The kids returned to school today with long faces. They said they would rather stay home and play all day. I agree but life is life and we must do the things we need to do.
It’s been a good holiday break, and it comes to a close with happy thoughts.
I admit, I was overcome with a small case of the “Grinch” attitude, or maybe it was an attitude of the true meaning of Christmas or maybe I’m just plum growing up. Do any of you know why Dr. Seuss wrote the book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas?” It was written in 1957 to protest the commercialization of Christmas. Interesting note I thought. Now don’t get me wrong, I like giving gifts and I admit I like getting gifts, but it boggles my mind why throngs of people spend hours and hours shopping, and buying an abundance of things for people they might do otherwise under different circumstances. (Sorry, that was the thought that ran through my head when I had to run an errand and got stuck in an hour of traffic near the mall which NEVER happens any other time of the year). To each their own of course, and don’t get me wrong I am not against gifts, we just wanted to scale ours down. This year Ken and I really wanted a simple holiday. When we asked the kids what they wanted they stared at us with blank looks (although I’m sure if I brought them to a store and asked what they wanted they would point to everything they could see). Finally after deep thought they both came up with only two things (which surprised me). Dustin wanted a Webkin and a Nerf Gun and Daria wanted 2 Webkins. Simple I might say. It worked out just fine because we discussed as a family that we wanted to minimize the gifts and focus more on the meaning of Christmas, more time with family and friends. It wasn’t as hard as I thought. The kids were delighted to open their two gifts and we then opened one gift for our whole family. I worried that there would be “wanting more gifts” but none came and I breathed a sigh of relief and could hear in my head “It came without ribbons, it came without tags, it came without packages, boxes or bags! Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more!” Daria and Dustin were happy. We also took on our Home Teachers challenge to write a note to each member of the family and place it in a gift bag under the tree. We opened those first. A fine tradition to repeat.
For the second year in a row we spent Christmas Eve with friends and with the kids re-enacting the Nativity while singing various Christmas songs.
It’s been a good holiday break, and it comes to a close with happy thoughts.
I admit, I was overcome with a small case of the “Grinch” attitude, or maybe it was an attitude of the true meaning of Christmas or maybe I’m just plum growing up. Do any of you know why Dr. Seuss wrote the book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas?” It was written in 1957 to protest the commercialization of Christmas. Interesting note I thought. Now don’t get me wrong, I like giving gifts and I admit I like getting gifts, but it boggles my mind why throngs of people spend hours and hours shopping, and buying an abundance of things for people they might do otherwise under different circumstances. (Sorry, that was the thought that ran through my head when I had to run an errand and got stuck in an hour of traffic near the mall which NEVER happens any other time of the year). To each their own of course, and don’t get me wrong I am not against gifts, we just wanted to scale ours down. This year Ken and I really wanted a simple holiday. When we asked the kids what they wanted they stared at us with blank looks (although I’m sure if I brought them to a store and asked what they wanted they would point to everything they could see). Finally after deep thought they both came up with only two things (which surprised me). Dustin wanted a Webkin and a Nerf Gun and Daria wanted 2 Webkins. Simple I might say. It worked out just fine because we discussed as a family that we wanted to minimize the gifts and focus more on the meaning of Christmas, more time with family and friends. It wasn’t as hard as I thought. The kids were delighted to open their two gifts and we then opened one gift for our whole family. I worried that there would be “wanting more gifts” but none came and I breathed a sigh of relief and could hear in my head “It came without ribbons, it came without tags, it came without packages, boxes or bags! Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more!” Daria and Dustin were happy. We also took on our Home Teachers challenge to write a note to each member of the family and place it in a gift bag under the tree. We opened those first. A fine tradition to repeat.
For the second year in a row we spent Christmas Eve with friends and with the kids re-enacting the Nativity while singing various Christmas songs.
Dustin as a shepherd
Daria as Mary
We also enjoyed Dustin's Kindergarten program, Daria’s choir concert, mine and Daria’s piano recital, celebrated Dustin’s birthday, enjoyed a nice ward party where Ken, Kat and Dustin had a part the entertainment, a visit to Ken’s family, picked pecans,
learned how to make Nancy's famous kolache's, a visit from close friends, and lastly a lot of eating and games with neighbor friends. Such a long run on sentence doesn’t make it sound like such a simple holiday does it!
having fun with cousins
Here is to 2008!!!
9 comments:
It's fun to sum up the holiday. Yours sounded nice. I was sad to see it come to an end too. Loved your pictures.
Finally! the Hubnik update I've been waiting for! lol. love ya karie- it sounds like we had the same exact christmas. very simple, 3 gifts, and we loved it.
miss ya like crazy!
I think once Abigail can write we'll do the "write a note" thing...being with e-mail these days we often don't think to actually WRITE things down. On that note, yes - I have a Christmas card for you, which might make it in the mail sometime this week (not promises) AND lastly, how long did the kid last picking pecans? Abigail might get two handfuls than teater out on me!
the kids picked to huge potato sacks, I'm assuming they are 50 lbs.??? Not sure so don't quote me on that. They can be pretty focused sometimes and Grandpa H. told them he would pay them a $1.00 to pick them.....money motivation!
It sounds like you all had a wonderful Christmas. The kids look so happy (and Daria is really starting to look like you as a kid!) Wow!
I love the Pecan picking tradition, and the new "note" tradition. The kids will remember those things for the rest of their lives. :o)
Can't wait to see you guys!
I LOVE the last photo... will you email it to me... PLEASE!
So I'm such a dork--even after you told me that Ken's blogger name was BroKen, he wrote a comment on my blog the other day, and I was like, WHO is this weirdo writing on my blog?? It looked like the word "broken"--luckily I figured it out a couple of hours later... haha!
It's fun to see how every family celebrates Christmas. Simple or not-so-simple is fine by me, as long as it is centered in Christ! And by the way, I thought Ken's blog name was "broken". I had no clue it was "BroKen". I oftened wondered what he meant by "broken"...his heart, his spirit, his attitude, his what?!? I couldn't figure it out! So I've learned something new from reading your blog today. :)
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