Our family has several traditions when it comes to Christmas Eve. The first is that I make a big, nice Christmas Eve dinner. (I don't believe in cooking on Christmas - I believe in being lazy!) So last night I made what I thought was a particularly yummy dinner: cranberry-apricot pork loin roast, spinach salad, Jell-o salad, and homemade rolls.
I might as well have served mud, as far as the boys were concerned. They wouldn't even eat the Jell-o, which I specifically made for them! They drank some soda and juice, took a few bites of roll (under duress), and then promptly left the table. (That's Joshie, pulling on my apron strings (ha!) and hiding behind the curtains.)
I suspect this refusal of dinner by the boys will probably also be a tradition for the next several years. Rotgut kids.
So it was time for our next tradition: talking about the birth of Christ and trying to make sure that the boys understand the true meaning of Christmas.
Me: So, who's birthday are we celebrating on Christmas?
Spencer: Jesus!
Joshie: Santa!
Well, we're still working on Josh. But who can blame the kid? Santa brings toys. What Jesus has done for us is a bit more abstract. (But check out this cute video of Josh's take on Santa:
So it was time for our next tradition: talking about the birth of Christ and trying to make sure that the boys understand the true meaning of Christmas.
Me: So, who's birthday are we celebrating on Christmas?
Spencer: Jesus!
Joshie: Santa!
Well, we're still working on Josh. But who can blame the kid? Santa brings toys. What Jesus has done for us is a bit more abstract. (But check out this cute video of Josh's take on Santa:
Then we sang the Christmas song we had been working on this month: Picture A Christmas. Oy. What a ham Spencer is. I like how he starts shouting at "And can you hear the angels near?" And what's up with Joshie? A little hyper about the whole evening, I'd say. But you can't claim to not be entertained!
Then we all opened our Christmas jammies. It cracks me up that Spencer was still surprised that he got new pajamas, even though he was there when I bought all of them, I told him what they were for (he asked), and we get them every year. But he was happy about them, so who cares?
(Side note: my pajamas are not only loud this year, but also huge. I mean HUGE. The problem is, I'm cheap. Which means I'm not willing to spend $40-50 on maternity pajamas. But I am willing to spend $15 on pajamas from Wal-Mart's plus-sized section. Only problem was that they only had really big sizes left. No matter. I'll just make a blanket out of the material once I'm done with them. Or two.)
(Side note: my pajamas are not only loud this year, but also huge. I mean HUGE. The problem is, I'm cheap. Which means I'm not willing to spend $40-50 on maternity pajamas. But I am willing to spend $15 on pajamas from Wal-Mart's plus-sized section. Only problem was that they only had really big sizes left. No matter. I'll just make a blanket out of the material once I'm done with them. Or two.)
Then it was time for the annual picture of the children in front of the tree. And the annual "Hold still for just three seconds" being said ten times in a row. And the annual silly pictures of the children because they are just too excited to hold still.
I thought all hope would be lost for our next tradition: taking a self-timed family portrait. But the boys loved it and actually behaved! We even got a few good shots. (I don't know what that white dot on Lance's arm is. Perhaps the ghost of Christmas self-portraits?)
The boys especially loved making silly faces. We had to do a few more.
Then it was time to put out some cookies for Santa and write him a letter.
We had to move the plate of cookies away because Josh kept swiping them. That kid can really put cookies away. Or maybe he was just hungry because he didn't eat dinner. Something or other. I was also kind of afraid he'd start eating the magic reindeer food, which was also on the plate. (It was too wet to put it on the lawn.)
Joshie: won't eat pork loin roast, will eat raw oatmeal and red glitter.
We had to move the plate of cookies away because Josh kept swiping them. That kid can really put cookies away. Or maybe he was just hungry because he didn't eat dinner. Something or other. I was also kind of afraid he'd start eating the magic reindeer food, which was also on the plate. (It was too wet to put it on the lawn.)
Joshie: won't eat pork loin roast, will eat raw oatmeal and red glitter.
Finally, it was time for bed. And of course there were tears. And strong words. And threats. And putting children back to bed. Again. Because it's not truly Christmas until someone cries.
And then Lance and I collapsed on the couch, not sure we'd be able to stay awake longer than the boys. But we had to and we did, because who else would put together toys and stuff stockings for Santa? And be angry about how hard it is to just take a toy out of a box? Or be surprised at the number of batteries needed for one small toy?
Because that's a tradition, too.
And then Lance and I collapsed on the couch, not sure we'd be able to stay awake longer than the boys. But we had to and we did, because who else would put together toys and stuff stockings for Santa? And be angry about how hard it is to just take a toy out of a box? Or be surprised at the number of batteries needed for one small toy?
Because that's a tradition, too.
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