Sometimes the holidays seem to pass by before I've really gotten into the spirit of things. I didn't want that to happen this year, so I planned a few things that I thought would really help to get into the Christmas spirit.
First, Eleanor and I started a new tradition this year with a date to the Nutcracker ballet. I think this was the first stage performance she's seen and she loved it.
Second, we also started a new family advent tradition. We've been collecting Christmas books (thanks to some good friends for helping with that too) for awhile. So, I wrapped them all up and put them under the tree. Eleanor loves opening a new Christmas book every day. I do too, since it provides some new reading material for bedtime stories!
And speaking of Christmas books, I decided to read Dickens's "A Christmas Carol" this year. I don't think I've actually ever read it before. It was excellent. A beautifully written lesson of how to feel the real spirit of Christmas.
Here are a couple of my favorite lines, "[Marley's ghost to Scrooge] Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business! ... Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode? Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me!"
I also planned early to take our own family Christmas picture. That's a fun adventure that involves the tripod, timer and lots of running on my part! Hope you enjoy the result.
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To continue one of my family's oldest Christmas traditions, we'll be making Graham cracker houses tonight. So, look for pictures soon! And here is a picture of Eleanor's visit to Santa today. Not sure he knows what a Sleeping Beauty Polly Pocket is, but I'm sure the elfs can help him out.
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With lots of Christmas music, cards, secret Santa-ing, snow, parties, lights, etc. it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas this year. I'd love to hear what you do to get in the Christmas spirit too.