Saturday, December 6, 2008

St. Nicholas Day

Mark has many fond memories of celebrating St. Nicholas day as a child and so we have found ways to have this celebration be part of our family tradition too. Since John's very first St. Nicholas day we have read him this book about the real St. Nick.

Also this day we usually put up and decorate our Christmas tree. John is a Christmas tree fanatic and so no matter what else is going on in life it's worth it to get the tree up for his enjoyment. This year he decided he needed to help...

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...and then I'm sure he's heard us tell him that he's our gift from God enough that he thinks he belongs under the tree, well okay maybe he just needed to get under there anyway...

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Finally this evening when we were getting ready for Advent services John just needed to wear daddy's extra collar...

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...after all it does match his gloves ;)

We still don't have the decorations on the tree, but it's up and lit and we decided that we need to take it a little slower this year, hauling one big box of Christmas stuff up the stairs a day and putting those things out just seems much more doable than bringing up the whole she-bang in one fell swoop.

Honestly I was afraid this was going to be a little much Christmas cheer for me at this moment in time, but I found it was helpful, not to say that there aren't a few tears on the newly fluffed tree limbs (fluffing is my job) or that there weren't a few shed at the Advent service and here and there throughout the day, but all in all it was a better day than I thought it would be and John's enjoyment of the tree and festivities helped a lot. By God's grace we continue and have even been able to keep up our one and only Advent tradition, well besides going to church, the singing of From Heaven Above to Earth I Come each night, John loves to look at the book and tonight he was warbling something for each of the pages. He always makes his mommy smile.

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