We continued this year with our theme of breaking away from our traditional Christmases past.
And we continue to be surprised at how the Lord has blessed our meager efforts to reprioritize our time, our energy and our spending.
We completed a third year with our wonderful Advent book, every night taking turns guessing which object would be the one to represent the story of Christ’s coming, and learning more and more how all scripture points to Him.
We also went to no screens after 5 PM for the month. With a twist. This year we made allowance for one screen, playing a Christmas movie, in the family room. And not-so-surpringly, it was a huge hit. So most December nights found our whole family snuggled up on the couches watching a classic (or not-so-classic) Christmas movie.
We continued to simplify our Christmas spending, with each of our kiddos having an understanding of about how much we had to spend on their gifts, and giving us input on the things their little hearts desired most.
The choices they made were surprising, too. Most surprising was that six of them chose to spend the bulk of their Christmas dollars on a super-sweet softie to not only love the stuffings out of, but to help bring a little girl named Eloise home to her forever family.
So here they are, except Zach who was in transit, and what they enjoyed most about Christmas this year.
Poppy…
Favorite event: Decorating the tree. Because we got our own China ornaments, and we got to put them on the tree.
Favorite gift: My favorite was the gift card from Momo and Popo because I can buy some boots, and something else with it.
Sophie…
Favorite event: My favorite was Secret Santa. It was fun to see what everyone got for each other, like Tallula giving Isabelle a Happy Birthday card and a paper plate with a face drawn on it. I bought for Poppy and gave her sour gummy worms because she likes candy and she likes sour stuff.
Favorite gift: Charlotte, the Raccoon. She is super soft and she looks really cute. And it helped raise money for a family who is adopting.
Asher…
Favorite event: I liked doing Advent. It was fun to guess what the object was going to be every day and to read the lesson about Christmas.
Favorite gift: My tuner because now I can tune my guitar.
Vivienne…
Favorite event: Watching movies together every night, especially Elf.
Favorite gift: My stuffed animal that looks like a Boston Terrier. I named her Lily and I love her because she is super cute and looks like Noah.
Victoria…
Favorite event: I really liked Secret Santa. I got a great Secret Santa gift so it was a lot of fun for me – I got some nail polish and a book called All About Dogs and Cats and Fish handwritten and illustrated by Vivienne.
Favorite gift: My favorite gift was that big How To graphic design book.
Tallula…
Favorite event: I liked to decorate cookies. Because it was so fun when I decorated that one that had all the sugar on it. And I liked to put on the chocolate chips.
Favorite gift: I like my coloring books and my markers because I can draw on my coloring book.
Dalton…
Favorite event: I really liked watching Holiday Inn – it’s such a classic and I’d never seen it before.
Favorite gift: My new sweats. My old favorites had a rip and the new ones are extremely comfortable. And NBA 2K10.
Jude…
Favorite event: I really liked making sugar cookies with everybody. They were really good and I had fun decorating them, especially putting on the sprinkles.
Favorite gift: My pillow sheep. I call him Sheep-ie because I haven’t really thought of anything else yet. He’s so snuggly and I love that I got to pick out the colors of his ears and legs.
Shepherd…
Favorite event: We got to make cookies together and decorate them by ourselves. I made a gingerbread man and some snow men. They were delicious, too.
Favorite gift: My paper dragon airplanes book because I can fold them different ways and fly them.
Isabelle…
Favorite event: Making the cookies together, they were so good. People made cookies for each other, and Christmas is for sharing.
Favorite gift: The watch, because I really wanted it and now I can actually tell time without having to walk from upstairs to downstairs… I can just look. And it has an alarm clock.
Clementine…
No words necessary. This girl was all about the books. I had a little Usborne party to help get her some of her absolute favorite “That’s Not My…” books and while she had fun unwrapping the toys and eating the candy, she positively squealed over the books.
Oh, and did y’all see this? Victoria surprised me with her first aquatint.
It also happens to be of my most favority-favorite dog, Noah.
I might have cried real tears.
What a Christmas.
Can’t wait to see what next year brings.