December Activities

This year we got our tree up nice and early.  We did it on a Saturday, so there was plenty of time and not much rush.  The boys helped for awhile, and then started playing with all the Christmas decorations that came out of the boxes, then helped some more, then read some Christmas books, then helped some more, then put on some of the Christmas cds, etc etc.  It was a pleasant day of rediscovering the traditional items from last year.  I think G and T ate about 5 candy canes each during the time it took James and I to figure out how to set up the tree--we forget every year--and I guess that kicked off the Sugar Fest of December.  Each morning an "elf" brings treats for the boys in the Advent calendar.  Some years I have tried to put different things in there, like "serve someone today" or "read this scripture"  but this year I just stuck with the treats.  I don't think they minded too much!  Actually, I have been a very forgetful elf this year.  The twins have been reminding me in a roundabout way about it.  "Mom, the elf needs to remember to come tonight.  Sometimes the elf forgets."  (They are the first ones up in the morning, and sometimes that is when the elf remembers.  If they know the elf is afoot, they politely turn their backs).

One day we made salt dough ornaments.  I wanted the boys to make one for their teachers.  Owen ended up making most of them with me, and he painted almost all of them.  Then a few weeks later we added a ribbon to them and stuck them on plates of cookies for the neighbors and the gifts for the teachers.

Another day G and T and I made snowflakes.  Tommy wanted to make Santa with a puffy beard, so he glued on a bunch of cotton swabs and made a Santa.  G made a snowman, then ripped off all the cotton swabs and said, "Don't want it, Snowman!"  Tommy also decorated a very cute tree to take to school and hang up in the gym for Christmas decor.

The big Christmas craft is the making of the Train and City.  We got this tradition from our friends the Keelers, and it has stuck ever since.  The twins and I went to the dollar store and bought a bunch of stuff.  Everyone picked their own corner of our platform and got to work making quite the creation.  We ended up with a North Pole, an igloo, a train on a track, two bridges, trees with sunbathing Santas on the top, and a couple of major houses/forts/factories.  It was a lot of fun watching the boys create things.  It got eaten within just a few days too!  Sugar Fest, right?

Nana gave the boys a bunch of Christmas music at different levels and I have loved watching the boys wander into the piano at various and sundry times, and sit down and sight read or practice some Christmas music.  It is one of my very favorite things in the world.  For our morning devotionals, we've been singing a Christmas hymn and I love to hear the boys singing as they gather around the piano.  It warms my heart like nothing else, for sure.  James has been reading us Christmas stories from the Friend and Ensign each morning, and we've been discussing the true meaning of Christmas.

Someone did the Twelve Days of Christmas to us, and that was pretty thrilling.  The twins also participated in my violin students' Christmas recital at the old folks' home.  They played Away in a Manger, Silent Night, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, O Come all Ye Faithful, and Jingle Bells.

Our teacher gift this year was an orange pomander (is that what they're called?)--an orange with cloves poked in, and a ribbon is tied around it.  I think they are so pretty and they smell so nice!  Of course they don't last for long.  The boys wrote a nice card and I made ginger snaps to go in the bag as well.

This hurts our fingers!

For the neighbors we did a combo of snickerdoodles, ginger snaps, and super easy cutout cookies that are pretty healthy too!  We put a salt dough ornament on the top and delivered them to our neighbors in the culdesac where we live.  We decided to sing at each house--we rotated between We Wish You a Merry Christmas and Jingle Bells (we did the shortened version for both).  It was our first time "caroling" together and it was so much fun!  The boys and James all wore Santa hats (they got them from the 12 Days Secret person).  The boys all sang with gusto, and remembered to say Merry Christmas and all.  Georgie was always front and center, always shook hands with everyone, and said "Merry Cwistmas!" many times at each house.  He's our little ice breaker, for sure.

"I Santa--Ho, ho, ho!"

We had a family reading of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever for a few nights around the Christmas tree.  The boys got a kick out of it, and it was fun to read something all together again.  The 23rd was the annual "sleep under the Christmas tree" night, but only Owen and Tommy stuck it out.  There is less room in this house for us all to camp out, and James and I weren't feeling particularly adventurous either, so that is why it was only the older boys.  Then W and R decided they would be more comfortable in their beds.

We lit our advent wreath each Sunday.  Well, the candles, not the wreath!  I remember as a child the very exciting moment of coming to the last Sunday, because it meant Christmas was very near.  We took the boys to the Stake Christmas Cantata, James and I were in the choir for one number, and I played a violin duet for another.  The boys did their Christmas concert at school--Tommy sang "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas", Owen sang "All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth" and W and R sang two different numbers with the choir and with their grade--can't remember them.  The choir also got to sing with a bunch of other choirs and a small part of the symphony--it was very crowded and busy, but beautiful!  A good experience for them I think.  I got to play in a performance of Messiah in Cardston.  It was wonderful--very good for me to experience doing that as a part of a quartet instead of a whole symphony.  Made me focus a bit more and work a bit harder than I otherwise would have.  Christmas music is one of the best things about Christmas time.

We took the boys to the live Nativity.  It was very freezing outside, but we all bundled up in many layers and even snow pants!  We all felt bad for the actors, but they were very good at maintaining their dignity.  They had a real donkey and very woolly, dirty sheep.  It seemed very realistic to us.  James and found we were both touched the most by the wise men.  They were very respectful and loving in their bowing before the Baby.
We had a wonderful Christmas Eve.  We started off with our gift exchange--each boy made something for a brother.  They were really excited to give to each other.  We also gave them some new pajamas.  Then we read stories, had eggnog, and chatted until, at 8:30, the boys all disappeared and said it was time for bed.  !!!  I couldn't believe it.  Of course, they all stayed up until 11 or so, talking.

Christmas PJs

Tommy had Willy, and Willy had Tommy

Georgie had Ryrie

Ryrie had Owen

Owen had Georgie

Christmas morning was pleasant.  They opened stockings first, and enjoyed those.  Then they got to open the grandparent's gifts while speaking with said grandparents on the internet.  We ate "Monkey Bread" for breakfast this year--a very fattening, sweet treat that I made the night before and baked in the morning. After breakfast, we set to work with the opening.  James had created a few little games to make the opening take longer--he had them roll dice, use large utensils, and pot holders to try to open the gifts.  The boys were very  grateful and excited this year, and James and I enjoyed ourselves immensely.

Waiting to "go down"

Lining up Youngest to Oldest

The rest of the holiday was spent in enjoying each other and New Stuff.  :-)  When the weather warmed up, the boys went to the little sledding hill near our house almost every day.  We also went swimming--tried out 3 different pools--and took advantage of a free skate one day.  Georgie even put on some skates and did very well!  He made it three times around the rink!  We also took the kids over to the church one morning to burn off some energy.  All told, it was a wonderful December, and we had a great combination of preparing, enjoying, and recovering from Christmas!