Preparing for Christmas

With Thanksgiving being so late this year I felt like this Advent season went at warp speed. It has been very wet this December and the temps rather mild. I took advantage of a random 60 degree day and pulled out the Christmas lights. Jim was working from home that day and I was home with the little girls. So while Bridget napped, Megan played outside and I put up lights. Jim came outside to climb on the roof for me and help with the tree lights. While he was up there he cleaned the gutters out. Megan kept asking "What is that?" as he tossed muddy leaves down to the grass. She gave a big "Ewwww" when she inspected it closely. When Bridget woke up Jim brought her outside. She was pretty impressed, "Look at that" she said repeatedly.

We bought our fresh tree from the boy scouts this year and Megan "helped" Jim carry it in. I put the tree lights on and that evening the whole family decorated the tree together. We have so many ornaments now that Jim and I only put up a selected few. Bridget was excited to have a pile of her own and after watching her sister's technique, went at it. She got to practice quite a bit as her ornaments usually fell off and needed to be rehung. Rachael was up and down from the end table to reach high sections. Emma stuck mainly to the other side were she was the only kid who could reach up very far. This year Megan had much stronger memories of her ornaments and I think it increased her enjoyment.

We also have spent a lot of time making our Christmas cookies. We started with the sugar cookies because if they are last I run out of steam and get too frustrated to enjoy it. The girls all crowd around and take turns putting in ingredients. Bridget got to help this year as she sat on the counter. Her stirring looks a lot like churning butter but the concentration and involvement makes her help worth while. After the girls roll and cut out their shapes I send them into the dining room to decorate them. I think more sugar sprinkles wound up on the tray and floor than the cookies, but those cookies were not lacking for sprinkles. Rachael really enjoyed the freedom of this part. She tires of me bossing her around in the kitchen. Her cookies were beautiful, I look forward to seeing her continue and maybe neaten her technique in the years to come. Emma is an amazing helper and I can hand things over to her so I can tend to other things. Megan stays cheery throughout the cookie process even if I am getting frustrated by fingers in the bowl and lose the fun that I want it to be. Cookie making extends over a couple of days. When all was said and done I think we did over 17 dozen this year.

Jim has restarted a tradition from when he was a kid and has been making a Christmas Cookie Tree each year. Emma and I rolled and cut the green stars. Then Jim stacked and decorated the tree. Bridget was wowed by this yummy creation. We will share it with the family on Christmas Eve.