Felt very clever this year. A day or two before December graced my calendar I did all the hard decorating and cleaning that comes with this holiday seasons arrival. Twinkling eyed children arrived home that day. I hadn’t warned them; it is always fun to gift your children a surprise, after all children treasure a good surprise far more then adults.
My thoughtful six year old daughter was the first to notice the tree. “But our little tree is undressed”? I explained the plan, a Saturday for them to anticipate, a morning of coloring the brown paper wrapped gifts (this is our fourth year with this tradition) and then tree decorating that evening. Once their dad had all the lights set up, outside and along our front room window, it would be their turn. I would let them do the tree up in their own style.
Saturday came and they were all indeed excited. I couldn’t get the craft table set up fast enough for their gift decorating! The eldest told me how glad they were that I had remembered to wrap up the presents this way…clearly I saw the ernest joy children get out of kind traditions in these expressions of relief.
That evening the kids did a great job of dressing up the tree. I usually lift up the younger child to place our Scottish star but otherwise their beaming exuberance did all the work.
The day ended with all six of us squished on the tv room couch, watching a resently released Xmas cartoon, laughing and snuggling and soaking up the love. One of the six, that being myself, was replaying the day, taking in how the simply planned day had been full of so much more then just decorating and being together… I let myself get mushy, it’s Christmas after all!
Always Lady Mac an Rothaich
TTFN
Memories of the little traditional things that my parents included with Christmas each year are really the best part of the season to me. These must be some kind of a safety net for us when children and once grown because memories are sure precious to me. I think I feel loved, close to my parents and siblings, and can still draw on some of the excitement of Christmas because of the traditional practises that were there growing up. You my dear daughter, are clearly similar as you build these into your family without lots of money, just lots of great ideas and caring. All my love. Mom