This Is How We Christmas

Come join in the fun over at The Preacher’s Wife at her

This is How We Christmas Blog Party.

This week:

Quirky Family Rituals Edition

You asked.  Here goes . . .

1.  Santa:  This is the second year in all of my 19 plus years of parenting so far that I (we) have done Santa.  You’ll learn more about that in my final post for Lisa’s Blog Party.  Let me just say that I STINK AT IT.  I’m trying.  But I’m all over the place.  I was ever so careful last year to not pour it on too thick, what, with it being my first year and trial run and all.  I even went as far as to NOT answering specific questions that Sophie (then 2) asked because I just didn’t know how far I could stretch the truth.

Now, after dealing with my little strong-willed Princess, I’ve given in to the whole ‘you ain’t gettin’ nothin’ if you’re naughty’ tactic.  Oh, be sure that I KNOW that I should resort to firm, consistent Supernanny discipline.  I KNOW this. I knew everything back in the days of raising my oldest two daughters.  So I thought.  (insert humility here) I “Nanny-ed” many children who were content to NOT TOUCH THE TRAIN or else I would not turn it on for them.  But along came Sophie and I lost my rule book.  This is the first year we put out the train and village since Sophie was born.  I gave her the spill about not touching it, electricity, blah, blah, BLAH.  Yet I’ve seen on more than one occasion many a villager laying in the open top car of the train.  HMMPH!  Does she not know?  Did she not see the other day when I painstakingly placed every single one of those people in specific places.  I moved the snow to form a path for the horse-drawn wagons to travel.  I made a town side and neighborhood side.  We picked relatives to live by us and named them all.  THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME, PEOPLE!

Of course, the joy that Sophie gets from this old train set and village is way more important than the village looking Christmas perfect.  I think.

Yesterday, I found three of the train cars on the floor.  I asked, “WHO DID THIS,” all the while knowing.

Sophie pretend shook violently and said, “DADDY!”

“DADDY’S AT WORK!  WHO did this?”

She kept on shaking but I wasn’t buying her fake fear.  And then she pointed to herself and said, “WELL, DAD MESSED IT UP YESTERDAY!”

So I’ve moved from telling her she isn’t going to get to go see Santa and take a picture with her new nephew, baby Gavin, and sit on Santa’s lap, blah, blah, blah.  Who am I kidding anyway?  We are so going to Bass Pro this weekend to see Santa.  I prefer the mall look better although my new son-in-law will love his baby boy taking his first picture with Santa at the Bass Pro Shop.  REDNECK!  But Bass Pro is free plus Mrs. Claus will be there.

Getting to the point.  Now, I just whip out my cell phone and tell her I’m texting Santa another naughty mark for Sophie.  If she obeys, I text him a nice mark.  I just move those fingers 90 to nothing and she straightens up right away.

We’re doing a Santa snack this year.  Sophie asked what kind of cookies Santa wanted and of course I told her to ask Dad.  I knew his answer.  A favorite recipe around here for chocolate chip cookies.  They’re made with Butter-flavor Crisco and they are de-licious!  The best ever.  I’ve not found a chocolate chip cookie yet that I like better.  If they generate enough interest, I’ll be happy to post the recipe.  You will NOT be sorry.  But for now, way too many details for this post.

2.  Presents: With my oldest two daughters, we gave them three main gifts because Jesus was given three gifts from the Wise Men.  Then we blew it on the stockings with a zillion other smaller gifts.  Things have changed on when we open them as Santa now comes for Sophie.  Since I’m remarried, we work hard at dividing up time between the many families.  Now I’ll have to divide my time with my oldest daughter, Cammie, to allow time for her new family.  I don’t mind.  I’ve gained a son (REDNECK!) and a new grandson.

3.  Food, etc: Food varies for my side of the family.  We change it up.  Seafood Gumbo, Beef Stew, Piccadilly, Roast Beef.  Joe’s family usually has a traditional spread so we get a nice variety.  Again—Ulitmate Chocolate Chip Cookies.  OH! And sugar-free Mississippi Mud that I absolutely promise you does NOT taste sugar-free.  Sent one to Joe’s work for Thanksgiving and he said they didn’t touch the other desserts.  And it’s SUGAR-FREE.  Let me know if you’re interested.  Love to share.

Once upon a time we (my mother and I) made a birthday cake for Jesus at Christmas.  At the risk of the ghost of Christmas past showing up in the form of a young child, we just might make one this year.  Let me explain.  Cammie once got very upset after helping bake the cake when she realized that no one showed up for the birthday Boy’s party.  “WHERE IS MOSES?  WHERE IS JESUS?  WHERE ARE ALL HIS FRIENDS?”  Lots of drama.  But we had chocolate cake.

I like to read the Christmas story on Christmas Eve.  That doesn’t always happen, though.  Today I took a moment to show Sophie the Nativity and talk with her about it.  One thing I like to do is set the three Wise Men and their camels travelling afar as they really were not there for Jesus’ birth, but rather made it when he was a young child.  It makes for a great conversation piece.

Well, I can’t think of any more specifics right now.  I will say that I LOVE that Lisa at the Preacher’s Wife has a movie day with her family on Christmas day.  It’s usually laid back for us as all of our gatherings are finished.  Cammie and Courtney leave for their father’s house and this year I’m sure Cammie will spend time with her new inlaws.  I think a movie for Joe, Sophie and me would be great.

I’m anxious to read your stories as well and hopefully gain some ideas to incorporate for our family’s Christmas.  And a few Santa pointers woudln’t hurt either.

Now don’t go snooping around here too much.  I’ll be linking a recent post next week.

Joy to the world!