A Very Merry Early Christmas

You're welcome.

Because you get one look-at-what-Santa-brought-us post out of the way early, and your google readers and such will be one less post packed with feeding reindeer and jammiefied babes opening gifts with serious bed head issues come this weekend.

Again.  You're welcome.

So...let's get right to it, shall we?...

I've mentioned before that Santa comes early to our house.  It is a nifty arrangement that I've worked out with the Jolly Old Elf, and Bowl Full of Jelly and I both agree that it is a win-win for both of us.  I don't have to haul presents all over creation, and Santa Baby gets to skip over this house come Christmas Eve.

You see, we leave today.  For our traipse through the country, over hills, and under rivers (or however that little diddy goes) to see grandparents, inlaws, and outlaws.  And because our family just seems to keep scattering further and further apart, our time away from home during this most busy of busiest seasons keeps stretching.

SO.

Santa came to our house yesterday.  That's right.  A whole week earlier than you other people.  Which is all fine and dandy unless you are a panicked prone-to-procrastination mama. 

BUT.

It all came together and was so worth the effort when this little angel baby went out to feed the reindeer on "Christmas Eve."  He even chose special carrots for each reindeer.  "This one is for Comet.  This one is for Blitzen. This one....."

(He was thrilled the next morning when all the carrots had been munched on and one had even been carried up onto the roof by one of the flying furry friends!)

We left milk and cookies for Santa. 

Then we all snuggled deep in our beds and waited.  And couldn't sleep.  And tossed and turned.  And had visions of insomnia dance through our heads.  Oh..right...that was just the husband and I.

The children?  Well, we had to shake them awake to tell them that Santa had visited the next morning.   Whose kids are these anyway????

Santa brought all three boys a Nintendo DS.

I'm surprised you didn't hear their screams of joy from where you are.  And the screams of joy coming from their parents that now that EVERYONE has one, we don't have to listen to whining over whose turn it is or set stopwatches for playing time.  Wahoo!

As a family, we go by the Four Present Poem for our gift-giving structure.  I got the idea from Meredith last year, and our family has fallen in love with it!

Something you WANT

Something you NEED

Something to PLAY WITH

Something to READ

It works for us.  Everyone has generally the same thing and the kids are very careful in their planning of their Christmas lists.  I LOVE IT.

Each of the boys received a Lego set for their WANT.  And each received some type of clothing for their NEED.  We had new shoes, jeans, and a box of shirts under the tree this year.  Each of the boys unwrapped a game that they had picked out for their PLAY WITH, and then, my favorite, they each received a book. 

(He was thrilled to be getting a book, I tell ya.  Simply thrilled.)

OH.....what did I get?

Why I thought you'd never ask.  I will also allow you one good snicker at my Betty Boop jammies and greasy hair.  One.  That's it.  After that, just hush.

I'm getting new living room furniture as my Christmas gift, so I was surprised to find some presents under the tree.

BUT....

I got this....

Yes...that would be a skillet.  From the husband.  It has been suggested that it is to beat him over the head with....jury is still out.  I'll keep you posted.

I also was provided with a weather radio.  And a DVD player for our bedroom.  All things that we "needed" and I got under the tree.  Love how that works. *wink*

BUT...the husband stepped way out of his comfort zone by giving me this...

and this.....

Oh.Yes.He.Did.

The boys always do some fun Dollar Tree shopping for everyone in the family.  This is quite possibly my favorite part of Christmas.  I love to see what they pick out and choose to spend their little dollars on.

Tate gave me a little sewing kit.  Sweet boy.

Keaton gave me a bunch of fake roses.  Sweet boy.

But my favorite.  Sawyer.  Bless his little heart.  Gave me this.  An ethnic angel.

LOVE IT.

Kirk also received some great stuff.  He got a dollar store pocket knife from Sawyer.  And a RubbixCube from Keaton.  And Tate gave him this.

Yep.  A paintbrush.  Just in case he needed one.

It always makes me a bit sad when the whole Santa thing is over for the season. 

But...let me tell you what I've decided that I love so much about having our Christmas early.  Because we get it out of the way, we can kind of push that part aside and turn our focus on the true Reason for this Season.

I know that Christ's birth should be our entire focus throughout the Christmas season, but in all honesty, we all become caught up in the shopping and the buying and the getting and the giving and the wrapping and the bowing and all the other Christmasing things that really have turned our focus away from that precious baby that was born so many years ago to save us all from our sin.

May your Christmas be shiny and bright and filled with all things sparkly and tinsley. 

But may you also hold dear in your heart why we celebrate what we do.

Merry Christmas!