a bit like my lars' army friends who always arrive 'to the place of parade' (i.e my dinner, my kids birthday parties) 5 minutes before said time...and I'm still in the shower...or haven't had a chance to stash all my mess in different nooks and cranny's around my house. crap. where as my friends stroll up later having decided to wash the outside of their house on the way to their car to drive here...(this has honestly happened.) but at least i can some what appear to have my shit together when they arrive.
i digress...
Christmas. OH CHRIST MAS! i am currently in the planning stages of the attack against the all the Christmas bullshit that will soon squidge its way into my little girls brains. i don't want to feel as though i have to buy them the earth every year. i have seen friends and family go absolutely over board at Christmas. it's disturbing. i have also seen said friends and family's kids give me the most horrid look when i only brought them ONE gift...and it may have been homemade. how dare i??
currently my kids have remained untainted. still appreciating the small things. in fact I'm pretty sure my 3 year old would be over the moon if i wrapped a rock with a smile face drawn in felt on it. seriously she would love it like nothing else.
i had my first battle of this nature this week, when their granddad that lives on the other end of the island came to visit us. we went on a trip the warehouse and he parked a trolley in the middle of the toy isle and announced to his granddaughters to 'go nuts!'...i stepped in and said that they could choose ONE toy each. i was proud when they thought my suggestion was fair. but i had a mad case of the guilts...should i just let them be over indulged? i am a great big meanie?? i stood by my choice though... i didn't want them to suddenly expect everything each time we went anywhere. i also didn't want them to expect that their 'poppy paul' was going to shower them with gifts every time he arrived. and i also didn't want them to get a whole lot of toys now, a month before Christmas and have Christmas be a huge let down...(which it won't because we have got them a present that i know any kids would love..."boiing boooiiiing!")
so it's a matter of bringing the magic of Christmas to them without it being so materialistic...well at least i can dream of doing it now...because give them a few years and I'm sure it will be a totally different story!!
so some things i plan on doing..
1. creating a treasure hunt for the 'big' gift of the year...make them work for it! i remember my parents doing it for me and my brother...so freakin' exciting! and takes up a huge chunk of the morning that may have been used sitting there unwrapping presents that when your friends rang and asked what you got, you could never remember...
2. we have a gorgeous church across the road, i think a mass might be fun for them to hear songs and be immersed in the spiritual side of Christmas (even though we are not church goers...i believe in exposing my kids to every opportunity in life so they can make their own choices)
3. my mum still does this, so feel the need to inflict...i mean share this with my girls. decorating the tree, with music, dancing and always laughter (in mum's case it was usually laughing at her favourite Xmas album...wait for it...kenny rogers and dolly parton sing Christmas. oh yes yes.)
4. i always seem to go a little OTT on the fairy lights. but they are magical anytime of year.
5. Yorkshire puddings. i don't care that we live in the southern hemisphere they are the. best. thing. ever.
6. go to all the Santa parades around our area...there are at least 5 or 6 we can visit. chooooice.
7. spend loads of time with friends and family...less time stressing about, well...getting your kids the BEST present in the street...spending the MOST money on your kids...or having the MOST presents under the tree.
Honor Violet immersed in her first Christmas 2008
i hate that Christmas sold out. time to go a bit old school i think.
