Christmas Spirit

Homeschooling has really thrown off our schedule in a lot of ways, and in this first learning year, there are some areas where I just don't have the time or the energy to put in extra effort. That's how Christmas decorating was this year. We ended up putting up a tree and a couple wreaths and called it good. To be honest, that was all we really needed anyway. It was enough to make us feel that warm, cozy Christmasy feeling without being anxious about getting EVERYTHING out only to have to pack it all away again. In some ways, I feel like God is helping me to set more realistic, purposeful goals lately and let the rest go. 

Though we got our tree up on Thanksgiving, it wasn't until a couple weeks later that we actually got some ornaments up. Dave - the old Scrooge (wink, wink) - tried to get us to just leave it bare, but the kids were excited to add some creative touches. Hadley was particularly interested in whose ornaments where whose as we pulled them out and they learned which ornaments were given to them in years past. 

The kids were all old enough this go around that the tree decorating experience was pretty relaxing and fun. Though an ornament or two may have been damaged along the way and there was glitter spread around the room, it was worth it. I grabbed the breakables and put them up top, but the kids still had plenty to put on the lower limbs. It was funny to see how they'd cluster a bunch together in one small area. They also helped Granny to decorate her tree again so they are becoming professionals. Next year I may have to hire them out...

(Believe it or not, it's still up...we'll get to taking it down one of these days.)

The trickiest part was keeping the kids from fiddling with the lights, rearranging the ornaments, and climbing/hiding in the tree (cough*Caleb*cough) in the days and weeks that followed. Reid kept wanting to get his little hands on the presents underneath as well!

And, while beautiful decor may be part of what gets many folks in the Christmas spirit, one of the best parts of the season this year for me was watching Caleb develop a love of giving. I'm not sure what prompted this eagerness in him - maybe the gifts from Grandma Swan and Grandpa McKinstry that he'd gotten to open early, maybe the fun of shopping, but he had so much fun going with Dave to the dollar store to pick out gifts for everyone. To Dave's surprise he didn't want to stop at just his siblings or parents either; all the grandparents, Aunt Courtney and Uncle Brandon, Lydia and Luke, and Dan all made his list. And, once he got the gifts, he couldn't wait to give them. (I know just how he feels!) Almost as soon as he got back he wrapped up my gift and brought it to me to open.

He told me probably a week prior that he was going to buy me roses but then kept asking me if I remembered, hopeful that I'd forgotten so he could surprise me. As soon as he got in the store, Dave said he went straight for these. He was so proud, as he pointed out to me, that these flowers would never die.

While the younger ones were napping, Dave helped him wrap the rest of the gifts, and Caleb proudly arranged them under the tree with the others I'd done previously. 

As soon as Hadley and Reid were up, he was ready to give them what he'd picked out. 

Hadley was absolutely thrilled with her fairy wings. Though Dave mentioned to him in the store that she already had some pink wings, Caleb insisted that these were different - he's a kid who notices detail. 

I love Caleb's expression here - the joy of giving on his face.

Thank you, Caleb.

Any time someone came to visit that he had a present for, Caleb quickly went to find their package. He said, since he and his siblings got to open a few early, it was okay for people to open the gifts from him early too.

Caleb wasn't the only one who brightened our December by demonstrating true Christmas spirit. Listening to Hadley act out the story of Christ's birth on the Nativity set Grandma McKinstry bought us years ago made us melt too. Acted out and narrated in her sweet little voice, it was enough to make anyone's heart overflow.

Sometimes you wonder if you're doing it right...if in all the busyness of this time of year if the kids really get what Christmas is about. It is in little things like this where you see God at work in their hearts and you realize that He is the one who puts that joy of giving in us...writes on hearts the message of love...and fills our spirits with the desire to draw near to Him.