Why yes, this is Christmassy vibes in January over here on the blog. We’ve been in such a full family mode the past few weeks that there was barely time to even share it with you as we went along. We’re really loving our Summer and probably will squeeze the last bits until school starts later this week! Meaning, I will probably spend a good part of what’s left of this month just playing catch up. So, come along! Half the fun is in the reminiscing! π
Every year without fail, my girls follow up the grand crescendo of Christmas with, “is it still Christmas?” This starts up and continues from the very moment their eyes open on the day after Christmas. Sometimes even on the night of Christmas, after all the festivities of the day, as we tuck their slumping pyjamied bodies into bed, they manage to crack one eye open to ask, “is it still Christmas tomorrow?”
My answer is always the same: somewhere along the lines that we have
one more big celebration for the year, and then we get a whole fresh new year as a chance to do it all over again! We get to try new things, add a few things, and skip what’s no longer vibing for us…or something in that vein… Although, sometimes I do wonder what would happen if I just said yes to them. You know, just carried on with the festivities as if it were still Xmas. But I’m not that crazy. So, for now the answer is always the same…
And their response is always the same too, “oh plleeeeeeease? Plleeeeeeease?!?”
Whilst that hasΒ never ever been a successful tactic in the history of children’s annoying tactics,Β I’ve learnt to how to spread out the fun throughout December, with the last week before Christmas really building it up for the kids(and myself)…
We always kick it off with the tree..nestled right in the heart of our home. We crank up the carols, and get busy.
On a side note: I’ve grown up with, and have always held tight onto the tradition of having ONE tree in the home. We were actually chatting about this at the Xmas table this year. That for us, the tree was set down in what represented the heart of the home, and as such we all gathered there together to share in gift giving…I’ve loved this, and never understood why many of our overseas counterparts had the tree in every room idea…
But man, when I look at this…
I kind of get the idea behind having a tree in every room…
It’s so festive, and means we get to sprinkle a little Christmas vibes everywhere…and makes for sweet photo backdrops! π (ps. everyone looked at me funny when I said this at the table, by the way…But this is deffy brewing in my head a bit…)
And, as always we break out our Christmas Jammies…
Right after the tree, this is our first port of call…and I love how I no longer have to say anything, my girls already know how this goes down and more importantly, they’re so excited about it! This year, before I even said anything, Morgy was the first to jump on the Xmas jammy train, and made sure I laid it out for them well before bedtime. (We’ve built up a nice collection over the years, so they have a bit of choice now…but the red stripe seems to remain a favourite.)
Also, our Christmas book collection finally gets released! (We have built up a nice book collection too over the years, however, in order for these books to still hold any form delight and intrigue, I tend to “lock ’em up” from February through to November, so that come December it’s a thing they look forward to. (It’s not actually locked up at all. It’s just on the top rack of the spare cupboard, so often I will still find them using a chair and sneaking one off.)
And there are some favourites amongst our collection for sure. Mine will forever remain the Night Before Christmas, for it is the very book -like the actual book – that my mom and dad read to me. However, “Santa Claus” comes in at a close second.
That book is magic! (ps.I actually did a post on our favourite Christmas books, but got so entwined in Christmas prep and mom life that I realized I forgot to post it. So it’ll just have to wait till later this year.) π
We baked loads of cookies and of course our Gingerbread house.
This year, the house was a bit of a monstrosity…it really didn’t come out half as well as my first two Ive baked. It was truly the furthest thing from perfection. BUT, as with all good and subtle lessons in life, this “less than perfect” didn’t for one second take away from the joy my kids had with it. In fact, to take it straight from my IG post on KIDSEMP:
This #gingerbreadhouse is probably the shoddiest job I’ve ever done,but you know what? The kids don’t care…they don’t care about perfection at all. Decorating this crappy little house made them so happy …because all they need and want is your time(and that candy)?…And as their mother, THAT is perfection to them!
So no matter how or what you do with your loved ones this festive season, new traditions or old..baking or not baking…Martha Stewart or not, be present and take delight in your kids. For they truly are gifts unto us.
They of course took greater joy in the complete dessimation of the house too π
Speaking of which, did you catch our Kids Emporium Instagram Takeover? It was loads of fun. Have a look-see here. And while you’re there why not check out their baby range…
Gorgeous baby activity books that has little Yuriko-Mae so intrigued, and certainly helping us to raise a little reader…
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Then there’s the gorgeous plushy lamb that….. It really has helped her settle down in the crib and let go of her mama – so that mama could get all the gifts wrapped.
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And the soft lamb snuggle blankie that’ also a teether is really earning it’s keep as it helps with those itchy gums.
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And what also helped me really get things done in the kitchen this festive season were these gorgeous butterfly princess dresses that kept my two big girls firmly stuck in their fantasy world. Of course I couldn’t help but sneak in a few pix of them…what kind of a blogger would I be! π
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And when Christmas eve came around, you bet your last candy cane we had kept our Christmas Eve Box a tradition!(It was quite a popular post of mine from a year or two ago. If you haven’t checked it out yet and maybe missed my InstaStory, you may want to check it out for THIS year’s Christmas!) π
This year was a little different with Netflix giving us a great selection of movies, and thus not really adding new dvd’s.
The girls jammied up basically immediately. (Chosen based on their new found love for the Grinch since last Christmas)
And the weather played with, as these warmer jam-jams from the States were perfect for the cooler weather we had this December.
Also, these two….
Heart explosions, guys!
Even Whiskey enjoyed her jammies this year.
We spent the day completely chilled, and together – as is the plan…Mom and dad only just tinkering around the house and kitchen.
I laughed in the face of Christmas Cookout Exhaustion, and just ordered in pizza, ’cause I’m no sucker-fool.
Whilst I still have to regain my once great love for cooking, I know that no Christmas will be complete without at least some cooking, so a rich Moroccan Chicken pie and Oreo pudding it is! For everything else, there’s pizza and Woolies ready-made meals for the rest of December!
As has become custom, we sprinkled our Reindeer Food in driveway….
…making sure we spread it out nicely so that Vixen and Dasher get their share…
And once kids were nicely tucked into bed, mom and dad put their feet up and clinked their glasses of egg nog to a day well spent. We also pretended the kids fell asleep immediately, with visions sugar plums dancing in their heads…because its nicer to pretend as such, than actually lose your shit with them after such a great day. And funnily enough, they honestly did fall fast asleep soon enough…and walked in on this…
I was very tempted to fetch Coco and put her next to them, just for a pic….but I know better than to test my luck. Let sleeping kids lie, lest your parenting ass never wishes to rest. π
Also, these two can be wigglers of note…
And so, finally, with a Christmas eve spent not wrapping one single last minute gift, I chalked it up to a victory, took our last snaps of the tree and called it night!
And as with every christmas eve since I was a child, there was a crackle in the air. My heart was full. Gratitude was brimming….Christmas was going to be lovely…
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