Christmas Day


I can't access the camera roll on my iPhone.   I haven't bought a new digital camera because it's just been too easy to use my phone that seems to be with me at most times.    Fortunately, I e-mailed a few of our Christmas pictures in an effort to make room on the phone and I have those to share.

We continued our tradition of attending midnight mass.   Clare and Emmeline wore their beautiful dresses and Thomas wore footed pjs.   Really, there is such a small window of time when it is acceptable to wear pajamas to church, we really should take advantage of it!   The music was beautiful and I love making mass the first thing we do on Christmas Day.   As I sat there, I thought about Christians in times long ago, before the Victorians made Christmas the family holiday that the world celebrates today.   Imagine in medieval times when mass and a feast, not numerous presents, were the main focus of the day.   Surely midnight mass and the meal which traditionally followed must have been so exciting.   It was one of those moments where I felt Catholic, knowing I was joining in the ancient liturgy with Christians around the world.

There was great excitement over the first gift of the day: Jesus who was placed in the manger.   I have some cute pictures of that.   Maybe one day I'll have them.

Santa was especially good to the children this year.   They were a little worried about my reaction to one gift that was for them all.   They know my opinions of such things.   Santa must have seen them playing sports and dance games at the homes of good friends.   He must have thought it would be a nice thing to have when the weather makes for indoor play as the only option.   That Santa!



The girls were further surprised by the big man.   They keep walking around with their American Girl dolls saying, "I just can't believe he really brought me this!"





Clare got a Bitty Baby.

Emmeline got Kit.

Thomas was delighted with a toy bow and arrow.   He's been alternating between being Robin Hood and Hawkeye.   He also got an Imaginex fighter plane with a removable pilot!


In addition to their Santa gifts, there were Legos, games, Barbies, doll accessories, train cars, more planes, and a digger for Thomas to sit on and operate in a sand box.   

I always worry about going overboard for gifts.   I am always so touched and impressed by families who limit children to three gifts, just like the number Jesus received.   The problem is that our children have no living grandparents and they aren't going to receive gifts from other relatives.   So, it's up to us and we have fun buying them special gifts.   My friend Regina gave me good advice this year when she told me it's our family to do Christmas with as we see fit and we just need to be thankful for what we can do for our children.   Wise words indeed!



Comments

  1. Kristen2 January 2013 at 15:08

    Ha! Our children received a Wii as well...from their deceased grandfather. I was not too sure at first, but I think I actually like it!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Your comments are welcome!

Popular posts from this blog

First & From Without

Image
"Is she in there?" "I think so.  Should we knock?" This was part of the conversation from my fellow teachers outside my classroom door the morning I returned to work, two months after the birth of my first child.    My locked classroom door.   I managed to get into the building with no contact with others, cover my window on my door, and lock myself in for a good cry.    I did not take separation from my baby very well.   I called my husband and told him I just couldn't stay.   He called the personnel office and asked about my leave options.   Then, he called Mama.    "I know it's hard, Joey, but you have to let her face this; she just has to do it." Later, when I talked to Mama, she told me how she felt when she took me to my first day of school.   She said leaving me at that poor, old south Louisiana school building was one of the hardest things she ever did. ...
Read more

Master Bedroom Challenge: {pretty, happy, funny, real}

Image
This week, Leila at Like Mother, Like Daughter , announced a Master Bedroom Challenge: Make Your Bedroom Beautiful and Useful .   It was a perfectly timed challenge for me.   As part of the Reasonably Clean House series at the blog, Leila recommends beginning the process in your master bedroom.   Her reasoning is right on target, as I've learned after nearly sixteen years of keeping --or trying to keep--our house.   Our bedroom is last on our list to work on in this house.   Since we moved in over a year ago, we've worked on all the other rooms .   Now, it's time to start making the master bedroom come together.   It's a large wonderful space.   My mama always said the problem with a bigger house/space is it is easier to clutter it and you aren't as wise with organization.   She was right.   Lot of corners and spaces to "store" things in this room until I get to them.   Plu...
Read more

An Anniversary

Image
September 16, 2004 began as a typical morning.   Emmeline and I went for a walk and then she settled down for her morning nap while I worked on laundry.   I decided to call Mama; we usually talked to each other every day.   Since Emmeline was born nine months earlier, our conversations had grown to several times a day, as I called her to share Emmeline's latest "firsts."  She had called a little more than normal to check on me.   A month earlier I had my first severe reflux incident.   I was eating lunch when I experienced the normal discomfort, but this time, it got worse and it was as if my windpipe was closed and I couldn't breathe.   I felt like I was choking, but I could talk, so I knew that I wasn't.   I was alone with Emmeline, so I quickly snatched her out of the high chair and put her in her crib.   I worried about what I would do if this did not pass quickly and I stopped breathing. ...
Read more