After having a delayed Thanksgiving, we always feel like we’re in a rush to get our Christmas things up so we can maximize the entirety of December to feel festive. This year we started from the outside and worked our way in.
The kids’ school often has craft days. I usually make note of them and find something better to do with my time. However, when I saw one of the upcoming crafts was making a real Christmas wreath, I made note, and made sure I was one of the first to respond! This was definitely something I could use! The process was a bit slow, starting with one wire wreath form, creating the shape with moss, and then building on top with the branches. Then it was time to decorate it all! Wow! I definitely have more of an appreciation for the time and effort it takes to make just one of these.
The Finished Product
I couldn’t wait to come home and hang it on my door – my first ever Christmas wreath. It will be a sad day when it starts to fall apart and it needs to come down.
Looking Festive
We ended up putting our Christmas tree up on the same day we celebrated Hannah’s birthday. We were happy to do it another day, but Hannah used her ‘executive birthday powers’ and decreed that was what she wanted to do with her day. So, we happily obliged.
Building the Tree
One of my favorite parts of getting all the Christmas boxes out are sorting through the ornaments. Each holds a special memory – either for the person who gave it or from the country we visited when we bought it. I also love that between a couple aunts’ giving each child an ornament each year, the kids will each have quite a collection of their own ornaments to take with them when they leave home . . . carrying those fond memories with them wherever they are.
Sorting the Ornaments
I love that as years go by, putting up the Christmas tree becomes faster as the kids are more involved and know the ‘routine.’ If only we could ever get to that point when taking down the tree and other decorations!
All Decked Out
The rest of December was full of more Christmas preparations. I have officially decided that I will always feel like I’m rushing around for Christmas gifts, trying to beat international shipping dates, or feeling pressured to get our Christmas cards/letters out no matter what date it is in December. To avoid those feelings, I am convinced I need to be done BEFORE Thanksgiving! Someday . . . What would it be like to have a relaxing December?
I’m not sure if the increase in ‘mom taxi’ miles in December is very relaxing, as Christmas displays and performances were prepared for. However, it was very fun to be able to watch the gym’s Christmas Display and see Caleb’s team in action. This was the first year that their performance time only entailed dancing and tumbling – no apparatus (rings, high bar, etc.). Aside from the Disney themed Tarzan costumes for the opening number, the boys had a great time in their hip-hop dance (even though they performed it 10 times over one week’s time), decked in black sweats and hoodies. Having a young, ‘hip’ coach has been really fun for these guys . . . and it’s always a crowd-pleaser as well.
Boys’ Squad in Opening Number
Cami had her turn in the spotlight as her ballet company performed for a Russian group at an all-day event. They broke their performances into two blocks throughout the day, so we attended the first block. The girls did a great job and, having done these dances for years, they are quite polished and can help out the younger girls as they come into the group. The only drawback in these performances is that the announcing and other events are done solely in Russian. But, Cami enjoys the dancing and that’s what it’s all about anyway.
Cami
Back on the home front, we still had our traditional gingerbread house to decorate. The concept of building one gingerbread house as a family sounds quite ideal, but by the time we get done, we wonder why we tried to do it in the first place. “Someone” always wants the icing when “someone else” has it. The candy “someone” wanted to use is now gone because “someone else” used too much of it.
Perhaps next year we should all do our own (if we can find graham crackers in the UK). But, in the moments that everyone was happy and had what they wanted, we had a great time.
Many Hands Make Light Work
It did take a friend to get us out of the house and try something new this holiday season – a true British tradition: attending a carol sing-a-long. We attended one in the Royal Albert Hall with Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag, ballroom dance stars (also known for their show ‘Strictly Come Dancing’).
Outside Royal Albert Hall
The dancing and music were a lot of fun, but the carol sing-a-long was pretty amazing to me. Christmas is still a very respected holiday here in Great Britain. As any carol that spoke of Christ was announced, everyone automatically stood up to sing it. I was amazed, and frankly, brought to tears on a number of songs. There is nothing like an auditorium (with amazing acoustics) filled with people singing about Christ’s birth. Truly memorable!
Final Number of Sing-a-long
After our sing-a-long concert concluded, we walked down the street to eat dinner in a Lebanese restaurant, before heading back up the same street to the chapel for a special Family Home Evening in the Visitor’s Centre. Sometimes it is pretty surreal to live where we do.
Stephenson Family Nativity
Our amazing missionaries shared their talents telling stories, dressing us in costumes, woodwork, dancing, music, baking, etc. for a great evening.
Risk
Our Christmas Eve was pretty quiet and is definitely one of my favorite days of the year. As our big Christmas Eve meal was prepping, we had time to play Risk for the first time as a family. Emma and Caleb pretty much obliterated all of us, but now we know how to play and will do better next time.
Our traditional English dinner of roast beef, roasted potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding was delicious! No, we didn’t have brussel sprouts, but enjoyed asparagus (which most of us eat) instead.
Christmas Eve PJ’s
Christmas Eve isn’t complete without the telling and acting out of the Nativity story, opening up new pajamas, and watching a Christmas movie together. Cami, our die-hard Santa believer, had to check on NORAD to see where Santa was before we went to bed.
Checking on Santa
Treats for Santa and the Reindeer
With older kids, we enjoy a little bit of a lie-in on Christmas morning. We all decided 8:00 a.m. was a good time to get up and start our day. Thank goodness those 4:00 a.m. wake-up calls are behind us!
Tree on Christmas Morning
I’m still not very good about taking pictures during our gift-opening as I’m just relishing it all. But, I made sure to get a shot of the ‘before’ scene, with everyone’s stockings spread over the room, surrounded by their wrapped stocking gifts and one unwrapped gift from Santa.
Living Room Scene
As the kids get older I’m sure Santa has a hard time knowing what they want, even with their notes they write him. But, overall, they were all pleased and surprised with their gifts. Emma got a small Polaroid camera; Caleb got Beats headphones; Hannah got a new soccer ball, goals, and ball pump; and Cami got a Boogie Board.
Surprised and Happy
As it was our first Christmas with Keira, we were a little unsure with how she’d do. She did okay with having the tree out, as long as ornaments were above her line of sight. We didn’t put any gifts under the tree until Christmas Eve, just in case. Overall, she did really well. She was a little questioning of the gifts on her bed, but was excited for new toys. The only Christmas mishap we had was when Keira found Caleb’s Beats case on Caleb’s desk. That was quickly chewed up, but it could have been worse . . . and Caleb quickly replaced the case with some of his Christmas money.
Keira’s 1st Christmas
It was a great Christmas in London. We are always conscious of not having family around during these holidays, but we are very grateful for each of them. We are also very grateful to get to spend Christmas as a family. We realize the years of having ‘just us’ is coming to a close in a few years. Kids will be going on missions and starting on their own life adventures. We hope our home will always be full of our children, their families, and happy memories as each Christmas comes.
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