Christmas Time Is Here

Christmas time is my favorite time of year. It’s because it’s not just a day to celebrate, it’s a “time of year”. People share more, give more, love more. Lights and decorations come out of their boxes and it makes people become more friendly. If only people could be this way all year and be giving and loving and caring all the time. What a nice way to live, don’t you think?

Being Relief Society meetings leader I was in charge of the Christmas dinner for Relief Society this year. I won’t go into how my calling as a whole is going because that could go down a dark path, lol! I had a lot of fun putting together this years Christmas dinner. I WISH I had taken pictures. Someone else said they were going to take some and so far I haven’t seen them. It was beautiful! Took ALL day to set up. Trees and lights everywhere! I wish the heater worked though because it was quite chilly inside. I kept telling people we were going for the “real” effect. Being there were trees and palm fronds all around I said it’s like we were set outside in a forest.

The only picture I have is of the dessert, which I came up with and made for everyone. This was the almost finished product. Pudding on the bottom, then cubed pound cake and fresh raspberries, on top was a layer of whipped cream with a couple raspberries to garnish the top. Mmmm! There were hardly any cups to clean up that weren’t empty. A sign of success! The following Saturday our ward had their annual Christmas party. I like them better when they’re in the evening because it feels a little more formal even if you dress in jeans. This year it was on a Saturday morning as a breakfast. I was looking forward all year to take the kids to the Breakfast with Santa through the city we live in, but it just happened to fall on the same day at the ward breakfast. Jake thought we should go to the ward breakfast instead. Next year though if it interferes I’ll be going to the other activity.

The ward choir (which I’m in) sang a few songs, we had breakfast, and then the 3 wise men (Bishopric) came to deliver gifts to the kids after they had recreated baby Jesus being born in a stable. Shyla was able to hold one of the stars in the program and Jake, at last minute, was asked to be one of the three wise men. Shyla was confused why Santa wasn’t coming. Not something I was really able to explain in a way she’d understand. It was a fun morning and the kids loved the gift that was brought. It was a small wooden nativity for the kids to play with.

(SHYLA IS IN THE PINK SHIRT HOLDING A STAR AND JAKE IN THE SECOND WISE MAN FROM THE RIGHT.)

Santa stopped by Shyla’s preschool. The kids were so excited to see Santa. Shyla wanted to know why he couldn’t stay and come to her house to play. Cute. The younger siblings were invited to go see Santa as well. Jacob didn’t go up willingly at first, but eventually he sat on his lap and didn’t scream! A huge feat for a small child. What would Christmas be without yummy sugar-filled goodies? Jake made his famous fudge, I made my famous peanut butter balls (no pic though :( and the kids made cookies for Santa and carrots for his reindeer. (Confession: Mommy and daddy ate some of the cookies! Even though they were COVERED with sprinkles, they were still edible.)