I’m taking down the Christmas decorations tonight. I need an excuse to watch TV because my brain hurts with all of the financial and technical things I’ve been preoccupied with lately. So, taking down the ornaments and organizing the bins for next year will still feel like productivity.
As I took our battery-operated, daylight-sensing candles out of the front windows I realized that I will miss them and the Christmas tree lights the most. More thanany other decoration or holiday tradition, lights give a special subliminal warmth to the weeks that they are up. We don’t have any other lights on our house or property – I have followed my mother’s tradition of putting candles in the front windows. I went one better when I found these special lights that go on after sunset and off after sunrise, with batteries so there is no plugging or switching or remembering. Just coming home at night and re-realizing that hey! It’s Christmas time!
Kyle enjoyed driving around the neighborhood looking at the other houses and their ornate light displays. Despite the lack of snow, there were hundreds of snowmen and women and lots of North Poles and penguins. Every evening when we drove around Kyle would delight at a new display. “More lights!” he would cry.
I quickly realized that this was a perfect way to kill time between when I picked him up from daycare and when Daddy came home. After a long day of home work (which is not the same as homework) and caring for the baby, I often have to consciously summon up enthusiasm for the hours I spend with Kyle before he goes to bed. Driving around with both kids strapped into their car seats saved physical energy and kept the kids safe and entertained. Twice over the last month, I pulled into the drive-thru and got a burger for me and a small milkshake for Kyle, and we went in search of new frontiers of light displays.
One of them was Candy Cane Lane, an egregious display of overkill. About six blocks of homes went way over the top. I can’t imagine their electric bills, but we sure did enjoy driving slowly down the rainy side streets with the headlights turned off, exclaiming at each successively complicated array of holiday lights, statues, and candy canes.
I love Christmas time, despite the speed at which it passes us by and the giant mountain of shipping material that is cast aside and takes three weeks to recycle. I love it despite the constant running of the dishwasher, the tiny toys underfoot, and the way it disrupts the children’s sleep patterns. I love that I can stretch Christmas time all the way to the weekend after New Year’s Day, although I do have to put away the Christmas music and videos because, God I’m sick of hearing that stupid chestnuts song. Especially the R&B versions of it.
I love Christmas time more now that I can share it with my children. In much the same way that I was doomed to be a Notre Dame football fan, my children are doomed to love Christmas as much as I do.
Our pretty tree
Stockings (all but the second from left made by MomHOP) and treats for Santa (made by Aunt Kathy, me and Kyle, and some cow)
Same view in the morning. The first thing Kyle noticed was that the stockings had fallen down. Then he noticed the missing milk and cookies.
Obligatory kids-opening-presents photo
In this one, Brady looks like a present I just opened.
Kyle’s magic multi-colored space blanket, made by MomHOP
The kids dressed and ready for church. Kyle is smiling. He hates his sweater.
Later on Christmas day, wearing/playing with their presents.
It’s 1:00 a.m. and I am still up and chuckling about this post. Just had to do my nightly check in before turning in. Drats! 6:30 a.m comes way too quickly.
Love the pictures. Please bring home the Santa suit for the cousin-to-be!
These are great. and put a smile on my face :). Love the pained smile on Kyles face. Cracks me up.
OMG, where to start? First, the sweater photo is CLASSIC! You should frame it – his face is priceless. Second, I am very jealous of your light-sensing candles. We put candles in our windows, too (because we are the same person) but I hate futzing around with finding the switches at night & in the morning. Third, I am also a HUGE Christmas person. Not in a crazy-lights display way, just in my heart it’s a big holiday. It’s taken Fab a while to understand this facet of my personality. He’s not as big a Christmas person as I am (because he was raised in a hole, I am convinced), but he’s learning. 🙂
Also, I took our decorations down last night, too. Of course.
Am I crazy or do Brady and Reece look alike?
Maybe I am biased because I don’t have much exposure to babies. Maybe they all look alike. I swear he looks like the baby on the jars of baby mush.