It's hard to believe it's already getting to be that time again. I love the holidays though and I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be starting to decorate at the beginning of December though we'll no doubt hold off on the tree for a bit. I'd like to put it up early too, but with Nathan and having Sophia here 4 days a week, I don't think it's a good idea!
We have thankfully really downsized our shopping in recent years too. George and I aren't doing much for each other largely because we don't need a lot and there's no point in spending money on stuff we don't need. We have promised each other a night out for just the 2 of us in December though.
We're going to do stockings for the 4 of us though and that'll be fun. We are doing one gift from George and I for the people in my family (that means a gift for mum, dad, Tracy, and Brian). We then have the boys and Sophia. I'm doing a little something for George's parents, but they don't do gifts in his family anymore - maybe partly because there are a lot of them! I'm making something for the grandmas and that's about it really! We quit all the friends gifts and just spend time together instead. None of us need anything!
It's going to be a little different this year as it'll be the first year for just the 4 of us on Christmas morning. The past few years since we moved in here, we've had Tracy and Brian (and Sophia last year!) and mum and dad here for gift opening. There are a lot of us now though, so we've decided (well, mum and dad did really, but it's a good idea I think) that we're all going to do our own thing. I think it'll be the most different for mum and dad though with just the 2 of them!
We've started a tradition around here of getting an ornament for the kids each year with the idea that they can take them with them when they leave home. When I left home, I didn't have any and took whatever I could get from whoever would give it to me, so when I saw this idea somewhere, I thought it was a fun one because all the ornaments will have memories as well. We try and find an ornament of something that they're into and we've already found Nathan's. We were shopping the other day and I saw an Elmo ornament and we knew that was it for Nathan this year! We also knew if we didn't get it then, we'd probably never find it again. Nathan loves it already and since we don't want to take it out of the box, he keeps telling us that Elmo is "tuck" (stuck!).
It's a little quieter around here today since Kyle isn't here! Mum came into town to watch the little ones yesterday while I went and did my duty day at preschool with Kyle. It was great to have a visit and then she asked if she could take Kyle home with her for a couple of days since dad has to come into town again on Friday for the dentist anyway. Of course, Kyle was more than excited at that idea! Makes for a different kind of day for me though with just the 2 little ones.
Well, guess I'd better run. Hope to get some scrapping done today since I work tonight!
Cheers,
Colleen
8 comments:
40 days? Is that all?!?!?!?!
We buy an ornament each year for AJ as well. My BFF and I also exchange ornaments-we have for years now.
I've even started buying one for my hubby's g-daughter who is two.
Yikes - I wasn't counting!
We have the kids pick out ornaments every year too. My daughters 17 and couldn't wait to pick her ornament this year!
I've been doing the yearly ornament gift to my nephew Alix since the year he was born (1995) and have continued with all the nephews and niece in my family since. Of course, Jacques gets his, too!
I got the idea from one of my colleagues who had started that (with his wife) for their kids to have ornaments when they left home. I thought that was the coolest idea, for precisely the same reason as you, Colleen - having to buy new or beg for hand-me-down ornaments when I left home.
I'm thinking, this year I'm going to give each of them a special box to put their ornaments into, so they can easily find them when they do leave home - I'm thinking in particular of Alix who'll be 13 next year and before I know it, he'll be out on his own (yikes!)
P.S. Jacques is big time into Elmo, too, so maybe I can hunt one of those ornaments down for him... His first choice would probably be somethink "Poko" - unfortunately being a good canadian show, there is no Poko merchandise to be found (except for 2 DVDs - which have been purchased!)
Hey, Colleen! :) Great idea for the ornaments for the kids! I have a few that were bought or given to me as a child that now hang on the tree at my house each year. I still love looking at them.
~Sarah
wow. christmas already. sigh. i'm just getting thanksgiving under control. your tradtions sound soooo cool. my mom used to by ornaments for my kids so what we have now are precious.
I love the idea of yearly ornaments! I try to make at least one for the family Christmas tree every year but I've missed a few here and there :)
Wow not much time left, I guess it's really time to get busy!!
We do the ornament thing as well. My parents started it with us, with Hallmark ornaments, and now I do the same for the kids. And I always overdo it on the decorating. It just feels so homey, and just plain right to do (I get it from my mom! :D).
Wow, less then 40 days...man oh man, kinda sneaks up on ya!
38 days!? Wow! I love the ornament idea. I'm going to do that for my son!
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