Adventures with Ahrens celebrates Christmas in a different way than most families. We do not buy our children gifts- per se. All four of us go to the dollar store (the real everything is literally only a dollar) and buy a gift for each of the other three in the family. Then, on Christmas Eve, we each open our thoughtful gifts, and that is our gift exchange. $12+tax, and that is the extent of our gifting for the year. Those $12 take about thirty minutes to enjoy, take pictures, and laugh with. This year, was like the last few- NO disappointment at all.
Our children get three gifts under the tree from St. Nicholas, just as Jesus received three gifts. While I am not sure how much money the wise men spent for their gifts, St. Nick spends $100 per child, per year. He also puts some sweet treats in the stockings, but our children truly love the day and the season for the traditions we have brought to life.
Our children will wake up to open their three gifts, enjoy a big breakfast of eggs, biscuits and bacon with orange juice (juice being a treat to them) and then, we will head to a noon Mass, where the day finds its' meaning. Then, later in the afternoon, we will visit with Geoff's side of the family for dinner and time together with family that we don't get to see very often. The day will end with sadness as each year we realize that we must wait until the first weekend of October to decorate the house again.
Our dollar store gifts ready to go… Brody even got two gifts (but not from the dollar store.) He was needing some minty chew things. True story.
Shay gave Chazman a little snow globe since he has always admired hers, and Geoff gave him a little science crystal grow kit. (I believe it's the borax crystal thing I did last year.) I gave him some light up toy.
I gave Shay a plastic vase with hearts on it and some glitter glue sticks to decorate it so that she will have a place to put her flowers that she gets from doing her plays. Charlie gave her a ribbon toy, and Geoff gave her a Tinkerbell night light.
Merry Christmas to my favorite boy child ever.
Charlie got me another pair of those soft socks I wear EVERY.SINGLE.Day in winter, while Shay gave me a glass candlestick and Geoff gave me a measuring spoon that measures up to 4 tablespoons.
I gave G the manger piece, Shay the Mary with Baby Jesus figurine, and Chaz gave him Joseph.
No comments:
Post a Comment