So, Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent. As I've mentioned here already, it's the first day of the season that Christmas really enters the house in a big way. Christmas sure is a great time of the year to have kids. They make it all much more exciting.
More importantly, they also give you company when you break open the Mod Podge. Have I mentioned how much affection I have for Mod Podge? It's a staple around here. Kind of like ketchup is a staple in your condiment collection. If I had another child, I may consider naming it "Mod Podge Penner", I like it that much. After we tore magazines to shreds, we cracked open the Mod Podge on Sunday to make some new ornaments for our tree.
After the ornament making extravaganza, we began our traditional "First Sunday of Advent" feast. There are a few staples in this spread - one being "Winkler Meats" garlic sausage. Yes, I said "Winkler", and amazingly I picked ours up along with some farmer sausage at Superstore in North Van. We Mennonites are taking the world by storm! The girls also insist on having a cheese ball that they lavishly spread on "Socialbles". It's just what we do. Along with many other delicacies, we drank our Christmas Punch in wine classes and toasted the coming Christmas season. We're kind of refined that way.
When we moved here we left our big tree and all of our Christmas bins and decorations in storage at our house. Last year that was kind of sad because there were no boxes to open which housed "Christmas memories of the past". In other words, old decorations, crafts, and ornaments the girls have made and I've saved over the years. That's always a highlite for all of us. This year we could crack open the box of what was made and saved from last year and that filled the need for nostalgia just a little.
The tree. Last year we bought a $24.00 small and skinny tree from Home Depot so the girls would have something to decorate. We didn't know we'd be using it again this year! You know, that skinny little tree serves our purpose just fine. It's got branches to hang things on and it's green. What more do you need?
It is always - yes ALWAYS - my job to string the lights. Mike doesn't do lights. I've learned this over the past 15 years of being his wife. I do the lights and Mike gives somewhat constructive criticism from the couch. Now that our roles have been firmly established it works for us.
If you don't have mistletoe, a plastic pine cone can fill in nicely.
It's nice to a have a sister to pucker up for.
During the decoration of the tree we always bring out the Christmas treats. Again, there are some non-negotiables. Since Mike and I first got married, we always buy one box of Turtles and one box of Tofiffee. We ration them out slowly until Christmas. Then after Christmas the look of them makes you want to hurl. We also need some nuts, Christmas oranges, Christmas candy, candy canes and Mike's favorite Christmas treat of all time - Macaroons. You know the ones that sell for $1.99 a box? They're like crack cocaine for Mike and he falls under their spell the minute the plastic wrapper is peeled back. If I'm lucky I may get one.
Soon the last ornament was hung...
.... at which time it's the moment to play the traditional song that must be played every year immediatley upon finishing the tree. Barenaked Ladies "Jingle Bells". You can listen to it here. It's a rousing little version of the tune, and the girls get into it in the most dynamic of ways.
And with that, we are ready for the Christmas season to begin.
goodness. I love the way you people parent. You should always be pleased with yourself, and thank goodness you have it all recorded here, for those days when you don't feel like an epic parent. I love the way you are INTENTIONAL with events.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to go and sulk now.