christmas pajamas

our family has a tradition of only opening ONE present on christmas eve, and it's always pajamas. this year i decided to make the ones for the kids. started and completed on december 22nd ... have you noticed a trend of me waiting until the last minute yet? the kids looked SO cute ... never got a picture of both of them ...

christmas pictures

i realize i never posted any pictures from christmas. here are some of my favorites ... adian's favorite part was the bows. seriously, sooo cute.

it'd beginning to look a lot like christmas

well, i've finally have gotten around to decorating. i didn't put up as much as i normally do, just bits and pieces. and we decided not to put up a tree because aidan will just pull it down and i don't want to stress about it.

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here is one of my navtivities, on the bookshelf in the entry way.

here are my multi-colored sparkley christmas trees on my mantle.

here is our sad little christmas tree next to our nativity. it's driving aidan nuts, he wants to touch it so badly. every once in a while he crawls over to it and throws a tantrum! its sad but really cute!

and since i could not put my normal ornaments on my big tree i decided to put them into vases and decorate the piano. i love the colors of these ornaments, and usually they are intermixed with all of our other random crazy ornaments, but this year they stand alone.

it's not much, but everything that i've put up i LOVE, sometimes i wish i could leave my christmas decorations up all year long. they make me so happy. i should have put them up earlier, but i had to dig them out from behind a giant fishtank in our garage (i'll explain more in another post about the aquarium that we live in!!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

merry christmas

my friend whitney did this meme on her blog, and it looked like fun, so here you go!!

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1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? i love the look or crisply wrapped presents, but i am *horrible* at it, so i do a lot of bags.
2. Real tree or Artificial? artificial, i can't stand the mess of real ones or the stress of keeping it watered
3. When do you put up the tree? we're supposed to have a set time? i'll do it whenever robby gets the stuff out like i asked him to 1 week ago
4. When do you take the tree down? last year i think it came down towards the end of january, it just made me too happy i didn't want to ever take it down
5. Do you like eggnog? yup, i could drink gallons of the stuff -- i need to put it on my shopping list
6. Favorite gift received as a child? my barbie ferrari (although it was actually a corvette) and my american girl doll
7. Do you have a nativity scene? yup, i have a couple.
8. Hardest person to buy for? all of the men in my family, brother, dad and brothers in law!
9. Easiest person to buy for? aidan - he'll like anything i'm sure
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? none, am i supposed to do that now? most likely i'll be blogging it
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? hmmmmmm ... i don't know but i'm sure it was from my grandparents
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? christmas vacation
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? when i feel like it, usually in october or november
14. Ever recycled a Christmas present? not yet
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? egg nog and english toffee
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? i light clear lights and robby likes colored
17. Favorite Christmas song? hmmm, i'm generally bah humbug about christmas music, i think they start playing it WAY too early
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? anywhere where my family is, usually close by.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? yup: dasher, dancer, prancer, vixen, comet, cupid, donder and blitzen, and of course rudolf (and yes, it's DONDER, not donner, it drives me crazy when people say donner)
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? giant bright red star
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? christmas morning, but we open presents at every place we visit
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? way too much christmas music, i get burnt out on it
23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color? no themes or colors, some matching ornaments and tons of random ones.
24. What do you want for Christmas this year? a serger

the what and why of christmas

this post has been completely copy and pasted from my brother-in-law, TJ's myspace blog, i hope you enjoy. very interesting insights into christmas and all of it's meanings.

