
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Like everyone else, Jason and I are, of course, reeling from the events last Friday in Newtown. I was in the car with the boys when I heard the news on NPR and I felt like the ground fell out beneath me. After putting the boys down for their naps, Jason and I sat and talked for awhile. We both feel heartbroken and fearful. I considered blogging about it, about our reactions and our thoughts, but I think I’d rather just sit with it. This post and this post have both been helpful to me in processing. And I think I’ll take the wisdom from the second article linked and try to “…be silent before the Lord,” says the prophet Zephaniah, silent and still in the presence of the horrified God, the nauseated God, the grief-stricken God.” Join me?
3 thoughts on “all things christmas”
you’ve been a busy bee this season! love the gifts and the blue suit! and i whole heartedly love that you let your kids love santa. lots of love here.
Woah, I’m super impressed with all your homemade gifts! Those are awesome!! I like your little ric rac rings – those are really cute. And clothes making – that’s no small investment of time! Jon and I ate about 2/3 of our bag of oyster crackers on the ride home, and then managed to stop ourselves so we can eat the rest with some tomato soup tomorrow. They are delicious. Thank you.
dang, nancy! i’m so impressed! and your christmas cards are the greatest! actually, the comparison pictures of the boys in that suit are the greatest. can anything beat that? 🙂
you’ve been a busy bee this season! love the gifts and the blue suit! and i whole heartedly love that you let your kids love santa. lots of love here.
Woah, I’m super impressed with all your homemade gifts! Those are awesome!! I like your little ric rac rings – those are really cute. And clothes making – that’s no small investment of time! Jon and I ate about 2/3 of our bag of oyster crackers on the ride home, and then managed to stop ourselves so we can eat the rest with some tomato soup tomorrow. They are delicious. Thank you.
dang, nancy! i’m so impressed! and your christmas cards are the greatest! actually, the comparison pictures of the boys in that suit are the greatest. can anything beat that? 🙂