Traditions. Early Gifts
I don't put presents under the tree before Christmas. Sometimes I stick one or two under there, Chad has a few under the tree right now, but that's it. If I put out gifts, little people are always getting into them, so I just wait.
But I like holidays that last longer than just one day. Christmas is the epitome of this excitement. Opening things on Christmas morning is fun, but it is overwhelming and only lasts a little while. Kids can hardly take in what they received, let alone play with it, so in the tradition of my mother, I start giving my kids a few things in the week before Christmas.
Last night I put a few things under the tree and laid matching boxes on top of the pile. One for Grace and one for Brynn. They came in wide eyed with excitement this morning.
B: "Mom, there's some presents out there. Ones for me and ones for Grace."
G: "Yeah, we looked at them. Not inside, just the stickers and the stickers have our names on them!"
So I asked if they saw the two boxes on top? Naturally they knew in an instant exactly which ones I meant and I asked them to bring them to me. They were so excited when I let them open them.
They tore that paper away to reveal little gel pen craft sets, complete with colored paper, envelopes, stickers, jewels with sticky backs, tiny tubes of glitter glue. At my house, craft supplies are the stuff dreams are made of. They are now busily working away at the table making a "gift" for everyone they can think of.
Christmas morning they probably would have overlooked the craft sets, but today they'll get a lot of use out of them.
This afternoon, I might give them a movie, a new book to read or a game to play together, tomorrow a little Legos or small toy...just little things to play with and enjoy, let the anticipation grow. Love it.
But I like holidays that last longer than just one day. Christmas is the epitome of this excitement. Opening things on Christmas morning is fun, but it is overwhelming and only lasts a little while. Kids can hardly take in what they received, let alone play with it, so in the tradition of my mother, I start giving my kids a few things in the week before Christmas.
Last night I put a few things under the tree and laid matching boxes on top of the pile. One for Grace and one for Brynn. They came in wide eyed with excitement this morning.
B: "Mom, there's some presents out there. Ones for me and ones for Grace."
G: "Yeah, we looked at them. Not inside, just the stickers and the stickers have our names on them!"
So I asked if they saw the two boxes on top? Naturally they knew in an instant exactly which ones I meant and I asked them to bring them to me. They were so excited when I let them open them.
They tore that paper away to reveal little gel pen craft sets, complete with colored paper, envelopes, stickers, jewels with sticky backs, tiny tubes of glitter glue. At my house, craft supplies are the stuff dreams are made of. They are now busily working away at the table making a "gift" for everyone they can think of.
Christmas morning they probably would have overlooked the craft sets, but today they'll get a lot of use out of them.
This afternoon, I might give them a movie, a new book to read or a game to play together, tomorrow a little Legos or small toy...just little things to play with and enjoy, let the anticipation grow. Love it.
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