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"Last week we had a couple of Jehovah Witnesses knock on our door. Personally knowing the emotions and labor that accompanies door-knocking to spread the gospel news, I invited them in and offered a drink. The discussion went as you might think between a Mormon family and two Jehovah Witnesses. We agreed to disagree on many points of Biblical interpretation. Being December, we began to discuss their religion's teaching to not celebrate holidays and, in particular, the neglect of Christmas. Being fair-minded, I will tell you that they choose not to celebrate due to their interpretation of various Biblical verses and add the comment that they simply choose to give gifts and presents throughout the year and not let the traditions of man dictate when and what they will celebrate. I applaud their thoughtful analytical process in choosing not to celebrate. However, over the following days it caused me to reconsider why I was celebrating Christmas and what Christmas means to me.
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I understand that evolution of Pagan celebrations and rituals have brought us to our current tradition of Christmas. I'm actually okay with that. So the Romans celebrated Saturnalia in a fashion more closely related to a week of Mardi Gras type partying. That's cool. The Christians then wanted to bring in some Roman converts and incorporated the week long festival into celebrating the birthday of Christ. They worshipped the trees, so let's bring in a tree and decorate it. I understand that. Nicolas born in Turkey, becomes Bishop of Myra, honored position on the council of Nicaea (that was the council that decided what letters and scripts to put into a compilation that would come to be known as the Holy Bible), he dies, and gains a following that over the next 700 to 800 years combines a few different histories contributing to the characteristics of Saint Nicholas, who received Saintdom in early 19th century. In 1809 Washington Irving writes "Knickerbocker History" which refers several times to the white bearded, flying-horse riding Saint Nicholas using his Dutch name, Santa Claus. Having read this, Dr. Clement Moore in 1822, writes the epic poem, "A Visit From St. Nicholas," or as it is most commonly referred today, "Twas The Night Before Christmas." Add some more about Coca Cola's involvement with the marketing of Santa's image, the advent of Rudolph and Frosty, the numerous classic Christmas movies, a couple of NFL football games and you have a Christian American Christmas tradition.
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Just because it came from Paganism and is now being exploited by Capitalists should we now shun the celebration? Are our Jehovah Witness friends right in their refusal to celebrate? Heck, my own ward here in Oceanside banned Santa Claus from our church Christmas party. What is this world coming to? I propose that Christmas is not in need of a restoration as there was no true definitive Christmas established to return to. Therefore, reforming Christmas, as the Christian world has been doing and will continue to do is what is required to instill the purity of Christ-worship during the Christmas season. Will there be those who miss the mark? Of course, just as there are differing levels of commitment in varying Christian congregations. Will there be those who overdue it in their zeal and seek to isolate Christ as the only acceptable figure of celebration during Christmas? Of course! How do you ban Santa from a Christmas party? What's next...ban Harry Potter? Alright, I'll save that debate for a different blog.
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Christmas is the time of year when we can realign our focus to be more in line with our beliefs. As one Mormon authority, Hugh B. Brown once said, "For one day, at least, Christendom practices Christianity." How many non-believers are reminded once a year that a Savior was born as a babe in Bethlehem? How many contributions and various charitable work is contributed in the month of December every year? I suppose once Christ comes again it won't be necessary for Christians to celebrate Christmas but until then, what is the harm?
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Do we worship Santa? Of course not. John A. Widtsoe, a mormon apostle and respected scientist, once said, "We live in a world of symbols. We know nothing, except by symbols. No one finds fault with the symbols on the pages of a book because they are not as mighty in their own beauty as the things the represent...There are some men who object to Santa Claus, because he does not exist! Such men need spectacles to see that Santa Claus is a symbol; a symbol of the love and joy of Christmas and the Christmas spirit."
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I love the stories of Santa Claus. A jolly old man who brings joy and cheer throughout the world by giving gifts to good little boys and girls. Newer interpretations are even incorporating Santa's help in the spread of Christianity (see C.S. Lewis's tale of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe). I love that during this season mankind thinks more about giving than receiving. I love the spirit of Dickens "A Christmas Carol." I love watching movies that spread happiness and delight. I wish that the spirit would permeate throughout the year. Unfortunately, the words spoke many, many years ago… "There is no room at the inn" are still being spoke today by far too many people. There is no room for Christ in the commercialistic Christmas season, there is no room for Him in the selfish heart, there is no room for Him but during Sunday worship, and there is no room for Him in schools and government. Christmas helps remind me that I need to find room in my faith and actions for Christ lest I hear the words of James echo in my ears, "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
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Boyd K. Packer, a current Mormon apostle, has said, "The whole account - from Bethlehem to Calvary - is the Christmas story, and it takes simple, childlike, almost naïve faith to know it…" Christmas is more than celebrating the birth of the Savior for without His death and resurrection, the story remains untold. I choose to celebrate His life and what He taught. I celebrate that through Him we, as mortals, can overcome the two things we cannot for ourselves - sin and death. Jesus Christ has opened the gates of heaven and made possible the way to return. I do know that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer and I know that He lives. May we praise Him and I invite you all to define the what and why of your own Christmas story. In the words of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, everyone!"

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end of TJ's blog post. we now continue with our regular sceduled program ...

christmas meme

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? egg nog (because i can drink ho-cho any other time, but you can only get egg nog around christmas)
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa (aka me) wraps them.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White lights on the tree (much to the chagrin of hubby) and no lights on our apartment, yet!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? hmmm, i wonder where i could get some. I

5. When do you put your decorations up? we got our tree up the first saturday of the month, and i love it. i used to hate decorating for christmas but if i could i'd leave my tree up all year long, it makes me sooooo happy. i should put a picture on here.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? stuffing, seriously love love love the stuff.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child: opening one present on christmas eve, and it was ALWAYS pajamas, then having a slumber party with all my siblings, waking up and opening presents in the new pajamas.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? probably from one of my sisters

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? please refer to item number 6 - a tradition that i really need to start with my hubby!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? all of my random ornaments, plus the bright colored ones that i LOVE - red, pink, aqua, lime green, and a giant shiny red star on top!

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? love to visit it, glad i don't live in it anymore.

12. Can you ice skate? i've only done it once, but i didn't fall at all, so i would say yes.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? no gifts really stand out, i don't think christmas has ever really been about the presents.

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? family and remembering the true meaning of christmas -- and it isn't Santa.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? english toffee
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? pajamas -- as disussed earlier.
17. What tops your tree? giant shiny red star, love it!

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? giving, but i never know what to give.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? It Came upon a Midnight Clear, i think, but i like them all

20. Candy canes: yes please
21. Favorite Christmas movie? a christmas story, christmas vacation, and how the grinch stole christmas (animated)
22. What do you leave for Santa? hmmm, might have to actually start leaving him something i suppose.