Usually I’m all about “decking the halls with boughs of holly” and covering every available surface with Christmas sparkle, but this year I’m having a hard time finding the motivation to decorate.
Would I call myself a Grinch? Nah.
I still love the sparkle of the tinsel moving as my toddler runs by our tree, the smell of my Christmas scented candles and of course watching my all time favorite movie, A White Christmas.
But as I started pulling out all of our Christmas boxes (all two of them), I kept finding myself putting stuff back into the box. “Next year” I thought. “Never really liked that anyway.”
But it’s Cohen’s first Christmas and Liam is at that age (2 1/2) where there is just a little bit more magic than last year! I had to at least put up the tree, which now I’m very glad I did, although, currently the top half of our lights are out…hubby is still figuring that out.
So, as I glanced down my Christmas Holiday Prep list, I realized I had put A LOT on there; yummy recipes, crafts I just have to do, enough decorating ideas to fill 5 more Christmas boxes (as the garage & hubby shudders) and more children’s activities then there are hours in the day. Thanks Pinterest. Now are these bad things? Of course not! They are all actually pretty fantastic and I really do love the festive side to Christmas, but I’m truly realizing for the first time in my life what Christmas is really about: Christ’s birth.
The containers of ornaments don’t seem as important, draping Christmas lights off every doorway not as vital, and making every Christmas craft I see, not as fun.
So I narrowed the list down to some of the basics:
*My tree is up and decorated, but I’m cutting back on the rest of the house. Our advent wreath and candles will be on our table and eventually I’ll finish my mantel. Right now my mantel looks like this, with the boxes still sitting below. I’ve have been tempted more than once to just leave it….I’m mean, it has Christmas stuff on it right?!
*My Manger scene is out for all to see, although currently they are intermingled with our Thanksgiving Pumpkins. Liam has some story plot going on here I’m sure! It’s not my favorite set, but it works and I got it cheap, so even better. Even though it is glass, I still let Liam play with it. What better way to start learning one of the most important TRUE stories he will ever hear!
*We did one big Christmas craft: Making a giant felt Christmas tree with decorated ornaments for the boys to play with. Not only do they both enjoy feeling the soft ornaments with sparkles and puff balls, but it was a family activity! Liam is having a blast decorating and re-decorating the tree and Cohen has found a new (and washable) chew toy!
I was a little over excited when cutting out the tree, and it came out a little bit big. I figure we just started a new tradition for the kids: every year we make more felt ornaments! plus Liam is adding other “decorative” elements, hence the scotch tape across the middle.
Now most of you know that I have a hard time saying no to a good crafty project, so this probably won’t be the only one I’ll do. But any other project will be strictly for fun, no pressure to get it done and no keeping up with the Christmas-ing Jones!
Even as I’m writing this, in my bathrobe with a steaming hot cup of coffee in hand, I’m realizing just how much I’m enjoying the idea of a simpler Christmas. We will still enjoy the sparkle of decorations (yes, I will finish my mantel), read Christmas stories and watch festive Christmas movies, and much to the angst of Jerad, play my Christmas music throughout the day, but it will all be in the name of remembering the true reason for the season!
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6
