I think one of the reasons I love Christmas so much is that it's not just a big turkey meal. It's not just an evening out begging for candy. It's not just a night full of fireworks. Christmas really is a "season", one in which we celebrate all month long. Yes, I will admit that sometimes I feel a little exhausted as I execute all the holiday activities that I forget to enjoy them, but this year, I have really tried to be present. I've tried to let some things go in lieu of what's more important - trying to achieve quality over quantity. Some of our "traditions" are super simple. Some are spontaneous. Some aren't traditions (yet...but maybe?). Some of it is just fun inspired by our resident elf, Jingle. Here are a few of our fun traditions and activities throughout the month.
After Jonas's grade didn't win the Penny Wars (they were only $5.70 short!), we decided to have our own pizza and Christmas movie night. Jingle even helped by bringing a few treats and a Little Ceasar's gift card. This year, Jonas got to choose the movie. He chose Polar Express. One thing I really enjoy about this time of the year is how short the days are. I love that night comes quickly and we can just stay in, cozy up, and enjoy a quiet evening (I just don't like driving at night...especially when there's snow!).
On Saturday, December 10th, we attended our ward's Christmas party. They hosted a breakfast followed by the primary children acting out the Nativity. Jonas got to be Joseph! He was super excited to have that role. He took it very seriously too. I loved watching all the young kids portray this sacred and significant story. This is what Christmas is all about.
As a not really holiday related side note, that evening, after the ward Christmas party, Danny attended the Wintertide Dance. This was a girl-ask-guy dance and our cute neighbor, Gracie, asked Danny. They had a blast! On Thursday (12/8), they did their "day date" (basically the dances aren't just dances any more. The groups go out on an additional "day date" prior to attending the dance then hanging out after). They went to City Creek in SLC to see the lights in downtown and have dinner at Cheesecake Factory. For the dance, they had a low key pizza dinner then played pool and foosball at a friend's house before attending the dance. I can't believe this is his senior year!
Monday, December 12th, Cathi Chisholm hosted her annual Christmas Cookie Party. I look forward to this simple party each year. It's an excuse to actually bake (although I had the little kids this year so my baking wasn't the elaborate ideas I had planned but rather the simple chocolate chip cookies with red and green M&Ms and Jeff's favorite ginger cookies) and an evening to enjoy the company of some pretty amazing women. (Oh...and a night to indulge in as much sugar as my body would allow!)
On Saturday, December 17th, Jeff and I had our annual holiday date. I love the holidays! I love everything Christmas!, but I also feel added stress creating the Christmas traditions and memories. Sometimes it gets a little tiring and I simply want to have one evening that I can enjoy without being the main person executing the activity (that's not to say that the others don't help because they do! I'm just the one who mostly does the planning and preparing of the activities.) Last year, Jeff and I had fun at Taste in downtown Provo for a holiday tea and chocolate tasting. This year, we attended a fun holiday dinner theater event at Gardner Village. The night was as if we were transported to the 1940's as a studio audience for a popular radio show. It was complete with a quintet and 4 piece live band. They told a story that was interwoven with studio "ads" (for Ovaltine or Pepsodent or the "new" Ford cars) and fun Christmas harmonies. It almost felt like it was the 1940s! It was so much fun...and the story was so beautifully poignant. It was a "modern" version of the sacred account we read in Luke 2. It brought tears to my eyes when I realized how the story of Christ's birth can be played out in some many different ways but all with the same result - love, compassion, peace.
The next day, Sunday, December 18th, we celebrated Hanukkah. Yup...you read that right! This year in our religious studies, we have focused on the Old Testament. I have grown to love this set of scriptures! The Old Testament writings and symbolism have been (and still are in some areas) so foreign to me. I couldn't understand the deeper meanings or the historical significance of what was going on. However, this year, I have really tried (with the help of research by others in the field) to dive into the set of scriptures and have been rewarded with a greater understanding of who God is and even who I am. I have come to know that God is a god of second chances. He is merciful and patient and kind. He is always there for us to return to Him when, perhaps, we have taken a different course. I have come to know a God of miracles - big and small, expected and unexpected. I have loved sharing this with my family so tonight as we wrapped up our Old Testament studies with the book of Malachai, we also discussed the inter-testamental period; the time between the Old and New Testaments that aren't written in scripture. We discussed the different reigning forces of the time and how those rulers affected the covenant people of Jerusalem. It was during that period of time that the Macabbean revolt occurred that led to the miracle of the oil in the sacred candelabra in their temple. Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights, is a celebration that even Christ observed in his lifetime as recorded in John 10. So why not celebrate? After our discussion, I taught the boys how to play the dreidel game then we enjoyed some traditional foods served during Hanukkah (latkes, brisket, and sufganiyot) before lighting the mini menorah. Obviously, if we were to observe all the Hanukkah rituals, we would have only lit one candle tonight with the shamash (or the helper candle), but we lit them all. It wasn't much, but it was fun to share in this sacred tradition of our Jewish brothers and sisters and reflect on that miracle of light - the same miracle we, as Christians, celebrate in our own way...the light of our Savior Jesus Christ.
The following Monday, December 19th, Jeff and I took the boys to see A Christmas Carol at Hale Center Theater. This used to be the tradition that Jeff and I enjoyed together, but last year, we felt like we needed to include the boys. This story embodies what Christmas should be about. It beautifully portrays His attributes of love, kindness, charity, selflessness, etc. We have good kids. We know we have created traditions (like the acts of kindness) to remind them that this isn't just a season of receiving but of giving, especially of ones self. However, it's always good to amp up those reminders as we get closer to the day of receiving. I don't ever want to take away the excitement and the magic that comes with receiving gifts, but I also don't want them to forget the old adage that it's more important to give than to receive. This afternoon's production helped remind us of that. I always cry as I see the actors silently giving to a little "family" with an infant on stage as they sing Silent Night. I think Scrooge was always a good man; he just got lost in the things of the world. I think we might all fall prey to that from time to time. Life is more than just the "here and now", the "hustle and bustle", the "climbing the ladder", etc. It is about becoming more than what this world entices us to be. It's about elevating our hearts to something greater than the temporal. It's about learning to love unconditionally. It's about showing compassion. It's about being a pillar of peace amidst the chaos. It's about following Him.
On Tuesday (December 20th), my parents flew up to Utah to spend Christmas and New Years with all of their Utah posterity. We had a pretty busy Wednesday so it wasn't until Thursday (22nd) that we saw them. Jonas and I spent the whole day at Krystle's house. I took the boys sledding, Gma gave them trees to paint,
Gma and Papa gave them arcade gift cards to Fat Cats, Aunt Krys sugared them up with ice cream cone Christmas trees, and we ended the day with another trip to see the incredible lights at Luminaria. I love this light display! I love all the sights, sounds, and smells, but I especially love to see the excitement and joy in the kids' faces as I get to experience it with my family. I'm so glad that we get to share Christmas with my parents this year.
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