Thursday, December 8, 2011

Picking and Choosing Our Christmas - the List

Finally, I am starting to enjoy hearing Christmas music and make plans - and it's only December 8.  Christmas, as done by the internet and retailers, can be so overwhelming.  It's so easy to feel like I'm missing something, or that there's still another great sale or great craft just waiting for me to search it out.  Won't my children be deprived without a plethora of cookies, crafts, and activities?  Well, they would be very deprived if their mother exploded.

So I made a little list of the Christmas essentials we want in our family.  Anything else that happens is a bonus.  I depend on the list to keep me focused.

Christmas 2011
1.  hang & (lightly!) fill stockings
2.  set up manger scene
3.  get and decorate Christmas tree - hot chocolate and candy canes
4.  Christmas breakfast - same as last year
5.  Christmas caroling
6.  make gingerbread cookies with kids
7.  make chocolate dipped cracker sandwiches
8.  Advent calendar
9.  gifts for families, teachers, friends
Still thinking about whether to send out Christmas cards or photos.

This post is illustrated with a lovely Christmas bonus: Rachel invited Ben and me to come over and handprint  Christmas balls. 


Rachel's John, who is 4, dearly wanted to try my camera.  So I helped him support it, but he pressed the shutter button.  Funny.  And very happy. 

And a real part of Christmas for us this year.


(photos by John with the exception of the white hand photo I took of John.)

5 comments:

Deanna Beth said...

In what manner do you carol? With a church group?

Margo said...

yes, with a church group, usually. However, we didn't go this year for other reasons, so I imagine we'll do some kind of ad hoc caroling with my family, around the neighborhood.

Sarah Barry said...

I feel ya on everything you said about Christmas being overdone in the retail world. Good plan -- making a list-- always a good idea. This year we are enjoying using a lot of what we have at home as far as decor,crafts, and baking go. Tonight we are going to make a paper chain garland for our table top tree.

Christian - Modobject@Home said...

Margo! I'm so relieved to read your simple-Christmas list. This season I'm learning a lot about how simplicity makes me more available to serve and love others (including my family).

(I'm behind on your blog and am trying to get caught-up... while maintaining blogging simplicity!}

Lisa said...

John is pretty darn good with the camera!!