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Friday, December 4, 2009

Christmas is coming!

I am a Christmas fool. In just 21 short days, it will all be over. We have our tree up and our house decorated. (Even went and bought a couch so our decorations would look right...HAHA!)

I want to savor every moment of it. This year I hope to venture into candy making. I've assisted a friend the past couple years and thoroughly enjoy it. So my goal is to try this year and to find some sucker to do it with me. I can't imagine it being as fun doing it by yourself as it would be with a buddy.

Other "traditions", last year we made sugar cookies with Rebekah and we also bought a ginger house kit. It has been sitting on the counter all week, and EVERY day she asks if we can build it, is it Saturday yet, why can't we do it today? She was super excited that TOMORROW is the big day and I fully expect to be woke up at 6:00 AM sharp with a little girl sitting on me informing me it is Saturday and time to make the ginger bread house.

I'd love to find some traditions that do not involve food. It would be GREAT if I could associate memories and traditions that Rebekah will not struggle with as she gets older. Do I eat this cookie? I'll get fat if I do...that sort of thing. But, that could be me simply projecting my own personal struggles onto a little girl who has yet to discover them. She may never worry about eating a cookie or have weight struggles.

I recently read a book (in which I'm sure I'll attempt to blog about soon) where food was heavily involved in tradition. They embraced the fact that food was inspiring and an integral part of the culture. I'm trying to think about it in those terms and let go of my notions about food and weight.

We also do go Christmas caroling with our church, and when we are in town we attend a church service on Christmas Eve. I have some Christmas books we read about the REAL meaning of Christmas, and we also drive around and look at lights at least once. Not much...but we are an infant family working to create our own traditions. We've embraced our own family traditions that we are willing to embrace (William brought Santa, I brought the advent calendar) and looking for new things to make Christmas special for our kids.

In 21 short days I'll be feeling the "Christmas let down"...it'll be over, and I'll be sad that I have to wait yet another year for this time of year again. 21 days! It will definitely go entirely TOO fast (which is why I'm not opposed to putting up the tree after Halloween...yes I am one of those people!).

1 comment:

AshleyC said...

So... how did the cookie thing go!?

I like your thoughts on traditions/food. And at the same time... I think part of the issue we run into is the mass quantities of food we have---- I think food was created for us to spend a lot of time and love and attention to... but mass production and poor nutrients has made it something other than what it was intended for--- nutrition and enjoyment.

You're always more than welcome to help me make candy... lol. I realized that I enjoy making candy to GIVE to people more than anything. I have enjoyed making it with one other person (both you and Meaghan have been the two that have helped out individually), but last year was both fun and overwhelming. But, it sounds like you're ready to make candy making your own thing and not helping me with mine.

Hey, we could always make our "own" candy and keep each other company!

I think I'm going to try to get started this Friday... but I KNOW I won't get everything made!