We held our 2nd Annual "Mostly Unrehearsed Nativity" at Lighthouse Church (LHC).  The children, ages 4 to 10, assembled the Sunday before for a brief organizational meeting where we gave out costumes, read through the nativity story, assigned parts, and rehearsed Christmas Carols.  On Sunday, Dec 16, they acted out the story as it was narrated. 

It is spontaneous. 

It is precious.   

A wonderful Christmas memory.

Well folks, Christmas is done at our house!  We kicked it off with our own celebration and then made the six+ hours trek to my dad's for two celebrations, then to my mom's for another celebration, followed by a celebration at my brother-in-law's. 

We're home.  We have too much loot (aka, presents to grandchildren from grandparents!) and too many sweets (mom, mom-in-law, and stepmom sent all the homemade goodies with us). 

By any standards it was an epic Christmas!  It had all the right elements - time to reflect on Jesus' birth and celebrate by having communion, lots of squeezing on nieces and nephews, grandparent love, lots of squeezing on Josiah (who celebrated his very first Christmas), eating, movie-watching, laughing, talking, visiting with 20 year old nephew and his girlfriend on his Christmas birthday and hearing lots of special plans he has for the upcoming year (it's going to be a momentous year for sure!), napping (cold medicine was part of my Christmas diet, ugh), hanging with our favorite people, and more eating! 

Our first Christmas with five kids was extra-special.  Still shaking my head at all God's blessings. 

Some highlights to remember:

1.  Stopping in Charlotte to attend Elevation Christmas Service and replace the starter on our van.  A new bible (long story), tow truck (longer story), and a chunk of our emergency savings later we were back on the road to Virginia. 

2.  Captain America.

3.  Moving our luggage many times (sorry, Chief). 

4.  Coming home to a broken washing machine (sorry again, Chief). 

Despite any hiccups, Christmas 2012 was Merry and Bright! 

I hope yours was just as blessed and memorable! 

Let the un-decorating begin! 

Snowman on the door.

Roses still in bloom.

Christmas in the Lowcountry. 

Have you guys tried clementines?  My kids eat their weight in them every Christmas.  They are a favorite among children because they are seedless, easy to peel, and sweet!  They are actually a type of mandarin orange but very similar to a tangerine.

I've seen them called Cuties and other similar names.  Did I mention my kids love them?  Yes.  They do.

This year, I have had my tribe save the peels for me to make this really yummy potpourri found on Pinterest, of course.

If you want your house to smell heavenly, boil some orange (or clementine) peels with a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon on Medium heat.

Let them eat clementines, I say! 

Another song that I can't help falling in love with during Christmas.

Could've come like a mighty storm
With all the strength of a hurricane
You could've come like a forest fire
With the power of heaven in Your flame

But You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

I just love hearing about different families and their traditions.  I've enjoyed implementing traditions from my childhood, my husband's childhood, and trying new traditions I learn about from all of you.

Some favorite traditions we enjoy:

1.  Christmas coloring books. 

Each child gets one the beginning of December and colors through the whole book during the month.  It's so fun to look back at the completed coloring book at the end of the month.  Of course our little ones haven't appreciated this tradition as much as they do when they get older.  The littles would rather just color a page here and there but even still enjoy being included in the fun. 

2.  Dollar Tree Christmas Shopping.

All the kids buy gifts for their siblings and parents from the Dollar Tree (the older kids who have more money may shop at other stores if they like).  Everybody gets to choose their own wrapping paper and wrap the gifts they purchased.  It's fun to see so many presents under the tree (4 X 5 = 20) and even more fun watching everyone open them!  This has quickly become one of our favorite traditions. 

More about our Dollar Tree Shopping from Christmas past.

3.  Our Advent Wreath. 

On Christmas Eve we gather round our advent wreath and read the Christmas Story. The candles are lit in a progression throughout the story and we share communion as a family.  This is such a precious time.  My absolute fave Christmas memory from year to year.

4.  Making Christmas Candy. 

This becomes more meaningful to me each year as my children have been able to participate more and more.  It is so much fun to be in the kitchen with Christmas music in the background, wearing our aprons, and working together.  I've learned to keep the recipes simple and delish.  For me it has become more about the memory making than the gourmet quality. 

Microwave Fudge (milk chocolate and dreamsicle)

Pretzel Treats (pictured above, click on pic to go to recipe)

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

Microwave Krispies Treats

5. Three gifts. 

Each year our children receive three gifts on Christmas morning.  We've done this so long, they have never known anything else and probably think everybody receives three gifts at Christmas.    Click here to read more about our three gift tradition. 

I'd love to hear about your fave Christmas activities.  Leave a comment and/or link to your own blog post.

Once we discover the Reason of Christmas it pummels our hearts and everything changes.  We don't really give a rip about the gifts or Black Friday.  The lights and trees are pretty but they don't really do it for us either.  Don't get me wrong, we are plenty excited.  We are plenty excited about our new understanding of what Christmas really is, what it was meant to be all along. 

We don't have to dig out the decorations, the tree or the stockings.  We already have the Christmas Spirit.  We've contemplated all year the depth, the happy heartache of the season, the giving and the gratitude, its shelf-life is longer than a month.  We throw some bling around and dip stuff in chocolate.  But really the "party" is just practice.  We take this month and we deck the halls.  We hope that when little eyes look around, when WE look around, we all see reminders of truth and hope and joy.  We see a world that NEEDS US and a baby that SAVED us.  If I feel compelled during this season, let me be compelled further in January, April, and July.  May our hearts be reconditioned everyday.  May we keep that feeling, that spirit all year.  Our need for that tiny baby does not change in October.  Our need for the precious gift of joy and salvation born in a manger is just as great in June as it is December 25.  Christmas is more than just a day.  We need to unwrap Christmas every day.  We need to receive it always.  We need to share it continually.  We need to get familiar with it and December each year should become practice at celebrating the whole year. 

It really is more than just a day.

One of my absolute fave Christmas songs.  Ever. 

Seriously.  Fave.  Ever.