Christmas Comes to Canton

After an incredible Thanksgiving week, Jones and Freddie's Christmas celebrations are in full effect. Now that Jones is old enough to really enjoy things (as opposed to last year when December was just any other month to him), I'm trying to be intentional about starting traditions within our immediate family. I'm writing them all here, so I don't forget to do them again next year.

Obviously.

I put up our Christmas tree (3 easy steps!) the weekend before Thanksgiving, but we didn't put any ornaments on it until the Sunday after. After church, we read this big board book about the man who created the candy cane (and why - it's an awesome story!), watched a DVD of the Christmas story from the same Read-and-Share Bible that we read with the boys every nite, and, finally, put the ornaments on the tree. Freddie couldn't have been less interested, but Jones enjoyed it, though he didn't want to hang the Coke bottle ornament that Jeremy and I got on our honeymoon. He preferred to drink it instead. I can't really say that I blame him.

That nite, we started our Advent devotions. This basically involves reading some an advent meditation from this little book that I bought, reading some Scripture, putting that day's character on the Little People Advent Calendar that Mom bought Freddie to match the Little People Nativity she gave Jones for HIS first Christmas (as featured in last year's Christmas card!), singing the Hymn of the Month (first verse of "Joy Has Dawned," by Keith and Kristyn Getty), and praying.  After this, Freddie goes to bed and Jones generally talks me into an episode of "Tec" before he goes down himself. He's got me right where he wants me.

In addition to our nitely routine, there have been a couple of special outings already, too.

1) December 3: The boys and I took Sissy's kids to check out the self-proclaimed Greenville Griswolds. This is a place that must be seen to be believed, so here you go:



How do they DO that?!  And why??!?!? And WHO PAYS FOR IT?!?!?!

2) December 4: We went to the Canton Christmas Parade! Before the Parade, we met the Pressleys at Sid's for dinner. Afterwards, we walked back to their car for a front-row seat to the action. I'd actually assumed we'd sit in the car, staying warm until the parade started, and then transfer the party to the place I'd staked out on the sidewalk.  The thing about Jones, though, is that, once he's given access to a steering wheel, he's not all that willing to give it up. That translated into Jeremy and I standing on the sidewalk for the first part of the parade, while Jones sat on his Pop's lap in the driver's seat, and Freddie sat shotgun with Nan. Periodically, Jeremy or I would walk over to the driver's side to see if Jones wanted to come get closer-up to the action. Every time, he'd say, "No" and then wave, "Bye."

Message received.

Eventually, Jeremy and I got in the car, too, and it was so much fun to watch Jones interact with the (many, many) floats that passed by (the parade lasted well over an hour). The float for a church passed by, and Mrs. Pressley read the sign on it: "Christmas is all about Jesus." Jones immediately said, "BA-BY!" which I'm hoping is because he's heard us refer to "Baby Jesus" about 19,000 times in the past week and a half. Or maybe not, but I'm hoping so.

Then, we headed home, fat and happy with visions of sugarplums dancing in each of our pretty little heads.

So that's our holiday so far. We're planning to go to a live nativity (in a barn!) tomorrow nite. Assuming I'm not too lazy to do it (a big assumption), I'll post pics from that little excursion, as well.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!