Christmas-time Laughter

There are a few things that always solicit a laugh from my husband. The holiday season, however, seems to just teem with opportunities for him to laugh at me. It cracks him up that I get so excited to decorate and he laughs at my incessant playing of Christmas music (which I'm thankful he doesn't get angry at!) and best of all, when I tell him what I purchase for presents, he will inevitably have a hearty laugh at my expense.

It didn't used to be an issue since we didn't buy presents for each other, but once Em came along, we had the "what is your version of Christmas look like for the family" conversation. He seemed to like the homemade, few presents and loads of tradition version, so we've stuck with it. I was wrapping the kids' gifts this afternoon and stuffing stockings (Em still thinks Santa Clause is Noah from her Bible stories, so I'm not too concerned about letting her see things before Christmas). Todd walked into the room and almost fell over laughing.

Yes. Those are kitchen utensils sticking out of the kids stockings. No, it wasn't an accident. The kids love playing with them as I cook dinner and have managed to break a number of my utensils. I decided that since they were needed anyways, might as well throw them in there. I tried to explain this to my still-laughing husband, who then just laughed even harder at me.

He was just about recovered from his laughing fit, when Todd realized that I was also wrapping some cups and plates. My explanation that they're little kids, they need them, and what are Grandmas and Grandpas for but to spoil grandchildren (which they do liberally) just brought another round of laughter and the exclamation: "I love you Babe!" Pretty sure that translated, that phrase meant a whole lot more than just a simple "I love you" but I'll let sleeping dogs lie.

I was also busy wrapping our Christmas books. When I was a teacher's aid back in high school, one year for Christmas the teacher I worked for gave me a Christmas book. She told me I'd make a great teacher some day, and to start collecting books now. I remember the kids enjoying everything to do with the festive season, and I have cherished that book for years. Then, when Em's first Christmas rolled around, her godparents gave her the book/illustrated poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

I've been waiting for the time when she was old enough to read it (we've tried each year before now, but the attention span was a bit too short). We've gotten a few other books to add to the "Christmas collection" and will read one book a night, starting tonight, until we get to this one on Christmas Eve. I'm hoping that as the kids get older, our collection will grow with their ability to anticipate Christmas. For now, though, it's nice to have a few good books to visually represent how many days are left before Christmas to help the kids. I know. I'm a total teacher-nerd, but that's okay with me... just like getting a plastic ladle in a stocking will be okay with my kids!!!