Handmade Christmas

Every year I continue to be amazed at the beautiful gifts we create.  We want to share them, but even more we want to remember them and therefore I record them here. 

* Aria sewed a tool belt out of brown corduroy and batik patterned material for Elias, our woodworker.                *Elias and Aria teamed up to put together a cook book for Ben, filled with some favorite recipes and some new to try in a material covered binder. 

* Likewise Ben and Elias teamed up to  sew a mattress, comforter and pillow for Aria's special doll.  

*We all freezer stenciled Chris a t-shirt with a bull fighter, to mark our summer trip to spain

*I sewed a quilt for Elias using a good amount of jean from all the pants he wore through in the past year. I was thrilled with the results

*For shai I made a pair of wings for him to sing and dance around in- they turned out a little big needing a bit of modifying

*a embroidered camp blanket for Aria

*a water bottle holder for Elias from Ben

There were others, but these were our highlights.

Christmas Day

Christmas day was a beautiful day weather wise which just called for us to be outside and enjoy it.  The kids took their grandparents and aunt and uncle out to our toboggan hill.  Despite the height, speed and forest obstacles (which all freak mama out), they braved it and met the challenge.  There was air taken, bruises earned and crashes happened, but most of all lots of fun.
We ate lots of great food, played games, caught up and enjoyed Christmas day.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Morning

After very little sleep, then waiting in the hallway since 4 am, the kids finally wore the parents down to go downstairs to see if a visitor had come.
One of the things I love about Christmas morning is the excitement, the wonder and the love my kids show to each other.  They are equally excited to see what gifts have been chosen for them as they are to give the presents they have created for their family. It's beautiful and magical.

Christmas Eve

It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for a hike (and the secret intention to tire little ones out before the big night!).  Followed by chinese take out and reading the Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Christmas Around the World

At the last minute we decided to host an afternoon travelling the globe exploring Christmas traditions.  We made some poinsettia magnets after reading a little bit about their significance in Mexico.  The craft took longer than I anticipated- but the kids enjoyed it so much we went with it!  We divided into two groups, one where the kids could play with a dradel and another to play tradition twister.  We used a floor map from another game, it is similar to twister.  You spin the needle and it lands on a body part and a continent.  For this days game we added one part; traditions.  I gathered traditions from different countries and sorted them into continents.  When you landed on a continent we read out a tradition while you positioned yourself on the map.  The kids loved it. Of course.
There was snack sharing with chocolate letters from the Netherlands, dried fruits from Northern Africa and the Middle East.  I personally loved the shortbread with creme de leche from Argentina, the stolen from Germany and a special cake made in a coffee tin from Italy.  Throw in some music and carols, sharing our own traditions and friends making it a great afternoon.

Season for Singing

Aria could not have been more aptly named. Since birth she has literally been singing, talking, twirling words.  Being part of the local youth choir is something that makes her soul sing.  These songs and her own music fill the house.  Christmas season means concerts, of which she had three.  Such beautiful Christmas events.  The concerts are each quite different, one a fundraiser for the hospital with a real community feel, a formal evening accompanied by bells and one which has become tradition done in the a local church.  Each year the choir learns new songs, a blend of traditional and new.  This year Aria and a friend did a duet; Sisters.  She was so excited by the opportunity, not to mention performing in front of her friends and Grammy.

Trimming the Tree

Every year there are new ornaments added, some handcrafted, others gifted.  We always buy or make one that reflects something about the past year.  This year there were two.  From Morocco we bought a hand sewn leather camel.  From Wales a hand painted rock with a light house we visited, strung on a string.

Family time

My sister and her family out did themselves hosting a beautiful breakfast- with everyone's favorite foods and lovely hospitality.  It was great to spend some more time together this weekend just hanging out (except for very sick Chris who slept and missed out) and catching up.   

This year my side of the family decided not to exchange Christmas gifts.  For all of us, it really is about spending time together, so it wasn't a hard switch.  My parents generously decided to celebrate by taking us all out to a pantomine, something we used to do as kids.  After the show we went out for dinner at The Spaghetti Factory, which is a great family friendly restaurant.  It was a wonderful evening, a great way to celebrate the holiday with time together.

As a family we shift life during advent, our intentions are to focus on preparing for Christmas.  We decorate, bake, create.  We stop any non seasonal projects and schooling during this time, giving us the 'space' in our day to day for these new activities.  There are some parts of the preparation which has become tradition.  A few favorites have been our road, a visit from friends, Christmas tree decorating, crafting.  One of the new additions that was an enormous success was delivering our secret Santa presents.  We dropped off some homemade ornaments, canned goods and baking to friends, signing the cards Secret Santa.  The secretive part was great, taking part and encouraging magic in this season was so much fun.  The kids took it to a whole new level, planning the execution of the drop off, adding glitter for magic dust, creeping to and from the house so as not to be seen.  It's a big job being a secret Santa!